Special tools req'd for steering bearing replacement?

OK, so I'm on a tight budget and plan to order my parts from chacal, but am wondering if the job can be done with standard shop tools or do I have to buy a drift or puller or other special tools?

Thanks.

 

I jsut parted out a bike and all I needed were metric sockets and wrenches and a channel lock pliers. Mine came off easier than I thought. I set my bike up where I could lift up the front end easy and pulled the front off. Somebody correct me if I a m wrong.

 

You'll need something to knock the races out of the steering head. Also you'll need to get the bottom race off the triple tree. A punch or piece of steel rod 12" or so long will let you get the races out of the head. You can probably get the bottom race off the triple tree with a punch or chisel - your local auto parts store/machine shop can probably remove it if it's too tight.

You want to make sure you don't damage the new races putting them in. Sometimes you'll have the right size socket laying around to drive them with. You can also grind a little off the outside of old races and use them to drive the new races.

Other than that common hand metric hand tools, a hammer and a pair of slip joint pliers.

Of course, you already have the service manual?

 

The Bearing Races are pressed into their Seats.
The Seats DO NOT have a Relief Notch allowing you to make firm contact with the Edge of the Race for driving it out.

You will NEED a Tool ... like a long Drift Punch ... to use Driving-out the Old Race.
Since there is ONLY A FEW THOUSANDTHS of the Inside Diameter of the Race protruding beyond the Edge of the Seat ... the Tool you use to "CATCH" the exposed EDGE of the Race needs to have a SHARP Edge so as not to slip-by the Edge of the Seat when Impact is applied.

You may need to "Point-up" the Edge of your Tool to keep a well-dressed angle at its edge so as not to lose PURCHASE on the Race when you Drive it out.

Grind the End of the Tool so that it has a bit of an OVAL End --> )
Oval ... Football shaped ... Not perfectly Round --> â—¯
So you can have some additional purchase instead of just a small edge.

 

When replacing the seats and bearings, I put the triple tree in the freezer for a few hours which made it relatively easy to slide the new bearing on, same with the new seats , chill them before fitting them to the head stem.

Note , there is and UPPER and LOWER bearing and associated seat. make sure you get them right or you chance damaging the bearing you put on the lower if you have to get it off. Also , open the centre hole in one of the old races using a half round file or a stone in a rotary tool. This can be used to assist seating the new bearing, remember you apply force to what will be the fixed part of a bearing, in this case it's the centre. It will also aid in refitting the front wheel bearings as its the same OD. Get a piece of threaded "ready rod" that fits through the centre , a couple of washers and nuts with the two old races works fine, in this case pressing on the outside part of the bearing.

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