I've got an intermittent noise coming from the front of my Divvie, and I've been trying to knock out the whee bearings to check them. The damn things won't move, which is quite annoying.

Is there any particular tool I should be using for this? I'm trying to hammer them out from the other side fo the wheel using a longish, flat screwdriver, working my way around the bearing.

Aside from that is there any other reason my bike would make an intermittent screeching noise from the front when I get over 40mph? It's not the brakes as it still happens when the brake's applied. I'm sure it's not the mudguard, as there seems to be no sign of rubbing.

I've given it a dose of WD40 around the outside of the bearing to try to work some lube in and free it up, but if there's an easier, "proper" way to do it I'd love to know it.

Cheers.

Basically one usually checks wheel bearings by feel whilst they are still in the wheel.
It is near impossible to remove them without fubarring them.
Which is why one either has to use a tool for the job, or a long length of brass rod and a lump hammer at numerous points gently. To put in new bearing I have a large socket which is only a few thou smaller than the OD of the bearing so the bearing can be tapped in square.

Your intermittent noise could well be more to do with some crap trapped in a caliper or similar.

Yup what PS said plus to bang them out a large hammer used lightly will carry more clout than beating the living doodars out of them with a claw hammer. Laye the wheel on some wooden blocks not resting on the disks so you can hit them properly and a set of pin punches or similar may work better than a screw driver...you will need to replace the bearing once you have removed it as PS said you will knacker it by removing it...when you do replace it stick it in the freezer asthis will allow it to shrink and make hitting it in easier...grease everything up and make sure the spindle is rust free (with 1500 grade wet and dry) and grease that up too..job done.

As for the noise which started this who knows bearings tend to be a constant noise plus vibrations wering grinding sort of stuff so might be worth looking at brakes too

Okay, so odds-on it's not the bearings then? It doesn't seem to be rumbly or squeaky, and the bearings seem to roll smoothly with my finger.

I don't see how it can be the brakes - to test it I've driven along with the brake applied, and it's still given me a nasty squeal. I've stripped down the caliper, cleaned the shoes (still in good condition) and cleaned the disc since it started anyway (had the forks out to change the seals).

The forks are 100%, and it can happen on smooth roads (not just when hitting a bump), so that rules them out.

The only other thing that moves enough to squeak down there is the wheel itself, and it doesn't seem to be rubbing on anything. It sounds similar to the noise it would make if the type were rubbing on the mudguard, but there's no contact there.

That leaves me at a loss. Ideas on a postcard?

Did you apply copper slip to the sliding surfaces of the brake pads? This is essential when maintaining calipers, or a pad can stick when the brakes are released and make a bloody awful row.

I assume you mean greasing up the ends where the pads move back and forth in the caliper, as opposed to the braking surface (which is what I first thought!). I've not, but I'll do that this time when I put the caliper back together again.

The thing is, the noise bears no correlation to what I'm doing with the brakes. The only common ground when it squeaks is that I'm doing over 40mph (which doesn't really help me diagnose it because I can't really do that in my garage...). I honestly don't believe the brakes have anything to do with it.

I had an idea last night though. One of the grease seals appears to be a little damaged (*very* slightly), and the speedo clutch retaining plate looks a bit bumpy. I'm thinking that maybe there's insufficient grease in there for the clutch to slide smoothly against the retainer, and as the speed builds it's catching. It's not something heavy enough to slow the bike down, but it would make a noise. I could grind the plate a little to smooth it back off and re-grease the whole assembly.

Sound feasible? (Clutching at straws here... )

Obviously not the braking surface
I don't mean grease I mean copper-slip, it is specified for the job.

Okay - I thought copper-slip was just grease with copper through it to make it slide easier. I suppose having copper would also greatly affect its thermal properties. Fair enough - I'll have a look around for some. I don't see how that little movement could make much noise, but at least I can rule it out.

I'm still getting into this whole fixing-stuff-myself business, so there's a lot I don't yet know... I'm quickly filling my garage with tools though. I keep telling myself that next time I need to fix something it'll be cheaper!

As long as they don't carve that on your tombstone. ;-)
Seriously though that is why forums like this are useful. There is bound to be someone who has attempted a job and either cocked it up or succeeded.
Other than getting ratarrisd amongst like minded sad bastards that is why rallies are good. If you have a problem or a project there is bound to be someone there to give you advice. (If someone has come 500 miles on what looks to you like a bucket of bolts they obviously know how to wield a spanner.)

Problem solved (apparently)!

I made sure the bearings were all in place, then took the speedo clutch and the plate that keeps it in place and cleaned them both. They were really rough and crappy, so I sanded them down gently, polished them up, greased them and re-fitted them. They're still a bit pitted, but there are no bumps now. Refitted the rest, popped the wheel back on and we're good.

I took it for a run (about 25miles, almost all over 50mph), and not a peep out of the front wheel. Re-torqued the bolts to check if they'd moved when I got back, and I'm now a happy bunny

Now I just need to wait for my breather pipe kit and it'll be fixed. But for the moment at least it's back on the road - yay!

Glad you've got it sorted. A hell of a lot cheaper than taking it to a garage to get it diagnosed