I really don't want the pain in the *** of removing the old bearing races in the heck.

They look good, bike has just under 15K on the clock.

Thoughts on using new bearings with the old races?

Later,
Chrome...

 

While your in there............

 

Should do them in sets. Why are you replacing the bearings at 15k?

 

+1, Yea new bearings, new races.

 

Replace the bearing and races, do it right.

 

Well thanks for not letting me cheat guys. Guess I'll just have to quit my bitching and do it.

I'm replacing the bearings because I'm having Joe coat my triple trees.

Thanks.

Later,
Chrome...

 

I put the same bearings back in. I soaked them in brake cleaner and blew them out with air, got all the crap out of them. They still felt and looked good so I re-packed them and used them again. Only 18k on mine, I'd imagine yours are probably ok to reuse

 

Taking the races out is tough without the right tools. I just went thru it last week. If you have a mig welder, just lay a bead on on the race and after it cools it's like a loose tooth.....it's a neat trick.

BTW to install the new races.... AutoZone rents a race installer for free and it works like a charm. Again, I just did it last week.

 

I make my own tools for the neck bearings. Not hard, just takes some time.

When you are installing the new ones use the old races to put the new one's in with. Makes it kinda easy. I also put the races in the freezer over night. That really helps.

 

i use the welder trick to remove them. ru na bead half way aroudn the race, and the bottom one fell right out. the top one i tapped wit ha brass drift and it popped right out like butter. freeze the new races over night to make them easier to instal.
for installation i made a "tool" took 2 3"x3"x1/4" plate welded a set of old races to it and carefully drilled a 3/8 hole in the plate in the center of the welded race and grabbed a 12" piece of 3/8" threaded rod with a rubber mallet i start the races in the openings, put the plates on top run the threaded rod through it and tighten the nuts together till i feel the new races seat. if i pre freeze the races the night before. i can r&r neck races in abotu 15 minutes