Stem bearing race install

Post by **Tyl3r** » 07:05 am Jan 17 2014

Cant get my bearing races to seat all the way down in the frame

The last bike I did this on, I was able to get the race tapped down all the way in with just a hammer and a socket... this one is a little more stubborn and there isn't much of a lip for me to set the socket on to tap it in. Anyone have any suggestions or tricks?

I would like to take a piece of 1/2" all-thread and put nuts and washers on either end and clamp the race into place... but I feel like its going to be a pain trying to find a washer that's exactly the size I need to set on top of the race during clamping... any suggestions there? I was thinking about just flipping my old race upside down, setting it on top of the new race that is in the frame, then clamping it all up real tight to seat the race. I figure the old race will be pressed into the stem a little bit too, but shouldn't be that hard to pop back out.

Post by **KDXGarage** » 09:30 am Jan 17 2014

Is it the stock paint job?

Depending on how far down into the frame the old race would go, using the old race may be the ticket for you.

The all-thread and washer stacks is similar to the OEM tools. They are like an old top hat of sorts.

tirebiter · Post by **tirebiter** » 09:56 am Jan 17 2014

What I do is grind off a teeny little bit all around the outside of the old race- just enough so it doesn't stick in the frame, but still has enough contact with the new race to work.
Line it all up, put a piece of wood on top of the old race so that the pressure is distributed evenly, then smack away with a BFH...

ecojbr · Post by **ecojbr** » 10:28 am Jan 17 2014

I myself would freeze the race and heat the frame, then use your tool.

gsa102 · Post by **gsa102** » 11:00 pm Jan 17 2014

Yes, use your old races for drivers, but put a bead of weld on the inside of the old race. It will shrink them just enough that they will fall out when you are done driving with them. And use heat and cold to your advantage, but you have to think ahead and work fast.

The weld trick works on all kinds of bearings in blind holes.

Post by **Tyl3r** » 07:19 am Jan 18 2014

When i put them in at first, i had the race in the freezer for a day and heated the stem a tiny bit (was nervous with the gas tank being right there)...so i tried using thermodynamics to my advantage lol.

Today I'll try clamping the old race on top and whacking it down. I'll let yinz know how my whacking goes! Thanks for the responses

Post by **KDXGarage** » 06:57 pm Jan 18 2014

Good luck with it.

zepplin153 · Post by **zepplin153** » 10:23 pm Jan 21 2014

totally worth having
http://www.ebay.com/itm/10pc-Bushing-Be ... 65&vxp=mtr

Post by **Tyl3r** » 07:31 am Jan 22 2014

wow... yes that would be exactly what I need! I tried all sorts of things to get that upper outer race seated all the way down... and its just not going to go it seems like. So I figured I would try pressing the lower inner bearing on the stem... froze the stem, heated the tapered roller bearing the oven at 250 for a little while, dropped it down on the shaft, put my spacers on top, gave it one whack and the cage broke off and the roller bearings went everywhere

I was going fast and probably didn't plan good enough. So my new plan....

Get some new Pivot works stem bearings (had all balls, but saw and ad in dirt wheels for Pivot Works saying they offer lifetime replacement on all their bearings, no questions asked? sounds too good to be true, but i'll try it), take out the new outer upper race that I got stuck, clean up the mating surface inside of the frame a little bit better with some sand paper, and start over. Maybe I will try getting that seal driver kit for this time... man does that look sweet.... could sure come in handy!

Can't believe I'm having this much trouble on such an easy job... one of these days I'll get to ride it again!

6 Riders · Post by **6 Riders** » 02:55 pm Jan 22 2014

Pretty sure (If I recall correctly) that I had a friend use a press to install the lower bearing on my KDX. It took a lot of force to get it on there.

Post by **KDXGarage** » 08:06 pm Jan 22 2014

The OEM tool is just a hammer driven tool and adapter, should not need a press.

zepplin153 · Post by **zepplin153** » 09:10 pm Jan 22 2014

Tyl3r,
that kit is very handy. you can flip them around and use them to drive bearings too. and its soooo cheap. that is the set i bought and was the best value. I have changes several sets of what you are doing and that kit makes it super easy. Turns that whole job into just minutes of work. Hell, getting the inner lower race off the stem takes the most time of the whole project for me now. In fact if you have any tips let me know.
good luck! post up when youre done.

-zep

Post by **Tyl3r** » 07:25 am Feb 10 2014

Well, I finally got time to mess with the KDX on Saturday. Got everything all put together with no problems this time! I bought a seal driver set at a tool sale, pretty similar to the one posted above by zeppelin. All the drivers had a 1/2" hole in the middle of them, so I just picked the sizes that fit into the races, put a piece of 1/2" all-thread thru em, and clamped em both in at the same time. Went right in like butter, I had em in the freezer for about an hour before I started too.

For the tapered roller bearing on to the stem, I just had the stem in the freezer about an hour or two, then dropped the room temp bearing down on there, put the old race on top of it (upside down) with a piece of pipe, and whacked her right down with no problems. My problem last time was I put the old race down on top of the bearing right side up... this way it was contacting the outer cage of the bearing when I was whacking on it. If you put it down on there upside down, it only contacts the very inner race of the tapered roller bearing. So yea, I'm happy now.

All that is left to do before I can ride it is change the front tire off of the KDX wheel and put it on the KX wheel. O yea, and I need to get spacers for the front wheels... can't remember if they came with the front wheel and I just lost em, or what. So I guess I'll get me a set of those and might as well put new front wheel bearings in for peace of mind. But who knows when I will get another chance to mess with it! Lol hopefully this weekend. Here is how she's sittin now (I cleaned up my mess after I took the picture, so don't judge my messiness lol) with the KDX wheel and headlight just sitting on there:

zepplin153 · Post by **zepplin153** » 10:51 pm Feb 10 2014

Alright man!!!!

ICRage42 · Post by **ICRage42** » 01:37 am Feb 11 2014

Those forks sure do look nice and beefy on there. Grats man

Post by **Tyl3r** » 11:25 pm Feb 13 2014

Thanks! Im dying to ride it!! lol hoping to have the new wheel bearings in and front tire switched over this weekend if Im not busy with other projects. Still too snowy to ride with no studs tho

royadams · Post by **royadams** » 06:43 am Feb 14 2014

The easiest way for me to change the lower stem bearing, is to press the stem and bearing out all at once. Then just press the stem back in, then the bearing.

Post by **dfeckel** » 05:10 pm Feb 17 2014

My trick is to take the old race and use an angle grinder to cut a slot through the race. The cut race looks like the letter c with the ends very close together. This makes it very easy to remove after using as a driver to seat the new race.

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