Well, at 70k kms, my steering bearings are shot. Im intending to do them myself. Just making sure that they are do-able at home. I have a pretty good set up of tools a good jack and a workshop manual to set them up after fitting. I dont have the special tool for remove/ replace. Can i get them out and in with a punch and hammer or do i need to buy a tool?

If you've got the knack, a drift/punch and knockometer will remove the head cups. use one of the old cups as a drift/guide to install the new ones if you haven't got a mandrill or installer.

Top stem cone is easy,,, bottom cone may need the drift and knockometer treatment.

I have seen the bottom cone literally drop off when a moderate amount of heat is applied to it. Heat gun or small flame.

Some will even slide off relatively easy. No major hassle.

Think you have a Dyna so you'll be right. Just take due care if there are any seals in the way.

I have a 94 Softail Springer.

On this model, at least, you can't use the drift/punch method because the inside of the neck is stepped, and you can't get any purchase on the old bearing to punch against. Dremel would do it, but that scared me, didn't want to even nick the housing..... and no welder, so bearing removal tool was used and it did the job easily.

As Rider points out, the bottom cone came off easily for me with heat. I just shielded the parts I didn't want to get hot, then used a heat gun on the lower cone, gave it a tap and it slipped right off...surprised me how easy it was...

Setting them up with the fall away method (for me) was a pain in the backside.

Thanks guys, Im quite mechanically minded so the whole process appears straightforward. The taper bearings should be easy and im sure the lower will come off with a little bit of heat. My main concern is if I can drift the bearing races out of the frame tube. Im hoping that there is sufficient lip to seat the punch/drift.

hi taff60, I did mine on the evo Fatty, similar to what kiwidave has mentioned, but I just spot welded a washer onto each race. Just made sure the washer sat about halfway up the race seat and the hole in the washer wasn't too big. Did one at a time so I could gently tap out with a punch and hammer from the opposite side, and used the old race to tap the new one in.
Too easy.

cheers
DocGreen

The best way is to run a few small welds on the old race,as the weld cools the contraction will shrink the race and it will drop out.Ive replaced SH bearings on a few Twin cams with a drift with a kink in the last 25-30mm to clear the taper in the stem.The drift was made from 8 or 10mm round bar with the kink made by holding the bar in a vice and hitting it with a hammer,just enough to clear the inside of the steering stem and reach the lip of the race.Gently tap at 12,6,3 and 9 'o clock positions.

 

 

 

G'day, following on the advise given by KD and others I'm re-posting this from somethging I posted years ago.

hope it helps,

Cheers,

Cris.

 

 

G'Day,

Doing some of the maintenance work on your bike is something that most people these days leave to a shop to do.

It is however, a good way to save a bit of money and get to know your bike better. One of the things that are an important part of regular maintenance is bearings and races. Neck and swing-arm and especially your wheels.

Best way to check is to lift the wheel off the ground  (Make sure you strap it well on the lift. OOOOOPPPS is not good.), and see if there is any play side-side and back-front. If you can feel ANY movement it's time to check your bearings and races and adjust or replace.   Here is when investing on a workshop manual is invaluable, read it and follow the instructions.

The neck bearings can be a bit tricky to adjust after replacing. An easy way to adjust them is while the bike is level off the ground,  loosen the pinch bolts on the lower tree, loosen the adjuster nut, with a rubber mallet give the bottom of the forks a tap (this makes it a bit easier to feel the adjustment.) Now tighten the adjuster nut till the front end drags slightly, then back it off a bit so it turns easy. Re-tighten the pinch bolts  and then the stem nut and that's it. Now check Swing-arm and wheels while it's all off the ground.

A good tip that an old mate by the name of Country gave me was this.

Get your swingarm and wheel hubs drilled and tapped to take a grease fitting. That way every time you change the oil you get your good old grease gun and give them a top up. This lengthens the life of your bearings and races. I also drilled and tapped one on the neck.

Cheers,

Cris