Lower steering head bearing outer race removal

[Flyboy]

Today I had the pleasure of having to remove the steering head bearings on my GS1000G for the rebuild.
Anyone who has been down this road, knows that due to the recese that the lower bearing sits in, getting the outter race out, without access to heat or fancy, special pullers can be a soul destroying exersize.
Not having access to above mentioned luxuaries, some ingenuity was required.
1X Long, thin bolt (about 8mm diameter, and about 300mm long) I found the thin front engine mounting bolt works a charm.
2X nuts
1X washer ( you want about 5mm sticking out beyond the nuts).
Build tool as per drawing, and slide down the inside of the steering head, from the top, angle the bolt so the edge of the washer catches the bearing race and tap away at your leisure.
After some banging away, the washer tends to start bending over, and slipping off the bearing race.
Just undo the lower bolt and turn the washer around, and it grips keen again.
Took me about 10 minutes to remove the race.

Hope this helps.

 

[bonanzadave]

Now ya tell me.....

I put mine back together with the new bearing and old race.

 

[JvZ]

Today I had the pleasure of having to remove the steering head bearings on my GS1000G for the rebuild.
Anyone who has been down this road, knows that due to the recese that the lower bearing sits in, getting the outter race out, without access to heat or fancy, special pullers can be a soul destroying exersize.
Not having access to above mentioned luxuaries, some ingenuity was required.
1X Long, thin bolt (about 8mm diameter, and about 300mm long) I found the thin front engine mounting bolt works a charm.
2X nuts
1X washer ( you want about 5mm sticking out beyond the nuts).
Build tool as per drawing, and slide down the inside of the steering head, from the top, angle the bolt so the edge of the washer catches the bearing race and tap away at your leisure.
After some banging away, the washer tends to start bending over, and slipping off the bearing race.
Just undo the lower bolt and turn the washer around, and it grips keen again.
Took me about 10 minutes to remove the race.

Hope this helps.

Thanks Flyboy, I'll give this a go over the weekend. 'n Boer maak 'n plan hey!

 

[still_bluenoser]

I usually etch it with a dremel than break it with a hammer and punch.

 

[JvZ]

I usually etch it with a dremel than break it with a hammer and punch.

I had to do that to get one of my front wheel bearings out!

 

[Dogma]

I made a similar tool for my 1000G (for the 850, I could reach the top of the bearing with a drift). I made my tool out of a small pry bar from Harbor Freight. It just needed a few minutes on the bench grinder. It's done two bearings now, and hasn't needed to be re-shaped. I was pleasantly surprised by that.

Edit: The head of your bolt could have been ground down to work the same way. Without grinder, I think your way is the way to do it.

 

[LuckyEddie]

Steering Head Race Driver

Steering Head Race Driver

I'm sorry I did not see this thread earlier. Good ideas fella's. I too have made my own tools for this until I came across this baby.......
http://www.chaparral-racing.com/Product/park-tool-usa-steering-race-remover/315-1250.aspx

With two good raps with a good sized hammer, it is out.

 

[Spot1000Kat]

Another good trick is to run a bead of weld on the outer race and it will shrink when it cools and fall out on its own , we do the same on large haul truch wheel bearing races, works a treat.