RD350 YPVS steering head bearing removal

[RIrons]

My F2 has taper roller bearings in the stearing head, does anyone know how to remove the cups from the frame, there is absolutely no lip to allow them to be tapped out with a drift. Before is go at them with a blow torch

[drewpy]

I have very very carefully, cut/dremeled it off near to the steering stem , then chiselled the bugger off

[dan28]

shine a torch inside the tube there should be a slight lip you need to hook a large chisel or similar underneath

(holding the chisel nearly horizontal) than tapping down on the handle moving it round abit at a time

[Airhead]

yes there will be a amall overlap surely, use a mortar chisel to get a hit on it

[RIrons]

Thanks all, there was no lip at all, I have however removed the little buggers, I used a grinding head on my dremel and made a recess under the bearing cup, then using a drift managed to get the offending article(s) out. Frame now at powder coaters, great joy! Previoulsy tried a bit of heat, well a lot of heat but nothing was moving them.

[Naughty Nigel]

For future reference, you need a 'drift' with a sharp end that will just register on the slight lip behind the bearing. A peice of 1/2 inch tool steel is ideal. Gentle heat (from a hot air gun or hardryer) will help at the start, but don't get carried away with a blowtorch as that could cause distortion, and may also change the temper of the steel. Anything more than hand hot, or which burns the paint (about 160 Deg C) is too hot,

The secret is to tap GENTLY but firmly on one side of the headstock, and then the other side, alternating between the two, and at points in between on one side then the other. (Think of it like a clock. Do 6 and 12, 6 and 12, then 9 and 3, 9 and 3.) If you bray it too hard the bearing will simply get wedged, and it won't go anywhere.

NN