Notched Steering Bearings

[Wildman]

I have read a few of the threads on steering bearing replacement.
I did mine about a week ago.
The upper frame race comes out with any straight shaft rod thats long enough.
The lower frame race was tough a straight rod doesn't even touch the top of the race.
I used a long masons cold chisel. It was mushroomed at the top (that's the important feature) from being hit so many times.
The mushroomed top fit into the space over the top of the lower race nicely.
Next I used a depp socket to force the mushroomed head against the side of the streeing neck.
Choose the largest diameter that will fit in the neck with the chisel head.
Pry the chisel head over to the side using the deep socket as a lever.
I had mine out in 4 or 5 hits using this method.
The bearing on bottom of the steering stem was cut with a Dremel, being very careful to not cut past the bearing and into the steering stempost or the lower triple clamp.

I could hear the bearing collar snap when I had removed enough metal.

People tell me that you can just slot the bearing and hit the slot with a cold chisel.
Itried this several times but it was material removal that got it to snap.
The Valk has greatly improved low speed manners after the replacement and no idexing at all.