Time for new steering bearings? Warning-big picture

[Frog]

http://www.cycleworks.net/index.php?mai ... ucts_id=62

I had been welding races out for years...until I recently had to remove almost new bearings...so bought this tool.

It works great. It does grab almost nothing....and does it well. These Ed Korn tools are ingenious....and perfect for an amateur.

[Manfred]

I bought the bearing puller tools from CycleWorks and changed out my steering head bearings last year. With the help of a friend (two heads and all) and this article: https://www.airheads.org/content/view/193/98/ I gotter done in good shape. Made a tool to seat the bearings from a large bolt and washers, as described. Smooth action.

[wirewrkr]

the Cycleworks tool has been known to self destruct. Various reports that I've read by inmates on other forums have mixed results. It's probably fine for a one or two shot situation. I've always had access to the Kuuko (sp?) factory tool, but it is usually beat to shit after years of abuse form ham-fisted mechanics, which is why I prefer welding out the races. I use a 5/8 flat washer, weld it in at 3 places and wooden drift it out. sometimes it just falls out from the heat shrinkage, sometimes not and it lands on yer foot and catches yer laces on fire.( hint hint )
For reinstalling the new races, I put it in while the headstock is still warm and seat it with an old race.
You'll know if it seated by the feel and by the sound.
I'm still chuckling over the concept of the turn signal wiring lack of ground causing a problem. That's just downright funny.
Greetings from the desert.
wirewrkr
http://www.wirewerkes.com

[melville]

On my bikes the turn signals have two wires each. Isn't one of those wires a "ground" wire? I think they trace back into the headlight bucket so I would have thought they were ground.

Chuey

Hi Chuey,

Depends on the age of the bike... and to a certain extent, the whim of Uncle Hans... According to the diagrams, the 73/74 yesr /6s don't have ground wires to the front indicators but the 75/76 years do. From experience, however, my R60/6 is a '76 bike and which did not have them when I got it. Either something has been changed by a PO or it was never fitted with htem... I suspect the latter. Wouldn't be the first time that BMW wiring diagrams have existed in a different version of reality to the real world. Either way, the bike has ground wires now.


Rob

Mine is a 1975 (12/74) and had no ground wires when I got it. I doubt the PO removed them, as the "hot" wires were still in place in the bent (for fairing clearance) turn signal stalks. I was dubious as to the chassis as ground through the head bearings, as like Chuey, I have had ground issues with bicycle generator light sets when the ground had to pass through the head bearings. But when I reassembled the fork I checked continuity at each step and only had issues with TS stalk to TS pods, and that was quickly resolved by removing some powdercoat where the pods clamp down.

On the OP's subject, dang, that bearing is hosed!

[George Ryals]

I think that the bikes with metal turn signal housings(up through '74 I think) had no ground wire since the circuit was completed through the housing and metal stalk to the bike. The later plastic turn signal housings require ground wires to complete the light circuit back to the bike.

[DaveBBR]

Duane, it is all in fun. You're dual roles as wrenching guru and best-dressed transvestite on the forum must leave you open to ribbing or we would all go crazy.

[Roy Gavin]

I had to do a little rework on the Cycleworks puller, adding a bevel to the expanding collar to match the bevel on the expander, as there was so little to grip that the expanding collar had to move the bearing race out a fraction to get in behind it,and that wouldn't happen until I has a bit more leverage.
Once it moved it that little bit the rest was easy- just a light tap on the socket holding the bottom nut and it was out.

I have never considered buying a cheap arc welder, or idiot stick as my dad called them - I can bodge enough stuff up as it is without adding another tool to the armory.

[Rob Frankham]

I think that the bikes with metal turn signal housings(up through '74 I think) had no ground wire since the circuit was completed through the housing and metal stalk to the bike. The later plastic turn signal housings require ground wires to complete the light circuit back to the bike.

Sounds a good theory... except that my '76 with plastic housings didn't have them...

Go figure...

Rob

[ME 109]

I have never considered buying a cheap arc welder, or idiot stick as my dad called them - I can bodge enough stuff up as it is without adding another tool to the armory.

Basic welding is not difficult at all.
Welding out bearing races is not difficult, it is all about technique
I could show somebody how to do basic welding in half an hour.

I'll bet most people who say they can't weld and say that it is very difficult, have never been shown, or have never read how to do it.
Flying an aeroplane is easy too................

[Major Softie]

I think that the bikes with metal turn signal housings(up through '74 I think) had no ground wire since the circuit was completed through the housing and metal stalk to the bike. The later plastic turn signal housings require ground wires to complete the light circuit back to the bike.

Sounds a good theory... except that my '76 with plastic housings didn't have them...

Go figure...

Rob

How did they work, Rob? Was the socket grounding through the bolt?