R75/6 Stubborn Steering Column

[Boxertwin1975]

Hi all, this might have already been covered, but any tips on how to remove a stubborn steering column greatly appreciated. Top yoke and adjuster nuts removed obviously. I've applied mucho heat, WD-40, more mucho heat, more pentrant, more heat and pounded and pounded and pounded with a large rubber mallet on the top of the column and even a bit on the bottom yoke but mostly on the top. Loads. Like until I felt silly.

After a bit of pounding the bearings felt a bit notchy, after the WD-40 this went away but I wonder if it's slightly wonky or something.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Cheers.

[Kurt in S.A.]

Not sure what the "adjuster nutes" are. Certainly the top yoke and large nuts have to be loosened. The lower yoke has nuts on the pincher parts of the yoke. It might be necessary to spread the lower yokes open...use a thin wedge of wood and gently hammer into the gap to expand.

Kurt

[Boxertwin1975]

(The adjuster nut is the notched nut that sits beneath the top yoke and is tightened with a special toothed spanner.) Your advice to spread the 'pincher parts' of the yoke is for remove the suspension stanchions, which I have already done. I'm just trying to get the steering column / bottom yoke out of the steering head. It should drop out, usually requiring some tapping on top of the threaded column, but mine won't budge.

[Boxertwin1975]

Got it! I literally had to pretend I was at ta funfair on that "test your strength" hammer game. I can't believe how much force I had to put onto that bloody steering column, but it's off now so time to sit back a well-earned beverage(s).

Thanks!

[Boxertwin1975]

P.S. In hindsight, I should have applied heat to the buttom tapered bearings but I was stupidly concentrating it at the top. That might have gotten it without the ridiculous hammering. Live and learn!

[Rob Frankham]

Heating the bottom bearings will have no effect... the race should drop straight ot of the outer bearing... nothing to hold it in. Why yours was so hard to remove, I don't know but it can only have been that the top inner race was jammed on the stem. There's nothing else holding it in. It's an interference fit (obviously) but a very moderate amount of pressure will normally shift it. Worth investigation before you fit a new bearing.

[Boxertwin1975]

Thanks Rob. Noted on that, unlearn and re-learn!
It was an insane amount of force that finally popped it out. I'd just done my R100 a few months earlier so knew it was not normal.

The grease at the bottom bearings is a rusty colour, not sure if that's from the grease used or if it's stained by corrosion. God knows when the yoke was last removed. I've had the bike fort 10 years and haven't done it.