Topic: Trouble removing lower neck bearing cup...advice? *Solved*

[shorty24]

I'm removing all my neck bearing parts to install a tapered bearing set (since I found my lower neck race was cracked), but I cannot for the life of me get the lower neck bearing cup out.  Everything else came out ok with a little persuasion, but I can't even make this thing budge.  Any ideas on how to get it out?  I have a feeling that whatever mishap the PO had with this bike that bent the forks and cracked the race may have deformed the bearing cup enough to jam it in the neck pretty good...

[Markcb750]

Cut the race with a cutting blade in a dremel tool, even if you cannot cut through you can then hit the notch with a chisel and the race will snap into pieces.

[Terry in Australia]

Piece-o-cake mate, just use a hammer and metal drift/cold chisel/big screwdriver and tap/whack it out. Should take you around 30 seconds. Cheers, Terry.

[shorty24]

Piece-o-cake mate, just use a hammer and metal drift/cold chisel/big screwdriver and tap/whack it out. Should take you around 30 seconds. Cheers, Terry.

Tried that.  Beat the hell out of it too.  No luck.

[Stev-o]

Use a BFH!

[mono]

Use a BFH!

+1  hahaha

if you're banging the hell out of it and it won't budge, cutting it may be your only option. 

[srbakker]

I worked on mine with a big metal drift and a 6 lb mini sledge for 45 min before it came out.  In pieces, I might add.  I'd try cutting it.

[Terry in Australia]

Fcuk me, Aussies must be heaps stronger than Americans, I've converted maybe 7 CB750's to tapered roller bearings and removing the old races never took more than a few minutes? You are drifting it down from the top, yeah? 

[killersoundz]

yeah I just blasted the races out of my neck the other day. I'll admit that at first it didn't seem like they were moving but a couple real hard hits with a big framing hammer + long screwdriver to either side of them popped them out pretty easy. Just put a little wam on that swing

[DJ_AX]

I've had absolutely no problems! 
 I say it is best to just have patience and work your way around with little taps. It may not seem like it's moving but it is. The trick is to NOT wack it hard, and then it won't get cock-eyed and wedged. I got all the races off on my 750 and 550 with ease! A screw driver and a small rubber mallet was all it took. Not a nick or scratch and no sweat at all.

[srbakker]

Fcuk me, Aussies must be heaps stronger than Americans, I've converted maybe 7 CB750's to tapered roller bearings and removing the old races never took more than a few minutes? You are drifting it down from the top, yeah? 

Hehe.  In my defense, I'm 6'5", 240 and (since we're on the Internet) bench press 600 lbs!  Actually, mine got all cockeyed and that's why it took so bloody long.  It broke into 3 pieces before it came out and I spent a long time with a dremel and a sanding bit getting all the big ugly grooves I left in the neck to sit semi flat before putting the new race back in.

Also, I'm Canadian, eh?

[shorty24]

Yeah I think it's sitting cockeyed in the neck.  I made a little mark to see if it was moving at all...and it wasn't.  I even tried using a trashed fork tube as a pile driver with no luck whatsoever.  I think I'm gonna resort to cutting, I hadn't even thought about that. 

[Markcb750]

Try turning the frame upside down;  apparently the race can then be extracted easily with a common wedding present.

[shorty24]

So after about 2 good hours of cutting with a tungsten carbide dremel bit, pile driving with a trashed fork leg, and plenty of BFH, I finally got the stupid thing out (in 3 pieces).  Sanded the inside of the neck out to minimize the marring the cup left, and now waiting for my tapered bearings to show up.  Thanks for the tips guys!

[lucky]

Piece-o-cake mate, just use a hammer and metal drift/cold chisel/big screwdriver and tap/whack it out. Should take you around 30 seconds. Cheers, Terry.

Tried that.  Beat the hell out of it too.  No luck.

TRICKS

Use a LED flashlight and look down inside. Make sure that when you hit the neck cup you hit it with a tool that is ALL METAL.
Make sure you are pounding ON THE RACE.
If you use a plastic handle screwdriver all of the energy is deflected by the plastic.

[lucky]

Yeah I think it's sitting cockeyed in the neck.  I made a little mark to see if it was moving at all...and it wasn't.  I even tried using a trashed fork tube as a pile driver with no luck whatsoever.  I think I'm gonna resort to cutting, I hadn't even thought about that.

You have to hit the race with a small steel rod or old screwdriver so that you can get it on an angle. If the tool is too large it will not be on enough of an angle to sit on the lip of the race. NO plastic handle!!

[shorty24]

...I may have been using a screwdriver with a plastic handle... 

[Terry in Australia]

Fcuk me, Aussies must be heaps stronger than Americans, I've converted maybe 7 CB750's to tapered roller bearings and removing the old races never took more than a few minutes? You are drifting it down from the top, yeah? 

Hehe.  In my defense, I'm 6'5", 240 and (since we're on the Internet) bench press 600 lbs!  Actually, mine got all cockeyed and that's why it took so bloody long.  It broke into 3 pieces before it came out and I spent a long time with a dremel and a sanding bit getting all the big ugly grooves I left in the neck to sit semi flat before putting the new race back in.

Also, I'm Canadian, eh?

Well we're about the same height mate, but I've got a few more pounds on you, (and being that we're both on the 'net) I bench press my Triumph Rocket III, but for a little bloke you didn't do too bad, I guess? Cheers, Terry.

[BIGRUSS58]

Use a BFH!

+1  hahaha

if you're banging the hell out of it and it won't budge, cutting it may be your only option.

would you like to know the easiest way,  get your welder out , and run a continuous run all the way around on the innner side of the race. wait about hour to let it cool down and it will just fall out  reason being the weld shrinks the race  and presto it has shrunk,
  russ

[Toxic]

[/quote]

would you like to know the easiest way,  get your welder out , and run a continuous run all the way around on the innner side of the race. wait about hour to let it cool down and it will just fall out  reason being the weld shrinks the race  and presto it has shrunk,
  russ
[/quote]

Of all the tips I've heard over the years this is a new one.  good to know if your BFH is not up to the job, or you are too girly to swing it hard enough .  jk

[BIGRUSS58]

Use a BFH!

+1  hahaha

if you're banging the hell out of it and it won't budge, cutting it may be your only option.

been a diesel fitter for 30 years mate and got every wheel bearing out this way on earthmoving  equipment

russ

would you like to know the easiest way,  get your welder out , and run a continuous run all the way around on the innner side of the race. wait about hour to let it cool down and it will just fall out  reason being the weld shrinks the race  and presto it has shrunk,
  russ