Phillips Patents ATV Speed Bearing

Phillips Patents ATV Speed Bearing Phillips Enterprises (USA; website) announced it has been issued a U.S. patent on the company's Speed Bearing configuration. Specifically designed for the all-terrain vehicle (ATV) market, Speed Bearing is a ball bearing design which allows fast wheel/axle bearing replacement without removing the brake drum or brake housings. This is a particular problem in Alaska and other wilderness areas where ATVs are often a primary mode of transportation, and a repair facility is not always nearby. By slightly modifying the knuckle and using a special socket tool, the Speed Bearing' stainless steel insert design allows an ATV bearing to be changed in the field in 30 minutes, versus up to two hours in a well-equipped service garage for the standard configuration. Essentially, after removing the wheel and axle nut, the socket tool is used to screw the bearing insert into and out of a threaded knuckle. Phillips' VP, Shane Chapple, said: "We're excited about what the Speed Bearing will do for the ATV industry, because we feel like we've reinvented the wheel. This innovation will have a historical impact on how ATV's are manufactured and purchased. The Speed Bearing will definitely set a new standard for the industry." By further encapsulating the bearings, service life is also extended, according to Phillips. Service life as much as doubles due to the insert adding impact protection and helping the seals to do their job. The entire kit consists of a bearing, spindle, and socket tool, priced in the area of $100.