Help with Yamaha steering head bearing race

**evoetr** · 8th November 2010, 12:13

I have started to replace my steering head bearings (Top and Bottom).

I have run in to a bit of trouble trying to remove the lower and upper ball race as they are semi pressed in to the frame, anyone got any tips on removing these.... ( There isn't much of a lip to hit them out on... which is the biggest problem..)

According to the manual it says:

1. Remove
** Ball race (1) : Remove the ball race using long rod and hammer. (Sounds fairly easy haha, not working though... she's in there good..!

)

Bike: 2003 YZF450 Yammy

Cheers
Caleb

**barty5** · 8th November 2010, 17:18

done heaps of them your right not much of a lip try an old screw drive flat blade 1st even a bit od old steel pipe if it fits down. Push it hard down and i lean it over to the opposite side at the top or bottom pend on which end your doing and bash it work your way around they will move once started they are easy.

**hayd3n** · 8th November 2010, 17:43

=a bit of heat around the frame and some cold spray in a can stuff on the race wll help lots as the frame will expand and the race will shrink

**evoetr** · 15th November 2010, 12:36

Cheers all for your help, i ended up getting a shop to do because there was nothing to hit(and was very cheap). He also told me what they do to get it out:

Run a bead of weld around the inside of the bearing race this then shrinks the ring, the weld also gives you a bigger surface area to hit... so win win, next time ill do it with a welder...

Also he did mention while its apart getting two grease nipples drilled and tapped in the head steering area (1 above the bottom bearing and 1 below the top bearing) and your bearings will last for ages...

**flyingcr250** · 15th November 2010, 18:10

Originally Posted by evoetr

Cheers all for your help, i ended up getting a shop to do because there was nothing to hit(and was very cheap). He also told me what they do to get it out:

Run a bead of weld around the inside of the bearing race this then shrinks the ring, the weld also gives you a bigger surface area to hit... so win win, next time ill do it with a welder...

Also he did mention while its apart getting two grease nipples drilled and tapped in the head steering area (1 above the bottom bearing and 1 below the top bearing) and your bearings will last for ages...

i did that to my old CR, i put grease nipples in the swingarm too