How to remove Headrace bearings?
 

Hi all,

My son is going ahead with the GSXR swap on his Curvy SV so we have been thinking it over and the main problems we can see are the following;


1) Keeping the front up without using a front paddock stand, Dangerous Dave offered his NSW stand a few weeks back so this could already be sorted

2) Getting the steering bearings (head-race) out, how do we do this and fit the new ones afterwards?


I have seen a few threads on GSXR swaps but none really explain the process of removing the bearings, its a Curvy remember so we need to new bearing from TWF.

Thank you in advance for the replies

Re: How to remove Headrace bearings???
 

beet the living crap out of them :)

Re: How to remove Headrace bearings???
 

I got a round file with a flat end on it, and a rubber mallet, and knocked them out from beneath the headstock. Worked a treat, I was careful not to get too carried away though, what with the bike being on a jack and paddock stand..

Re: How to remove Headrace bearings???
 

try and find some way of freezing them if you can (with a spray or something) should help them coming out easier

i have a big old screw driver with a wooden handle i use as a drift

make sure you tap them out square to prevent damage to the frame

Re: How to remove Headrace bearings???
 

firstly the freezing technique is a good ruite to go down, just try and freeze the races though if you freeze the rest of the bike you could make more work for yourself...
then if you look down your pretty empty headstock you will see that there are two little half moons cut out of it that the bearing races sit against... place a punch/file/bit of wood in these little intents and batter the living hell out of them until they fall out.. try and do it evenly mind as you can damage the headstock if you get them skew wiff.. nothing terminal but will make your job harder.
many thanks
dan

Re: How to remove Headrace bearings???
 

never ever use a file, they are brittle. they snap, it hurts, you end up in casulty.

just get the cheepest longest flat bladed screwdriver (30cm or longer) you can find then hammer the sh*t out of it using the drift points in the headstock.

top tip, once you have removed the old races get a dremmil and cut a slot out of the old race you can then use this as a drift collar when inserting the new races.

good luck.

Re: How to remove Headrace bearings???
 

If brute force doesn't work, you're not using enough.

But do be careful, if you muller it out on one side it could oval the headstock, the bearings are tougher than the frame. You need to tap it out equally around the race, so that it comes out all at the same time not one side first.

Re: How to remove Headrace bearings???
 

+1 northy.

Get them moving square. They will move. Cheap screwdriver is usually best bet.

Re: How to remove Headrace bearings???
 

what he said.
you will get instructions for install from TWF.it is really simple,just follow it.
if you don't have round file get one.

Re: How to remove Headrace bearings???
 

I use a long engine mounting bolt for a drift. May be of use to someone. I ground the hex bolt off into a circle then used that ever since.