steering bearing race puller

[Duane Ausherman]

Three steering bearing races need to be removed from frames. I used to have the Kukko bearing puller which would pull that race out of the /5 frame with ease. I either sold it, or can’t remember where I put it. I can borrow one from Rod Miller, my old manager, but he is 65 miles away.

I have never used the one made by Ed Korn, besides, I don’t have it on hand. Even before that I had a punch made up for the job and it worked OK, but took 2-3 minutes of careful tapping all around to get the race out evenly.

I am thinking of grinding a 1/4” extension into a tool for this job.

Does anybody have a better idea that I can employ tomorrow?

[Major Softie]

I take it you have no welder?

[ME 109]

I take it you have no welder?

Well, der.

[Duane Ausherman]

My apologizes, I want to keep the bearings, as they are almost new. We always welded out the bad races, but we had tools to remove the good ones.

[Ken in Oklahoma]

I've used the Ed Korn puller pulling the bearings on my '91 RT. Or rather worked with the owner of the puller pulling them out.

I wasn't impressed.

The Ed Korn puller struck me as just barely being up to the task. The biggest issue was a busing that looked like it might have once been part of an exhaust pipe. If I remember it was about 1 1/2" long. The bushing was to get the nut that had to be turned below the steering stem. The owner of the tool had me do the wrenching. I'm not ham fisted, but the bearing didn't come out easily. The owner didn't seem concerned that I was using a "LOT" of torque on the nut to get the bearing out.

The bearing did finally come out, but the tool's "bushing" was badly distorted in the process. I talked to the owner of the puller about making the damage right and he said no, it was OK, and not to worry about it.

I did worry about it, but that didn't help him or me. I did exhibit profound gratitude.

Editing: At about $50 each the bearings weren't inexpensive, probably because they are unique to the BMW application. I did find a bearing at a bearing house with the proper part number at a bearing house, but the price was something over $1,000. Turned out that the P/N must have been a BMW part number since the bearing in stock was really large, maybe something like 5" across.

I was pretty sure it wouldn't work.

I also bought a couple spares from BMW because there will come a time when another airhead needs the steering stem bearings replaced. And I'll use my welder to get the races out.

Ken

[Duane Ausherman]

I plan to make a tool today to drift them out. I know what it should look like, but haven't decided what tool to start with and modify for the job. I have a new, quite long, 1/4" drive extension that would probably work well. I hate to chop up a new tool. I also hate to drive 25 miles to Harbor Freight for a cheap extension.

If I am successful, I will report on what I did. If I fail, you may not hear anything. If I reported every failure, I wouldn't have time for having more, because I would be too busy typing.

I haven't seen the Ed Korn tool and have no idea what it looks like. Ken, you are the first one to give negative feedback on using the tool. I respect your skill and judgment on the issue.

[Kurt in S.A.]

Cycleworks (aka Ed Korn) pullers are shown here:

http://www.cycleworks.net/index.php?mai ... h=29_33_50

Kurt in S.A.

[jagarra]

Bought the cycleworks puller (Ed Korn) unit to change the races on my bike. Worked good on the bottom race, but was a PIA on the top one. Had to modify the method of expanding the split ring to grip better as it was slipping, or I couldn't expand it enough to get a good hold on the edge of the race. Did get the races out, finally. Couldn't go the arc welder bit as I just can't use one due to having a defibrillator implanted in my chest.

[Chuey]

I too, have used the Ed Korn tool. I didn't have any serious deformations but would agree with Ken that that particular tool seems kind of fragile and barely up to the task.

I had thought that there is not enough access to the edge of the bearing to tap it out. I'd really like to see the tool you make, Duane.

Chuey