This video goes over fully servicing a Yeti Bikes Switch Infinity frame with dog bone linkage. We fully disassemble the frame, clean everything, replace all the bearings, re-grease, and reassemble. A subscriber pointed out that the bearing might not always need to be replaced. Aa long as they are in good condition, they can be re-packed, which is cleaning out all the old grease and applying a fresh coat. I didn’t realize that I never mentioned this point until he pointed it out, which is a surprising because I have posted a few videos that involved bearings in the past and typically makes it a point to mention this. Apologies in is this caused any confusion
If you have a yeti frame with the Switch Infinity linkages, you absolutely want to check the bearings once a year. Yeti Bikes make very nice frames, but the parts that make them efficient are VERY costly to replace. The only way to avoid replacing them is through preventive maintenance. Make sure to regularly grease the Switch Infinity bushings ever 20 – 30 hours and check all linkage bearings once a year.
Bike shops will charge a good amount for this service, as they should, IMO. The job is time-consuming, considering there are at most 6 bearings to replace. Learning to perform this service on your own will save you considerable money over time.
The special tools needed are minimal, as seen in the tools section. I HIGHLY recommend using a bearing press for installing the bearing. It’s not worth the chance of damaging the bearing seats to save a few bucks, imo. Bearing presses can be very cost-effective if you buy a press with drift specific to your bike’s bearing size, OR, if you make your own press with a threaded rod and buy drift specific to your bike’s bearing size. This will work just as effectively at a much lower cost.
As for bearing removal, at a minimum, I would purchase a bearing extractor. This can be a one time purchase that works for the most popular bearings typically seen in bike frames. You can use a punch, but be VERY careful to remove the bearing evenly, as you can damage the bearing seat otherwise.
As always, feel free to ask any questions, and I’ll respond the first chance I get.
Chapters
00:00 – intro, tools, and parts needed
06:50 – Frame Disassembly
20:56 – Bearing service
59:09 – Frame Reassembly
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In case no one knows, you can repack your bearings. You just need the right size of the "ball". Most of the time, you just need to clean them and put grease in.
Hey which brand and model is your vise? thanks
Love the altalt stuff!! Used the suspension kit, used it to replace the suspension bearing on my ibis mojo3. Ibis doesn’t recommend replacing the bearings instead sells the linkages. I had to modify some of the altalt parts to get them to sit flat.
Holy moly! This is why I ride a hardtail!
I thought Yeti's "Infinity system" is guaranteed for life??