Stuck bearing in headset

aidsowmb

I've a Canyon Neuron AL with an internal headset and the bearings have seized in the frame. They've broken apart and the outer-casing remains stuck in the frame. I managed to get the lower bearing out by dousing in boiling water and gently tapping from the other end with a screwdriver and mallet; but the top is proving trickier.
There is a thin "cup" inside the frame just under the bearing casing, so I can't get a screwdriver under it for leverage. 3 kettles later, I dont think it's making an impression. Any ideas?
I've tried prying it from the top and scooping it in a youghurt-eating-fashion, but I fear I'm going to damage it .

reaperactual

Try some WD40 and leave penetrate for a while. Maybe some ice on the stuck bearing race along with heating the headtube.

If you do some more prying try and keep the race from twisting using even pressure on opposite sides, similar to scrapping the yoghurt pot with two spoons.

steve_sordy

If you can get a big screwdriver (or a metal rod) on to the bearing race from the bottom, then use a bigger hammer, a much bigger hammer.

I don't mean you to beat the carp out of it! But a bigger hammer allows you to give controlled taps and yet have a big impact. Aim the blows at points far apart from each other to avoid tilting the bearing and jamming it in the head tube.

What is a big hammer? I'm thinking at least 3lbs like a club hammer, as a minimum. The key thing is control, so a sledge hammer is too large.

aidsowmb

I managed to get the bottom out with little taps but I could reach it from the other end unimpeded.
The top bearing is sitting in a little protrusion I'd like to think is a cup and so I can't tap from the bottom.
I drove out to Screwfix to get some PlusGas that everyone is harping on about...it's banned in Northern Ireland as it's considered very dangerous...I kid you not. Have had to setting from some 3-in-1 penetrating oil instead.

mully79

The usual method is to cut slots down the end of a “15mm?”copper pipe. Then you can splay the end and insert it from the stuck bearing side so that the splayed ends spring behind the bearing. Then hit it out with a hammer.

mully79

http://davesbikeblog.squarespace.com/blog/2007/6/8/headset-removal-and-replacement.html

aidsowmb

I think this warrants a picture:
https://imgur.com/a/kIYyVsa

The silver that you can see is the outer casing of the bearing. The black plastic in the inner circle is a "cup" holding the silver and is part of the frame. There is no way to tap, or place a shim, or a copper pipe from the other end to tap the silver casing. The bearing can only be extracted from the top of the frame

mully79

Ah. i get it. That is an absolute nightmare. Of course if the bearing was whole it would come out in one piece.
Chain drilling or cutting with a dremmel is a last resort.
i assume there is a little bit of a curved ball shaped recess inside the silver bit so if you could make something that can key into that you could hit it out.

mully79

Acquire a washer slightly bigger than the bearing outer and cut the opposite sides of the washer off. Once the sides are off you can bend it just enough to pass in to the outer bearing shell.
Now straighten the washer so that it expands into the recess of the bearing. once straighter it will be "stuck"
If you pass a threaded rod through the straightened washer and support it with nuts and slightly smaller washers you can force the bent washer to retain its shape in the recess and hit it out taking the remaining shell with it.

Please google "homemade fork bush removal" for inspiration and good luck. i cant promise it will work . just chucking an idea out there !

reaperactual

Treat getting that race out like you would getting a crown race of some forks. Starting with a tap from underneath where the notch/opening is at the 6 oclock position if you can get purchase on the race at that point.

Tap a screwdriver all around the underneath of the stuck race and create an even gap, it will only need 1-2mm of movement before it pops out. Also just another idea to try out.

me-109

Where that slot is at about 8 o'clock in that photo, in line with the frame tube I think, does that slot continue under the bearing race?
If so, then I would attack it there in one of two ways. Either long screwdriver through the head tube into that slot and hammer it a little to get it moving, or from the same end by inserting the tip of a flat blade screwdriver too that slot under the race and use the opposite side of the race/head tube as a pivot in order to tap down on the opposite end of the screwdriver (hand or gentle bashing implement). As @reaperactual once you have a little gap you can insert a thin screwdriver under the race and work your way around.

aidsowmb

I've conceaded to the bike shop as I've been at it for 2 days. I think that little slit was created by me hammering from the other side and therefore shouldn't be there. I tried tapping at that exact spot but the bearing doesn't shift even a fraction.
I've done a fair amount of research the last few days and seems like a common problem with Canyon bikes.

firealno9

What you need is a blind bearing puller. Hopefully your bike shop has one as that would be the best way to extract it if it won't loosen up.

thebluevoice

I have a canyon nerve al 29er from 2015.

I couldn't get my lower headset bearing out a couple of years ago so admitted defeat and left it at lbs to use their proper pulling tools...

Last week I managed to (relatively) easily replace the bearing again using a plastic "screwdriver". It still separated again leaving part in the frame but this time it tapped out ok.

Put the new bearing in the freezer and this pressed in with gentle taps with a piece of wood which was handily just the right shape/size ...

The lbs said they'd greased the new bearing going in last time so don't know if that helped getting it out?

aidsowmb

The LBS managed to get it sorted and once the top bearing was out, replaced the cups with something better. App my bike is still using the Arcos headsets and if you Google it, they are notoriously rubbish.

steve_sordy

For headset bearings and in fact bearing in general for a bike, I can 100% recommend Blue Seal bearings by www.trailvision.co.uk

I was looking for headset bearings as the original equipment failed quickly and the ones fitted by the LBS didn't last well either. The Blue Seal bearings have maximum fill marine grease, strong double rubber seals, and ABEC 2 -Grade 10 balls. The website is dead easy to use and designed to ensure you get the correct bearings. They even include the reference numbers that other manufacturers use so that you can buy with confidence.

After the big build up I was given by rider on another Forum, I expected them to be expensive, but they are not! Once I had discovered the exact bearings I needed, I Googled them to see if I could get them cheaper, but I couldn't. But even if they had turned out to be more expensive, I would still have bought them because that attention to detail deserves support.

mully79

I bought some loose bearings from simplybearings to replace mine.
Grade 100 Hardened AISI 420 Stainless.
i swapped the wheel bearings out and now i cant even lean the bike against the wall without it rolling off and falling over.
i assume standard bike bearings may not be stainless.