Rear Wheel Bearing Retainer | Honda CB350 / CB360 / CB450 / CB500 / CB550 / CB750
The bearing retainer is the threaded aluminum ring that locks your rear wheel bearings into the hub — and because Honda peened it in place at the factory, it rarely comes out pretty. These are high quality, tested aluminum replacements for the rear hubs across the Honda twins and fours: pick your model above and the correct retainer ships.
Why You Need This
Getting a fifty-year-old retainer out usually means drilling the peen marks, penetrating oil, and heat — and even done right, the old ring often comes out chewed up. A fresh retainer means clean threads and a proper seat for your new bearings, and you will not want to remove these twice. If you are doing rear wheel bearings, order the matching retainer with them.
Specifications
| Spec | Detail |
|---|
| Replaces OEM Part Numbers | 41231-286-000 (CB350 / CB360 family), 41231-283-000 (CB450 / CL450 / CB500T family), 41231-323-020 (CB500K / CB550 family) |
| Fits Models | CB350 / CL350 / SL350, CB360 / CL360 / CJ360, CB450 / CL450 / CB500T, CB500K / CB550K / CB550F, CB750 — see the charts below for year-by-year fitment |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Sold As | Sold Individually |
Note to CB550 owners: The 550 wheel bearing retainer is reverse threaded, as indicated by the arrow on it. Use the retainer tool to remove the old one and install the fresh one without tearing it up.
Note: This is the REAR retainer. Disc-brake front hubs use the separate front hub bearing retainer.
Installation
Difficulty: Intermediate
Honda stakes the factory retainer to the hub with punch marks so it cannot back out. To remove one: drill the peen marks ever so slightly with a sharp 1/8" drill bit, soak with penetrating oil, heat the hub with a heat gun, then back it out with the retainer tool seated squarely — improvised tools tend to gall the holes.
Going back together, put a healthy amount of anti-seize on the threads — a clean retainer should go mostly by hand — then peen the edges in a few places with a center punch so it will not unscrew.
Our wheel bearing replacement video shows the retainer removal and reinstall on this exact family, front and rear.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which retainer do I need for my bike?
Pick your model in the options above: the CB350 / CL350 / SL350 and CB360 / CL360 / CJ360 share one retainer, the CB450 / CL450 / CB500T another, and the CB500K / CB550K / CB550F a third. The retainers differ mainly in diameter between the model families, so the right pick matters.
Does this fit my CB750?
Yes — the CB750 uses the same retainer as the CB450 / CL450 / CB500T group. Select the CB750 option above and the correct one ships.
Why won't my old retainer come out?
It is peened in place from the factory. Drill the peen marks just past the surface with a sharp 1/8" bit, soak it in penetrating oil, heat the hub, and use the retainer tool seated squarely. Heat does most of the work.
Is the CB550 retainer really reverse threaded?
Yes — the arrow on the retainer shows the direction. Treat righty-tighty as backwards on that one, and let the retainer tool do the work so the holes do not get torn up.
Should I replace the retainer when I do wheel bearings?
If yours comes out damaged — and peened-in retainers often do — yes. Order it with your CB450 / CB500 / CB550 bearing kit or CB350 / CB360 bearing kit so the whole job is one pass.
You Might Also Need
Last updated: June 2026
