Question about Headbearing replacements

[Tx Bohemian]

'99 Standard

Looking at the manual to replace the head bearings it looks pretty straight forward.

How hard is it to get the lower bearing off the stem?  All it says is to remove it.  Does it need to be pulled off with a puller? or cut off?  or will it come off fairly easy prying with a couple of screwdrivers?
It says to use a press to install the new one so this gets me to wondering.

I attempted a search but came up with very little on this. One post about a garage removed the old one and heated the bearing when installing but no details on the removal.

[Warlock]

I used two big screwdrivers. The outer race and ball bearings came off. I then used a die grinder to cut the inner race off. I only cut on 1 side and used the old one to press the new one on.
David

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

Some where in the old archives is a tool you can make to get it out fairly easy. Cutter, just did his alittle while back might send him a PM. I'm fixxing to do mine shortly as my lady has 126K on her and I know they need changing.

[fat6man]

Try stacking 3 or so grade 8 flat washers on a piece of threaded rod sandwiched between 2 nuts. You should be able to tap the race out. 
Put your new brg. race in the freezer for 1/2 hour or so before you install it, and as stated use your old race to press new one in place.
If you grind on the race to split it be careful not to grind into head brg. ID on the frame.

[hubcapsc]

There's a couple of tools listed in the manual that make everything, except the bottom bearing, a piece of
cake...



I was sweating over how I was going to replace the bottom bearing when this came up on
eBay, cheap...



I guess if you had a fully stocked machine shop, the "right" tools would be one of those
articulated pullers and a press with some kind of perfectly sized sleeve to mash the new
bearing back on?

-Mike

[Patrick]

Remove the cage and rollers.. If you have access to heat, heat a spot on the race red hot and double up a pair of ball peen hammers and  give the hot spot a good whack[ technical term] which will stretch  the race and it'll fall off.. If you don't have 'real' heat then just cut it off.. The new one can easily be pushed or driven on.. I always check the pre-load with a spring scale [ 1.75-2.25 #]..

[John Schmidt]

Just go to Northern Tools or similar company and get a Titan pry bar, p/n 12210. It's made of hardened steel and will take a beating, the item shown in the link is 10" long which is all you need to remove the bottom race. The end is adjustable as to angle, just loosen the knob and angle it to something close to 45 degrees. Insert in the top of the neck and it catches the top of the race, a couple raps with a hammer, then turn it 180 deg. and do it again. The race comes right out. The link shows about $30, but I didn't pay near that much....and it takes up a lot less room in the toolbox than some of the homemade methods.  

PS: I also meant to add that Daryl (sp?), one of our vendors at XF6, told me about this last year and it worked great. I think he said he paid $15 locally in Milwaukee.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200378688_200378688