I have the new wheel bearings from All ***** Racing.


The Harley manual says "use Harley special tool....." to remove the wheel bearing races.


I can't get at the races from the back to drift them out. Is there a way to get the races out without buying the Harley factory tool? I did search here on this forum without finding anything.


worst case, I do have a mig welder and am not afraid to use it to weld a big washer or whatever to the existing races to have something to then hammer a drift against, but surely there must be a better way short of the factory tool?


Paul

 

There are several after market wheel bearing tools available. I recommend the from Heartland Industries.

 

I get the part about making things economical and using what's at hand but things go so much easier with the right/specific tools. I use George's Garage Tools but there are other great tools out there for sure.

 

Just weld a bead around the angled flat on the race, when it cools it will shrink the race and it will fall out...

 

thanks all. Went to the closest Harley dealer today to enquire about the bearing race remover "special tool" and to pick up a selection of wheel bearing shims so I can properly set bearing lash when I install the new bearings.


to bring in the "special tool" is ridiculous money, and bloody hell the Harley dealer no longer even stocks the wheel bearing shims for the tapered wheel bearings, also a special order, one spacer at a time, each thickness having a different part number.


so, will use the Mig welder to remove the races, and have ordered a selection of wheel bearing spacer shims. While waiting for the shims I will install the new tires with my new 16 inch tire irons to ease the pain.


my Evo is only a 1994, but you would think it is an aged antique each time I try to deal with the Harley dealer's parts department, pretty much everything I have tried to buy since I bought the bike back in August is "no longer available" or not stocked and special order.


Being in Canada does not help. The Canadian dollar is presently so weak that what an American pays $100 USD for, I pay roughly $130 CDN for, plus shipping, plus customs duty of maybe $15 -$20 and an additional 5% federal tax. It is even worse if the US seller insists on shipping with Fed Ex or UPS, they charge yet another fee on top of shipping for dealing with clearing customs, typically another $20 or $30. The disparity adds up quickly, and suddenly what an American pays the $100 USD for costs a Canadian like me close to $200 CDN, bloody hell, so no occasional use "specialty bearing race remover" tool for my bike, just the trusty MIG welder......


Paul

 

Paul, your bike is 22 years old - I won't ask how old you are! You can get a better service from H-D than most other brands, so chin up old chap. Call in on the Evo section, where you will find like-minded souls with plenty of Evo experience and where you won't feel like you're howling into the wind!

 

welded a bead around the inside of the first bearing race in the front wheel with a MIG welder. Nothing. Bearing race still stuck solid in the wheel.


welded a thick washer into the same bearing race, went at it with a big punch and big hammer from the other side. Washer came out with about half the race....


purchased a "steering neck bearing race puller" from Amazon Prime for $40, arrived in two days, inserted it, spread it to catch the back edge of the bearing race, then big punch and a hammer. Bearing race did not move. Then got a 5 pound hand sledge and an even bigger punch, heated the hub with a heat shrink gun again, and the remains of the first race popped right out, then I did the other front wheel bearing race and the two rear wheel bearing races in record time. Those bearing races were really in there..... Harley seems to use an odd design, most other brands of motorcycles there is usually some provision to be able to access the back of tapered bearing races from behind to remove them easily. I even read some various suggestions on the Internet to MAKE access behind the race with a grinder or Dremel while the current races are removed, personally not keen to be grinding inside a wheel hub and potentially weakening it, besides I now own a tool capable of dealing with the stock design of the wheel hub.


inspecting the wheel hubs and the removed races, it looks like whoever installed the races in the wheels last time used some sort of bearing or race locker compound to "glue" them into place, bloody hell......... anyway, out now, finally moving on to mount and balance the tires on the wheels with new wheel bearings installed.


thanks for all the suggestions!


Paul

 

Since you found the "Locker" being used and don't know the history...pay attention to how the New races fit

...just a thought

 

pay attention to how the new races fit ... I agree. Locker ( red/green ) is some serious stuff and there might be a reason the last guy used it. Loose fit or races spun before.

 

Thanks for the comments, and I agree.


I have the measuring tools to check the bore of the hub and will do so before installing new races. The races are already in the freezer waiting for installation. If the hub clearances are out of wack I will go pick up some locker myself. I have now obtained a selection of thickness shins to set bearing lash once the races are in.


Won't get back to this until after Boxing Day now, at the moment preparing for the family hoards to arrive for Christmas dinner tomorrow.


Merry Christmas to all of you who celebrate the tradition!


Paul