CB500/4 Bottom bearing race? How to remove?

[edelweiss]

Please see picture below. I assume that the bottom top bearing race comes out of the steering "column"? If it does, what is the easiest and safest way to remove it without gauging the lip/rim where my new tapered bearing will sit?

Thanks!

John

 

[suddenlycalm]

Wood dowel, Big Hammer. Worked every time for me.

 

[AlphaDogChoppers]

 

[Seaking]

What bike is this? If it's a Suzuki, the dowel method prescribed above won't work as the neck has a weird curve to it which defeats any straight dowel / drift method from making contact with the bearing race.. It works on a lot of bikes but not the Suzuki..

I just did the bearings on my GS650G but had to use the short end of an allen key to grab onto the top of the bottom bearing race and hit that from above with the drift / dowel method. Obviously, this requires a third hand to hold the allen key as you tap onto the drift..

Hope that helps.

 

[dualitymike]

I've used a long extension to hammer on. Put the edge of the female end on the race and hammer on the male end with a soft blow mallet. Because the better socket extensions usually have eased corners and are plated and smooth, you're not going to scratch anything with them. Just work your way around a little at a time so you don't get the old race jammed by only hitting it on one side.

 

[TheCoffeeGuy]

I use an alumina rod as a drift, it won't split out like a dowel and soft enough to not damage the race.

 

[crazypj]

I've always put a concave curve on end of steel rod with a bench grinder
If race was good you wouldn't need to remove it so there isn't any need to worry about damage to race
Tap at 180 degree spacing so race comes out 'flat'

 

[edelweiss]

If I'm not concerned about the race since it will not be going back in, is it ok to use a metal rod or can I damage the inner steering "tube"?

 

[crazypj]

I've only ever uses a steel rod, needs to be at least 1/2" dia or it flexes too much

 

[Seaking]

As long as you're not deforming the hell out of the tube, you won't hurt anything there.. of course going Lurch mode might do it

 

[acm177]

I used a heat gun before to warm up the neck. My efforts were trivial after it was warmed up.

 

[edelweiss]

I used a heat gun before to warm up the neck. My efforts were trivial after it was warmed up.

Did you use the heat gun down the tube from the top or from the outside where the race is? Just wondering if it will take the darn paint off...

 

[acm177]

Just near the bottom. My paint didn't come off. But I did powder coat the frame later...

 

[Tim]

You can't hurt the frame by banging on a metal drift to get the old race out. The new tapered bearing race will sit just fine. Even if you gouged the seating area you could clean it up with a dremel if you needed to smooth something out for the new race to sit flush.

 

[xb33bsa]

an old truckers trick is to weld a bead around the inside of the cup/race, when it cools then gravity pulls it out ;D

 

[AlphaDogChoppers]

Somehow, I kinda doubt this guy has a welder.

 

[LazloH]

They actually make tools for this... which end up being aluminum blanks turned to generic diameters with a pipe insert... for hitting with a hammer.. or a mexican speed wrench (depending on your location and availability to tools).

Internet says this for bearings
Upper: 26 x 48.5 x 15.2
Lower: 30 x 50 x 14.4

Assumption 1. You are keeping the stock forks/trees/stem
Assumption 2. You want to replace the races/bearings.

http://www.allballsracing.com/22-1011.html Please double check this.. im just working off a cursory search of their site and a few assumptions on your machine.

 

[K0Kid]

If I'm not concerned about the race since it will not be going back in, is it ok to use a metal rod or can I damage the inner steering "tube"?

Convex