Headrace bearings

[Sannox]

Got MOT 12pm Sat, it's Thursday 1.45pm and the steering assembly is all in bits, got it all apart no problem but you know what's coming......

How the hell can I get the original shells out of the headstock? there is no lip at all to get a rod onto to tap the shell out, ie, tapping the bottom shell out from above, same the other way round. One way might be to hook a large flat screwdriver under the say, top shell, from the top and tap it, ie lever it out but I expect I'd damage the frame around the shell by doing that, so not wanting to try that. Going to be easier to get the shell off the yoke stem, got a feeling my dremmel is going to come into use.

Any thoughts? The manual says don't try it unless they need replacing (they do) but the manual has nothing on how.

[Fazerider]

http://foc-u.co.uk/index.php?topic=7068.msg67299#msg67299

[Sannox]

Thank you, will give it a go :-)

[Sannox]

4pm and all the shells off, inc the one on the stem, that was the easiest, with an angle grinder, the heat from grinding helped as it's a very direct heat, the one thing to do is use a dremmel to create your own notches under the top shell then use the angled screwdriver as in the link from Fazerider, it makes life so much easier, the bottom shell drops out, I used the old shels to tap in the new taper shells, just take time and make sure you start them off square and tap all the way round evenly.

Now to put it all back together, give me 5 :-)

[SteveCardiff]

You can make your own tool to press the cups in. Hack up an old scissor jack so you're left with just the handle, the screw, and the nut thingy at the end. Use some large sockets at each end that fit the cups and just wind the handle to press the cups in. Piece of piss

[Sannox]

All back together, wheel in with a new BT021 on, also, bike shop said the front wheel bearings were shagged, no idea how long they would last but they just happened to know I have an MOT tomorrow, call me a little cynical but shouldn't they last more than 37k? ...... got them changed anyway, the whole steering geometry is like wow, was so used to the old and knackered way, you have no idea what it's like till you change the head bearings and you're used to shagged ones.

Now, lets see if it passes the MOT tomorrow

[His Dudeness]

Wheel bearings could easily be for the bin at 37k especially if water gets into them.  Sure your steering bearings were for the bin weren't they?

[Fazerider]

Glad you got the steering head sorted and good luck for the MOT.
Wheel bearing have an easier life as the wear is distributed over the entire circumference so yes, 37k is a low mileage for them to fail. But one over-zealous cleaning session with a pressure washer and as His Dudeness says, water will do the rest.

[Sannox]

I reckon and others do, that the previous owner, from new (I'm the 2nd from new) was rather liberal with a pressure washer, explains the front wheel bearings, and yes, the steering head bearings were for the bin, forks out and moving the yokes was tight and very clunky, the bottom shell was corroded and pitted, more pressure washer assault me thinks.

The steering is far more responsive now, as it should be, got the flickability back :-D

And it passed the MOT, with no advisories either :-)