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Taper Roller Steering Head Bearings

  • Thread starter Thread starter Anonymous
  • Start date Start date
A

Anonymous

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I've fitted taper rollers to the steering head,easy enough to do,but what worries me is this:the races don't sit proud of the tube like the ball bearing races,so it's impossible to get a drift on them when replacement is due.Does anyone out there know of an easily fabricated tool which will do the job?Someone recommended welding a steel rod across the races and driving that out,but as I don't have access to a welder that isn't an option.If anyone has a diagram of something that'd work I'd be most grateful.
 
Brg race removal tool
Dec11048.JPG
 
Thanks for that.Unfortunately tools that specialised are not easy to come by over here and are kinda expensive for very occasional use.I'd read in a sadly now defunct British custom bike mag (AWoL) how to make a tool involving an M10 bolt,2 M10 nuts and a large washer,but there were no pics and the instructions were very ambiguous,or mebbe it was just me! 8O
 
I bought it on ebay a month or two ago IT came
from the UK :lol: :lol:
 
If you have to replace - you don't care about the old bearing assembly, SOOOOOOOO......I grind a deep slot or depression into the race to create a stress point. Before it breaks through, I stop.

Then I take a punch and hammer and smack the race by the ground weak spot on the race. It cracks.

Then I work it out. Use your own variation of the idea - even grinding through a little or using a dremel tool with a cutting wheel.

You get the idea....
 
I'd probably end up cutting the steering head off the frame......... 8O
 
A bit of a theoretical question really..never heard of taper bearings needed to be replaced. Worry about it when the time comes...
 
Ah but you have far better weather than we do! :D The salt they put on the roads here in the winter plays havoc with everything. :cry:
 
I just replaced mine, and I had a b***ard of a job getting the old races out. Went through about 6 dremel discs in the process, but what a difference the new bearings made.
 
Nice when they work,isn't it?
I've posted the same question on a couple forums across here,if I get a solution or how to make a tool I'll post the results here.
 
I suppose these things don't just punch out?

I suppose these things don't just punch out?

I punched the cups out of my CB just by simply smacking them from the inside out with a dowel. The dowel was ruined, but heck it's only a piece of wood. I have never had my GS streering appart though so I'm not sure why you cant do the same.

The race that was on the steering spindle was a little harder. I had to warm it up with a hair dryer. This made it expand a little, and I was abble to tap it off with a punch. ended up not being hard at all.

I ordered some All Balls taipered rollers that are on the way.

Someone told me that the old ball bearings might perform better and that I am waisting my money. Any of you know if this is true?

At any rate I don't think I'm waisting my money because I can't even find replacement parts for the ball bearing set up.
 
The problem is that the outer races do not sit proud of the steering head tube so it is impossible to get a drift onto them.
 
Dougie said:
The problem is that the outer races do not sit proud of the steering head tube so it is impossible to get a drift onto them.
Click to expand...

My boat trailer bearings were the same way. When I finally got the old ones out, I took my Dremel and cut a couple of slots into the hub, just enough for a punch to be able to hit the new race if need be.

I don't know if this is feasible here, but maybe. A couple of notches might do the trick.
 
what parts are involved in the "conversion kits"

is it just bearings or is there something else??

if its only bearings, does anyone have bearing numbers for the GS750?

Ive looked at the ones on whitneys and other sites from USA but at US$99 + postage of around US$50 it just isnt viable when you add conversion rates, and money conversion costs etc
 
Here's a link to M and P,a British company.Bearings for a 78 GS 750 are ?28.99,sorry,don't know price in A$.Postage should be a bit lower hopefully.
http://www.mandp.co.uk/list.aspx?cmd=searchBikeOn&search=on&kw=head,bearings&bikeID=761&bikeYear=1978%20(DC)
Should take you right to the page.
 
Getting those bearing races out!

Getting those bearing races out!

Chaps, chaps, chaps...
There is indeed an easier way than mucking around with punches and drifts and thumping great hammers and all that.
Simply get an arc welder, and run a bead of weld around the inside of the bearing race (ie. on the face where the roller bearings used to roll). TAKE CARE not to weld the edge of the old bearing race to the headstock, or you will have just made your job a little more difficult!
Now wait for things to cool down. Then, a slight tap and they will literally fall out.
When someone first told me this way of doing it, I didn't believe them. I thought it would only expand the races in the headstock. But the truth is, the bearing races contract enough to come loose. I have done this on a GS1000S I used to have, and then my GPz900 -- and each time it worked a treat. As easy as that.
Mike.
 
That's all very well,but if you see my original question I don't have access to a welder! :x That's why I'm asking if anyone knows how to fabricate a simple tool.However,thanks for all the suggestions so far. :D :D
 
Yes, it's a pity you don't have access to a welder. But it is soooo easy that way. Are you sure you couldn't borrow one or hire one? It really is worth it, because not only would you save yourself a lot of sweat and stress thumping things, you would also save yourself the risk of seriously damaging either yourself or the machine with misplaced thump of that hammer...
Mike.
 
Dougie,

No you wouldn't! :wink: It's really not that hard, because
(i) you're not having to actually fabricate something, just destroy it (the bearing race) in a relatively controlled fashion, so 'expert' welding isn't needed; and
(ii) if you practiced running some lines of weld on a scrap bit of metal first, you would soon (within 5 minutes, tops) get the knack of it, and then move onto constructing your first oil tanker by the end of the week.

Be brave,
Mike.
 
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