Head bearing stuck ...

[Gaz]

The lower steering head bearing on my XChallenge seems to have welded itself to the central column it sits on.


I've tried whacking it, using penetrating fluid, heating it up and whacking it and now the whole thing is in the freezer overnight before I whack it in the morning. Bit of a last resort that one and I'm not hopeful..
I can't get a bearing puller on it either.
So, short of sawing the bastard thing off, I'm out of ideas.

Any suggestions?

 

[Timolgra]

Cut the bastard with an angle grinder then crack it with a chisel

 

[Losttheplot]

Which part of the bearing is it gaz? the piece that sits in the frame or the part the sits on the stem just above the yoke?

Mine put up a bit of a fight when i last changed it, in the end i gently worked a bolster in between the bearing and the yoke, working on a little bit each side it eventually came out.

Now i just strip and re-grease the front end every few months instead

 

[Timolgra]

Which part of the bearing is it gaz? the piece that sits in the frame or the part the sits on the stem just above the yoke?

Mine put up a bit of a fight when i last changed it, in the end i gently worked a bolster in between the bearing and the yoke, working on a little bit each side it eventually came out.

Now i just strip and re-grease the front end every few months instead

If it's the outer part in the frame he must have a flippin big freezer.

Fit a grease nipple

 

[Gaz]

Yeah, it might be grinding time


The lower one of 9, plus 10 and 11 are all stuck to the bottom of 12. No room at all to get a bolster in anywhere.

<a href="http://s525.photobucket.com/albums/cc332/kingstamina/?action=view&current=XchYoke.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i525.photobucket.com/albums/cc332/kingstamina/XchYoke.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

I guess fitting a grease nipple involves tapping a thread in a hole? Think I did that once, 34 years ago in metalwork

Mind you, I've never touched a head bearing before so there's always a chance of incompetence

 

[Losttheplot]

. No room at all to get a bolster in anywhere.

IIRC i've got a couple of very sharp steel work chisels, and i used these to get things to move enough to get the bolster in underneath them.

Still a pain in the ass job though.

 

[Timolgra]

You should be able to grind the bearing outer at about a 45 degree angle, be careful not to go all the way through and damage the stem, then use your chisel in the groove to crack it.....with a big hammer, that'll be the heavy thing on the end of a stick

 

[Timpo]

Removing the old bearing is only half the job...... the new bearing will need to be heated to mount.
Can you get the yoke up to me Gaz? If so, don't forget to send the new bearing too.....

 

[Gaz]

Removing the old bearing is only half the job...... the new bearing will need to be heated to mount.
Can you get the yoke up to me Gaz? If so, don't forget to send the new bearing too.....

I've done wheel bearings before so once I get this off I should be OK. Probably.

Off to B&Q for an angle grinder tomorrow

 

[Timpo]

I've done wheel bearings before so once I get this off I should be OK. Probably.

Off to B&Q for an angle grinder tomorrow

Holy sweet mother of Jeez.......

I've got a spare set of yokes here mate........ send me your address when needed!

 

[Timolgra]

Holy sweet mother of Jeez.......

I've got a spare set of yokes here mate........ send me your address when needed!

It's gonna get messy

 

[Gaz]

Might need a new swing arm later

 

[Losttheplot]

Removing the old bearing is only half the job...... the new bearing will need to be heated to mount.
Can you get the yoke up to me Gaz? If so, don't forget to send the new bearing too.....

Or you may just need a special "drift", which allows you to tap the new bearing onto the stem without smashing the bearing cage.

Lots of grease and a few gentle taps saw mine driven hime without to much grief!


I still have said "drift". It's a piece of tube that fits nicely over the stem, and has the end turned down enough to pass the bearing cage and onto the bottom of the bearing.

Your welcome to borrow it-

nathan

 

[Losttheplot]

Might need a new swing arm later

Those bearings are a f***er if they seize! DAMHIK!

 

[FERRET]

Oh shit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, thats the next job to do on mine, sterring is a bit notchy now so needs doing, keep us updated Gazz

 

[Micky]

There should be two small holes through the lower yoke ... heat the bearing up, turn upside down, small drift through those holes and it knocks the fecker off ... sorted



PS you'll need a new dust cap, part 11 in the piccie above, it gets destroyed in the removal!

PPS just had a look, I think those 'holes' are on the 800GS but not the XC's

My headbearings are getting ready and I'll be drilling those holes through the bottom yoke to facilitate in future

 

[magno]

Bearing

Depending on how the bearing is mounted we used to run a line of weld around the race. When it cools it literally falls out.

 

[Gaz]

Hmm, well freezing it overnight and then whacking it at the base with a wide chisel has freed the bearing. Just as well because I had bought an angle grinder and realised it's far from a precision tool

 

[viv]

I tried the weld method but had no success so then used an angle grinder to cut most of the way through. Missing the stem etc is tricky though but with a cold chisel for the last bit of bearing it finally came off.

Viv