Steering head bearings shot? (Pics)

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CHR!S

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Jun 30, 2006
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IndyMX

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Yeah, those look pretty well spent.

You do realize that you should probably take the bike apart a couple times a year to clean and grease the bearings right?

Use a good waterproof grease..

If you look at the tools section of most of the catalogs, rockymountainatv & motosport, you will see they have tools specifically for this job.

Plus you'll need a bearing press for the bottom bearing on the triple clamp.
 
C

CHR!S

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Jun 30, 2006
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yeah, its been too long since ive taken it apart. i just tore the entire bike down and i realize i should do some things more often..

according to the manual i can use a chisel for the bottom bearing, but if i can find a bearing press, even better. is a bearing press different from a bearing puller?

does anybody know what i can expect to pay a shop to replace the bearings?
 
2

250girl

Mod Ban
Dec 19, 2007
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I just purchased the steering bearings for my RM250. They cost $80, and those were the cheapy aftermarket ones ( I can only pour so much money into that bike.....). How much a shop would charge to replace them I don't know, because we do the work ourselves. And use waterproof grease for sure, that was the problem with mine....... the previous owner didn't use the right stuff and now I have water damage.
 

IndyMX

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Hmm.. not sure how much someone would charge.

You may be able to use a chisel, but be careful.

The right tool is a hardened steel tube , with what looks like cuts up the sides. so that one end will flare out. You pull it up thru the head, and it flares out against the back of the race. Then you hammer the other end. Out comes the race.

Then you use the press to reinsert the new races.
 
C

CHR!S

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Jun 30, 2006
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im not worried about removing the races, what i am really concerned with is removing and reinstalling the bottom bearing on the stem, and reinstalling the races.

$150 is a lot for a press i will probably only use on my steering head bearings. im sure i can come up with something that works similarly with parts from the hardware store... but at the same time i do not want gouges in my frame or steering stem
 

IndyMX

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I'm thinking that the required tools wouldn't be too hard to make.. Especially if they will only be used once or twice.

Especially a press for reinstalling the races.

Removing the bearing from the stem should be simple..

If you can find a bearing press like this one, it should be easy to get off.
 

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J

_JOE_

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May 10, 2007
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We use something like Indy showed in that pic at the shop for doing rear axle bearings where they are pressed onto the axle rather than into the tube. Installing the new bearing should be a breeze with a press. If you go to any shop they should do it pretty cheap. As for pounding out the races, be careful you dont let the race rock too much. Go slowly around it little bits at a time. Some heat from a heat gun or something that won't burn the paint might help. Using the freezer and a heat gun can save ALOT of headaches.
 
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CHR!S

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Jun 30, 2006
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thanks guys, i tried to make a race punch out of conduit tubing... as i expected it was too soft. Im sure i can pull some strings to find a tool similar to the one indymx suggested.

as for the dealer, i was quoted $250 for replacement, so in fact it would be cheaper to buy all of the tools and do it myself.
 
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ignition retard

Member
Dec 8, 2007
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I use my old races to hammer in the new ones, If they get stuck just punch em out, or you can grind around em first to decrease circumference. To put the bearing on I use a piece of 1" copper plumbing pipe, cut to about 10".
 

Ol'89r

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Jan 27, 2000
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CHR!S said:
as for the dealer, i was quoted $250 for replacement,QUOTE]

:whoa: :yikes: You gotta be kidding! :coocoo:

Chris. I sent you an email.
Click to expand...
 
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CHR!S

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Jun 30, 2006
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Ol'89r

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Jan 27, 2000
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Sent it through DRN.

What is your correct email address?
 
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