head bearings cage keeps releasing

[Baron von helmet]

Am re-building my hoda cg and trying to fit a new head set top and bottom bearing's, thought it was an easy enough job but every time i get the bottom bearing almost seated to wear it needs to be the cage has released all the bearings! done it twice now, really frustrating, what am i doing wrong? i have the old bearing case on top and using that to drive the new bearing down. using pyramid bearings. didn't think they would be so fragile as the force required to get them seated is quite a lot.
what's the trick? can't afford to buy any more bearing's!!

cheers.

[Vincent]

Are you using plenty of grease to keep the balls in place?
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[stinkwheel]

They pop back in again.

You using ball bearings or tapered rollers?

Whatever you are using to drive them down with should only be acting against the inner race. Like a bit of pipe.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Baron von helmet]

[Vincent]

Isn't there a cage? Like this?

https://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j71/Drewskovitch/Jap%2070s%20bike%20toys/Bike%20toys/imagesqtbnANd9GcQ5bzqlpvCNvc_CExpTc_zps7ef7be68.jpg

Is this any help?

www.dansmc.com/steering_bearings.htm
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[stinkwheel]

The INNER split? That suggests it's either being forced down over too large a diameter or it wasn't going down perfectly square. Check you are ordering the correct bearing of a decent quality. Make sure the metal on the spindle is clean and free of damge and that you tap the bearing down absolutely square. Shouldn't need grease, I'd have it spotlessly clean and clean up any scratches and dings with fine emery paper.

Remember, you should ONLY be hammering against the inner race. Using a washer sounds like you might be clattering the top of the bearing cage too. I've always used a thin piece of pipe as a slide hammer to do this or very slowly and gently tapped it down using a punch and hammer.

Putting the yoke in the freezer and the bearing in the oven might even cause enough expansion/contraction for it to drop almost all the way on. It'll certainly make it easier to get started.

Where you getting the bearings? There are a lot of shitty Chinese ones out there and the tolerances can be all over the place. For a '89 CG125BR you need a 41H/225H and a 41H/24H taper roller bearing. Try your local bearing factors.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Baron von helmet]

Im using these bearings,
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271205913617?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

seems as good as any other. think its a BR04 or something. seems to fit correctly (should the top bearing be smaller than the bottom?) i'll do as you say and run some emery paper over the spindle and try the hot and cold trick, i can't afford to have this next bearing not go on though so may run it into a mechanics if it looks like its not going right. they can press it on for a few quid.

cheers for the replies. no doubt i'll have a many more questions to come.
saying that i do…….How tight should the swing arm bolt be done up? If I do it up to how tight it feels good the arm doesn't move, theres nothing on the bolt/nut either to stop it working loose if its to loose? seems like bearings would be better than bushes.

[Vincent]

If the swingarm is locking up when tightening, there must be something missing from the pivot assembly. Are there end caps with shims inside?
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Space Is Deep

[Suntan Sid]

As you now have some parts from a couple of fubar'd bearings, cut through one of the inner cages with a grinder, use this to drive the new bearing.
Being an inner cage it can only drive onto the new bearing's inner cage, as you've cut a piece out of the cage it will come off the stem with the slightest tap of a hammer!
I've just done exactly this on my project bike!
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"Everybody needs money, that's why they call it money!"

[Baron von helmet]

All good now, followed the advice putting the stem in the freezer and the bearing in the oven for a bit, I also purchased a different brand bearing for the bottom and it went on a lot easier using another bearing inner. Having said that, I used the Inner of the busted bearing and it actually fell to bits while I used a punch on it to seat the bearing. so half way through was just using the punch on the new bearing directly. I was'nt gentle with it either, so for future ref, I wont be buying pyramid bearings again.

[Vincent]

When you tighten the swingarm up, the pressure should be on the bushes, (N0. 12 in the pic), and not the swingarm itself.
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Space Is Deep

[Suntan Sid]

Have a look at this video for installing steering head bearings.
Real world, no fancy tools used, worth a watch!
They're ozzies, but no ones perfect!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ozfh93CvBs
____________________
"Everybody needs money, that's why they call it money!"

[Baron von helmet]

[Vincent]

Sounds like the collar may be seized into the swingarm
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[Pete.]