Steering head races, HELP..???!!!!

[Czekus21]

I'm changing the bearings and races in the frame steering head. 79xs11sf. I've got everything apart, including the upper race, but I cant get the bottom race out. I've even fabricated a tool,( cut the handle off of a long scewdriver and partially bent the tip) The top of the bottom races on my spiecial are flush with the inside part of the frame. There are 2 small notches ( one on either side of the frame) that I thought I could get my ( spiecial ) tool into but it won't bite enough to get the race out. Is there a spiecial trick or tool to get these out

[xssiveone]

You're probably not holding your tongue in the right corner of your mouth and certainly not muttering the proper chant under your breath.....


Seriously, you are on the right track in getting it out, but it is a real PIA to do. You are doing exactly what I did on my 78E. I didn't use a screwderiver, but you are on the right track. The only suggestion I could make is to use a heat gun to expand the steering neck. I know a local shop uses this method and the races almost fall out after a few minutes of heat.

Don't think it's advisable to use a torch in this area for fear of warping or weakening the metal.

Have you got the bottom bearing off the 'tree' yet? It too is a real PIA. I think it was Jerry Fields that suggested this, but I stripped the cage and rollers off and then cut about 80% thru with a cutoff wheel in my Dremel. A quick smack with a hammer and chisel completed the break and it came off easily. You can then use this inner race to drive the new bearing into place. Since it's already split, it will come back off easy. I also did the same to the outer race. When the new race is fully seated, just squeeze the old outer race with a pair of pliers and it will come right back out of the neck.

[Czekus21]

Thanks for the tip. I'll keep working at it. I've changed alot of bearings and races but usually their's a lip that can catch the end of a punch. No I haven't attempted to remove the bearings off of the lower part of the tree yet. I'll be tackleing that today. I'll try the chant and hold my tongue on the other side. Thanks for the advice and I'll feed back, later this evening.

[uk1.1s]

Agony and the exctasy

*&&^%^%$ aren't they.

Yep... sounds like you are doing what I would try.

Friend just did the dremmel trick on his modern Jap cruiser... sounds like a pretty good last resort... or first resort to avoid the pain of an afternoon of hammering and getting nowhere.

xssiveone is right...the tongue needs to be in the right place...squint your eyes slightly and some muttering is definitely helpful. Walking away for 5 minutes before you wreck anything is my best advice one you start to loose patience.

Good luck

[John]

I had just the opposite problem...couldn't get the upper race out. Do you have access to an arc, or mig welder? Weld a bead on the race, and it will practically fall out. Chop it up with a Dremel cutoff wheel. Heating the the area around the race with a PROPANE torch may work, and it won't be hot enough to distort anything. When you finally get them out, cut new/bigger notches to make it easier the next time it's done. I don't understand why there is no notch for the upper race. Make sure to pack the new bearings before installation. Don't buy them from a dealer. Go to a bearing supply shop. It will be much cheaper. That's what I did, and it was only 1/2 of the dealer price.I fact, my local dealer bought alot of bearings from the place that I got mine from, and the usually gave him a good discount. One of the owners of the bearing store took his bike to this dealer for some work, and they didn't cut him any slack on the labor , so he stopped giving them a discount. The greedy SOB was getting them cheap, and marking them up to full Yama price.

[ratbyk]

Steering Head Bearings

You could likely drill and tap the steering head and install a couple of grease fittings and never have to take apart again.
Ken/Sooke

[xssiveone]

Re: Steering Head Bearings

Originally posted by ratbyk
You could likely drill and tap the steering head and install a couple of grease fittings and never have to take apart again.
Ken/Sooke

Was just going to mention this Ken. Once the zerts fitting is in place, you can fill the steering neck up completely with grease and eliminate water ever getting in. And every spring, or more often if you wish, you can force the old grease, and any dust it might have picked up, out of the bearings.



And John is correct about the bearing cost. The original bearings were made by Koyo. I got a set from them and it came with rubber dust flange on the bottom bearing, and the cost was indeed about half what the dealer wanted. Any supplier of tapered roller bearings should be able to provide you with the proper size from the number that is on the bearing and races, but only Koyo will have the rubber flange on it.

[Czekus21]

Thanks

Thanks for all the advice and tips on the stearing head. Got it done. Boy what a difference in the feel of the front end. I only went through about 6 dremel cut off wheels a dozen dremel sanding doohickys, a pack of smokes, alot of mumbleing, alittle throwing, and almost considered parting er out, then whallaa. I tried something. Where i made the partial cut with the cutoff wheel, I heated it up with a propane torch (so it wouldn't get to hot ) took a wide head chisle and put it in the cut and gave her a few good frustration whacks. It broke and just about fell off in my hands. As for the bearings on th lower tree, Put the tree on it's side and used the same chisle and worked at it. Just about fell off in my hands. Agian thanks for all the tips. Oh... Tongue was held on the right so I would't go wrong.

[Pat Kelly]

If you're uncomfortable hammering on the bearing races (and want to make sure they're straight) then make your own (cheap) bearing press.
Get a stick of all-thread, ½" diamater should work. Cut it 6" longer than your steering head tube. Get some nuts to go on each end of the all-thread. Get some fender washers (inside diamater just fits over the all-thread, outside diamater needs to be larger than the bearing race). Assemble in this order:
nut
washer
top race
steering head tube (motorcycle)
bottom race
washer
nut

All this is assembled with the all-thread running down the center.
Now tighten the two nuts and that presses the bearings into the head tube smoothly and evenly. I do this with bicycles.

[Czekus21]

Thanks for the input on the how to tool, I'll give er a shot on the next set of races that I install