Steering head bearing replacement

[tb0lt]

Can't dip the lower triple in ice cold water and as the temperature differential makes the bearing loose, pull out the bearing with a bearing puller?

[4strings]

I'm not sure what kind of bearing puller I would need and it would likely be more expensive than another set of bearings.

[sledge]

Oh *&%#  .....anyway...... here is way to get it off without a puller, its worked for me few times but it needs a bit of practice

1) Break the cage and loose it.... along with the rollers.
2) Hold the stem upside on a piece of hard thick wood.
3) Heat the inner race evenly all around with a blowlamp or gas torch, avoid playing any heat on the stem itself.
4) After about 20 secs or so smack the stem down on the wood (so it wont damage the threads)......Keep the stem vertical as you smack it down, if you are lucky the race will have expanded enough to clear the journal and the shock will cause the race to drop off. If you are really lucky the race will drop off without needing a shock.

If it doesnt work first time let it cool and try again. The key is to get enough heat into the race to swell it so it looses the interference fit without letting any heat soak into the stem  

[The Buddha]

I think I fudged the brg install.  I put the bearing on the stem but forgot to put the lower seal on first. 





I'm pretty sure it's impossible to get it on there now.  I guess I'll be getting a whole new set and trying again.  I found new plates to press the cups in that I really don't think will bend... If they do, I'm in trouble.



If anyone has some leftover bearings from other botched installs or such I'd love 'em.

Oh fudge. OK do this.
Take a can of compressed air.
Put the stem on a table and plug the hole in the stem with paper ~1/2 inch up from the bearing.
Turn the can upside down and spray away. Shake often but spray like the whole can in a few seconds. That should let you pretty much tap the top of the stem on a hard surface and have the bearing drop out.
Yea get some carb cleaner and spray that area clean. If its rather cold there - like under 75 degrees, heat the outside with a hair dryer thoroughly. If its a nice 100-125 degrees that should work like a charm.
It worked like a charm in my case but I had a aluminum stem. You may get it out ... or not. You dont have much to lose, except a can of air.
Cool.
Buddha.

[4strings]

Darn, I got antsy and there is a new set on the way here to replace the ones that went on without the seal cause I broke them getting it off.  Thanks though, I'll be sure to try it the next time I redo the head brgs and forget to put the seal on first    . 

Those big beefy plates worked like a charm.  I had to countersink the new lower race with the old race a fair way in.  I snapped the 3/8 bolt tightening it down so I figured it was in good.  Then I actually measured the height of the upper race and the depth from the top to the shoulder and wouldn't ya know, the race is taller than the space it occupies so it sticks out.  All I'm waiting on now is the new kit.  What are anybody's thoughts on using outer races from the 1st kit and bearings and inner races from the 2nd kit since the races are already in?

[sledge]

Swapping inner and outer bearing races is not good practice in general, particularly if they are from different makes. Roller brgs are manufactured to very tight tolerances, the inners and outers are then placed in tolerance bands and matched up in the factory. However, given your situation and the fact the bearings are not going to be subject to high-speeds or loads I would be prepared to take the chance with mixing them and worry about it all if/when they fail.....In addition I would avoid letting water get anywhere near the headstock and given that the seal is missing dont even think about pressure washing