How to remove neck bearing races

Energy One
pauldeepsea

pauldeepsea

Guru
My first how to:
After struggling trying to remove the old bearing races... I tried to cut them etc..
I went to Home depot and bought 2 small pry bars cost me about 7.00 vice 30.00 for the tool made to remove the races.

I used the 2 pry bars
a 15/16 socket
an extension


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Attachments

pauldeepsea

pauldeepsea

Guru
Put the 2 pry bars just under the lip of the race facing opposite
slide the 15/16 socket through the neck
using a small hammer gently tap the race out
 
BWG56

BWG56

Guru
I have a question, why do they recommend you change these at say 10K-15K when these same type tapered roller bearings are in the front wheel assembly of cars, for 50-60K, and they have not only have the weight of the car on them but their also spinning with the wheel? I know from time to time you can get some bad parts, like Franco's busting, but shouldn't these last a lot longer than 10-15K on the average.
I have a little over 15K on my Mastiff and they feel smooth and drop off is good when I check it on the jack and I have no play if I try to lift up on the front wheel.:confused:

Sorry Paul if I high jacked your how to, but this question kinda fit in, but I have been pondering changing mine and wondering how I was going to get the race's out, but you made that easy with this how to.:2thumbs:
 
S

Sven

Well-Known Member
The difference is the spinning bearing takes a rolling punishment and spreads the energy out among the cage/balls/pressure/etc.

I'm making an observation here so it may be out of theory. The steering head bearings do not roll. They are hammered by the road shock. Since the balls stay pretty much in line as the front end rocks back and forth, they create a divot in the race.

The indent is so deep, the ball rolls into that concaved gully and the front end sort of locks and it takes an effort to move the ball out of the sunken race surface as you ride. Severe cases, the front end can pivot right back to center and not swing smooth to the other side. Steering becomes dangerous and you are always fighting that divot with a lot of body english or it's so annoying you swap them out once you lift the front end up and watch the front end center itself into that sunken divot.

Thus the reason for race replacements as per miles ridden. And no, it's not the rake of the front end. Stock steering angles still cause the same problem. An easy way to tell is to remove the grease off the bearing, angle your eyes to reflect off the face of the race and you'll see ball divot shadows all around the race.

That's my theory and I'm sticking to it.
 
Olde Man

Olde Man

Active Member
I think the reason a wheel bearing life span is greater is because it is turning and fresh grease is always being spread on the bearing and race preventing metal to metal contact. This has been a concern of auto manufacturers when they ship a car on a car hauler and not a train. The wheels do not get turned. On some precision equipment they install automatic turners when shipping. The big dog just hammers the bearing when going down a rough freeway. BTW my cups have no relief to insert the pry bar or puller into. I had to cut them out with a disk on a dremel tool. After I was done installing my new races I wish I would have ground a groove in the neck so I could have knocked the race out from the opposite end with a punch.
 
W

woodbutcher

Mr. Old Fart member #145
Staff member
Sven said:
The difference is the spinning bearing takes a rolling punishment and spreads the energy out among the cage/balls/pressure/etc.

I'm making an observation here so it may be out of theory. The steering head bearings do not roll. They are hammered by the road shock. Since the balls stay pretty much in line as the front end rocks back and forth, they create a divot in the race.

The indent is so deep, the ball rolls into that concaved gully and the front end sort of locks and it takes an effort to move the ball out of the sunken race surface as you ride. Severe cases, the front end can pivot right back to center and not swing smooth to the other side. Steering becomes dangerous and you are always fighting that divot with a lot of body english or it's so annoying you swap them out once you lift the front end up and watch the front end center itself into that sunken divot.

Thus the reason for race replacements as per miles ridden. And no, it's not the rake of the front end. Stock steering angles still cause the same problem. An easy way to tell is to remove the grease off the bearing, angle your eyes to reflect off the face of the race and you'll see ball divot shadows all around the race.

That's my theory and I'm sticking to it.
Click to expand...
in this case, would it not be better to change to a roller bearing than to continue using a ball bearing? or would the rollers be more likely to fracture?
 
pknowles

pknowles

RETIRED
If that's the case, why not go with a bronze alloy bushing with a grease fitting? This would share the load more evenly.
 
BWG56

BWG56

Guru
Sven said:
The difference is the spinning bearing takes a rolling punishment and spreads the energy out among the cage/balls/pressure/etc.

I'm making an observation here so it may be out of theory. The steering head bearings do not roll. They are hammered by the road shock. Since the balls stay pretty much in line as the front end rocks back and forth, they create a divot in the race.

The indent is so deep, the ball rolls into that concaved gully and the front end sort of locks and it takes an effort to move the ball out of the sunken race surface as you ride. Severe cases, the front end can pivot right back to center and not swing smooth to the other side. Steering becomes dangerous and you are always fighting that divot with a lot of body english or it's so annoying you swap them out once you lift the front end up and watch the front end center itself into that sunken divot.

Thus the reason for race replacements as per miles ridden. And no, it's not the rake of the front end. Stock steering angles still cause the same problem. An easy way to tell is to remove the grease off the bearing, angle your eyes to reflect off the face of the race and you'll see ball divot shadows all around the race.

That's my theory and I'm sticking to it.
Click to expand...
woodbutcher said:
in this case, would it not be better to change to a roller bearing than to continue using a ball bearing? or would the rollers be more likely to fracture?
Click to expand...
Sven, I've seen what you talk about in regards to the divot, but I believe these neck bearings are roller bearings and torqued properly to achieve the handle bar drop off, I would think the rollers have equal pressure on each of them but its still only a tangent or point contact on each. Divots, even the slightest as you've stated would still be able to be felt with the front end in the air, I would think.

Wood, I believe these are roller bearings

Paul, can you post a pic of your new bearings and races? Thanks
 
FrankBDPS

FrankBDPS

Well-Known Member
I don't know about your choppers but my Prosport has roller bearings. I do think though that the chopper style bikes would put more load on the bearings than a sport style bike. Just my opinion.
 
pauldeepsea

pauldeepsea

Guru
BWG56 said:
Sven, I've seen what you talk about in regards to the divot, but I believe these neck bearings are roller bearings and torqued properly to achieve the handle bar drop off, I would think the rollers have equal pressure on each of them but its still only a tangent or point contact on each. Divots, even the slightest as you've stated would still be able to be felt with the front end in the air, I would think.

Wood, I believe these are roller bearings

Paul, can you post a pic of your new bearings and races? Thanks
Click to expand...
I will,
 
pauldeepsea

pauldeepsea

Guru
francoblay1 said:
I am running with a broken ones..... bought new ones.... BUT.... I don´t dare to even try to do it myself :bang:

Good job Paul :2thumbs:

This is my broken one... I´ve got not a clue since when has been like that...

http://www.bigdogbiker.com/forums/help-wanted/64716-something-broken-steering-neck.html

:cheers:
Click to expand...
Franco it's a pretty simple procedure not saying I didn't struggle at points like trying to save money on the tool to remove the races 30.00?
Once you get the old races out:
Put your races "races only" in the freezer for a few hours the cold will make them constrict.
I went to napa and bought a race installer tool about 30.00 or you can use a socket the same size as the race. I just wanted to be careful not to screw up the neck.
Before you install your races out of the freezer use a heat gun on the cups careful you don't bubble the paint.
Use a light film of bearing grease on the cups.
Put the race in evenly use the race installer with a good hammer.
The races will make a good solid clunk sound when they seat.
Good luck hope this helps
 
pauldeepsea

pauldeepsea

Guru
Should have made a how to on race install. I think ray wood posted on the install and there are some good YouTube how to's
 
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