I'm trying to earn my 2nd Degree Green/White/Red belt in motorcycle maintenance. Today I'm doing or am in the midst of doing, Steering Head Bearings.
Removal was easy. I wacked the races out of there with a dowel and a mallet.
I'm going to be installing a new lower triple so I didn't have to really bother with the other difficult task of removing the lower bearing.
So I've got the front end suspended from the rafters...
When you put the new races in, can I just get a bearing race press tool? Does it have to be a specific size? I see many of these:
Park Tool Steering Race Press (for a whole lot of money):
(http://www.toolsource.com/prod_images/102950.jpg)
Would this NT alternative work? http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200353977_200353977 (http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200353977_200353977)
Similarly, to install the lower bearing, do I have to buy some fancy gizmo like this:
(http://images.jensonusa.com/large/tl/tl299c00.jpg)
Or can I just get some pvc and whack it repeatedly with a mallet to seat the bearing?
What are some budget alternatives to getting the job done, and what are you guys using?
If you put the bearings in the freezer and warm up the seating area they will drop in.
The races will go all the way in till seated?
Take your old outer races to the grinder/belt sander, and skim down the OD until they will freely slip all the way in to the frame.
Then you can use them as a 'driver' to install the new ones.
Don't hammer your fingers. :P
SO, i like that plan + getting 'em cold first. I generally like using the BFH.
On to the lower bearing on the steering stem. My make shift plan was pvc with a ID as close to the OD of the steering tube, slide the bearing down as far as i could, slide pvc over it, and then whack the shit out of the pvc until the bearing seats.
Thoughts?
You'll need a steel tube, PVC won't hold up.
...and you want to make sure the od of the tubing is smaller than the od of the inner bearing race.
Quote from: ducpainter on November 11, 2009, 12:58:02 PM
...and you want to make sure the od of the tubing is smaller than the od of the inner bearing race.
Right. That was my plan.
You don't need a press or removal tool, a screwdriver you don't care about can be used for removal, old races for insertion. The disadvantage is that these methods don't apply even pressure. So for both removal and insertion you need to tap a little, move 90 degrees, tap a little, repeat. If you drive one point of the race too far the whole thing wedges in crooked and won't move.
None of this is a factory approved mechanical technique but it can be made to work.
With the races you can sand the whole outside or just cut a slit with a hacksaw or dremel. Then the ring can compress a little and get smaller so it doesn't jamb.
Scott
Ok, cool. I saw that's how they did it in the garage night video (http://www.garagenight.tv/ep-5-replacing-steering-head-bearings/), but I wanted to double/triple check with our 'team of experts' [beer]
This was ridiculously easy. I can't believe I worried about it. I broke down and got two tools to make things easier:
12" section of pipe from home depot ($6.50)
(http://www.thebathroomlook.com/productimages/large/600mm_polished_chrome_pipe1_844.jpg)
Bearing Race Driver - Northern Tool ($40)
(http://www.northerntool.com/images/product/images/9094295_lg.gif)
I had grins from ear to ear because it was so easy. I quadruple checked my work and it was all good. Then, because confidence was at an all time high, I tackled the removal of a bunch of stuck, rounded out corroded front rotor bolts. SHAZAAM!
Proof (see, new triples are on, and wheel is in the front with rotors off)
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_4iYlZ1m8UEM/SwCwaK__sEI/AAAAAAAAEpw/aZ1mxRONejM/s800/progress.jpg)
Well done! Most times the anxiety is tougher on you than the actual job. Remember to check the head bearing nut in a few hundred miles since the bearing may seat and loosen a bit.
Scott
Roger that.
Quote from: ato memphis on November 16, 2009, 03:27:52 PM
This was ridiculously easy. I can't believe I worried about it. I broke down and got two tools to make things easier:
12" section of pipe from home depot ($6.50)
(http://www.thebathroomlook.com/productimages/large/600mm_polished_chrome_pipe1_844.jpg)
Bearing Race Driver - Northern Tool ($40)
(http://www.northerntool.com/images/product/images/9094295_lg.gif)
I had grins from ear to ear because it was so easy. I quadruple checked my work and it was all good. Then, because confidence was at an all time high, I tackled the removal of a bunch of stuck, rounded out corroded front rotor bolts. SHAZAAM!
ATO, my man....
Do you happen to know what the specs on that section of pipe you bought? Length, diameters (ID and OD)????
Well, I expect yours to be different than mine, the pre-02 Monsters use a smaller stem than the 02+. Length was 12"
you know, sometimes i don't even bother reading under peoples avatars... or older posts in the same thread sometimes...
my bad lol..
thanks for responding though! i'll just take the triples down to home depot with me.
That's actually what I did.
this is my homemade bearing driver... some pvc I had lying around fit perfectly. I used my old race... cut a slice into it... turned it upside down and used that to face the new seat. Placed the pipe on top and a couple taps with a hammer it was all settled in. The ID was about 1.5"
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff27/charlieff/photo-21.jpg)