Since my rear wheel bearings exploded in the middle of nowhere thought it would be a good idea to pre-emptivley change the front ones for any brand other than gennuine HD just to be safe.(have heard lots of stories about dodgy Harley wheel bearings lately). Bike in question is a FXST 2008. I have the workshop manual and it says you need a wheel bearing installer/remover tool. Harley Davidson part number HD-44060A to do the job. It is a 14 piece kit and seems like it is designed to do the job. Anyway went to the local Dealership and asked about how much one of the kits was. Response was "it does not come up on the computer" So you cant buy it. Only dealerships can buy it. They also said you could just pay us to do it, it's only a 40 minute or so job. And "whenever we change tyres we check the bearings". Thing is when my rear wheel bearing exploded I had a new tyre fitted about 2 hours earlier,maybe 180kms by another HD dealer.

Disgruntled, I then went to a local speciality tool shop and bought a bearing extractor that I thought might do the job. Returned home,took off the front wheel and guess what? Bearings were indeed fucked as well. Also the new extractor was no match for the cunning design of the original bearings that seem to need the stupid fucken tool that you can not buy. Got other bikes in the shed and have changed many a wheel bearing before,usually as a precautionary action after big mileage,never due to failure. So feel like I have a bit of a clue.

So, wondering if someone has worked out a way to get the front wheel bearings out of a FXST without the need of the tool you can't buy.

Cover the wheel for protection and Weld a suitable sized nut to the inner race and make/use a slide hammer to extract the old bearing. Take spacer out and knock the other through with a drift or similar. That will work.

OR after welding in the nut, place a suitable pipe over the bearing just bigger than the outer diameter and with a bolt and washers pull out the bearing. That will work also.

I got all my bearing remover tools of ebay from the usa

I have that same kit you showed dave as much as its a good kit its slide hammer is bit small for the larger bearings and
Have found it good to help just move the bearing enough so you have a lip than go at it with a pin punch from
The other side or lock the collet up than knock it it out from the other side There is a copy of the jims kit on flea bay
Which looks good for about $200 bucks which helps remove and install Which I think may be a bit better suited
But just for hd though same sort of collet tools

Having the right tools makes life a lot easier

Went out to the shed today after  few reflective beers and a nights sleep to re-asses the situation.

Decided the main missing ingredient was heat.

Also my cheapo $65 bearing puller was not hitting on the small bevel on the underside of the bearing between the bearing and the spacer.

Ground the jaws of the cheapo extractors so there was a more acute angle on the buisiness end of em to better attack the minimal available lip, heated up the hub with my makita heat gun and the cheapo bearing extractors worked a treat. My word! I like that. The other side one just punched out after heating the hub again in the vicinity.

Dont know about you guys, but I really get a kick out of not having to take things to the local dealership to fix.

Also will be getting good quality SKF's (Jap...thats funny too) or other reputable brand bearings to put back in.

Hip, hip, hooray! ....until the next unexpected drama.

Flutch, I am sure your plan would have worked too. I do have a welder but am a lummox with it and was worried about collateral damage.

In fact if you were skilled with a welder you coud really just weld anything over the inside diameter and tap it out from the other side.

Sunshine and lollypops here!

 

Good stuff yes the welder has its place in getting bearings out or off have done many a time