Bearing race removal question on a 82 XJ750-J

Are the head tube races supposed to have massive lips inside the neck?

This photo is from the top, looking at the bottom of the lower race:



The bottom end of the upper race looks much the same.

There is enough lip there where I can fit a 12" philips (the blunt nose type, #3 I think) securely anywhere around the neck.

I actually tried to remove it in this manner, but didn't make any progress -- I was fairly cautious, so likely my hammer strikes weren't that fierce.

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From what I've read, there should only be the slightest lip around the head tube. What I have is grand canyon-esque in approximate lip size.


Is this normal - or is this a possible aftermarket PO special?

I was replacing the bearings - instead of servicing as I had a very pronounced steering notch.

 

Re: Race Removal - 82 XJ750-J

to add -- I used a dental pick to "feel out" if maybe there was a lip in the race, but it felt solid. The only time I felt any kind of gap with the pick was between the wall and the top of the race.

 

Anyways - I've dug this thread out: http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/p=200839.html

I think the belief is to just wail on the bearing cups. I'm going to swing by Homedepot and see if I can get a good length of pipe - because the screwdrivers I have seem to be absorbing a lot of the impact in their rubber handles.

 

Stop killing your screwdrivers. Get a piece of 1/2"-3/4" round steel bar approx a foot, or two long. Just make sure it is long enough to hold onto as you beat on it.

If you get a bar in 5/8" you can use an old rubber hand grip on it to cushion your hand from the shock of the impact on the bar.

The races will not be reused. No harm. no foul to send them to the scrap bin with dignity.

That lip you are seeing is the race. Work around it as you are beating on it. Beating in one spot will cause the race to cock, and lock into the headpipe.

Once the race is removed, and the headpipe cleaned out. It should only take a rubber mallet to seat the new race. Again, Make sure it goes in straight.

The bearing on the lower tree will be the hardest part. You will have to try to wedge something between the bearing, and tree to get it started. Any machine shop will have a bearing press, and cups to make this part easy.

Ghost

 

I figured the screwdrivers wouldn't work that well. I'm planning on swinging by a bigbox store to get some pipe - but I suppose a solid chunk of steel would better transfer the force.

A local XJ'er might be helping me out with a bearing remover -- basically a 2 way guillotine that you tighten down till the race pops off.

 

a simple drift also works well to remove the races, just keep tapping in a circualr motion around the edge until it pops free. As dave said, you wont reuse it so if you damage it in the process it doesent matter.

As for the lower tree bearing, you also can cut the race in half with a dremel/cutoff wheel, and then use a chisel to split the two pieces.

 

I finally got everything out and off last night.

1/2" x 13 x 12" steel rod w/coupling nut was used to punch the tube races out -- and while I did use a dremel to cut into the race on the tree -- I don't know that it helped much as I wasn't able to make a single deep cut for fear of mangling the tree... so I made several small cuts, added some PB Blaster and used a mini crowbar to lift the old race out.

Now it's time to sand, buff, shine, and press on!

 

as long as you got it off, thats all that matters! Dont forget to put the lower dust seal on before installing the lower race! (dont ask me how i know that)

 

Prior to installing the bearings -- I needed to figure out which race goes where. In the all balls kit, there's just 6 pieces.

2 dust seals, 2 races, and 2 sets of cages w/captive tapered rollers.

Since the packaging doesn't come with any instructions on which race goes where -- decided on a simpler method: without press-fitting it on, check which bearings drops further on the triple tree.

Turns out it was 99-3506. It fell to nearly the bottom of the tree before any hammering/pressing was done - whereas 99-3505 stopped much sooner up the shaft.


With the sizes/places figured out - I've slipped the paired races in their respective positions onto the triple tree and left it in the freezer for 24+hrs.

For the installation, I'll be applying a thin layer of grease to the bearing seats, and then smother the rollers in them too once installed.

 

For further prepwork, prior to installing the bearings - I've sanded down the seats with 600 grit sandpaper to cleanup some old paint on/in the seats.

I expect a smooth installation!