Help!!!
 

Im doing a RC51 fron end swap and I have encountered a problem. I have the all balls bearing kit for the 51 and I seem to be having troubles getting the factory bearing race off of the bottom of the stem. How have you fellas done this? Also, the upper race for the all balls doesn't even come close to fitting in the superhawk neck. Im guessing Im going to re-use the factory bearing? Also, should I remove the bearing race on the bottom of the neck for the all balls kit? Thanks for the help, I may have more questions to come. lol

~Brian

I just used something sharp with a mallet or a hammer. I used either a flatbar or one of those 5 in 1 painters tools-again not blunt like a prybar, that won't help. Needs to be sharp but strong. Just be patient a work around it with a hammer or a mallet and it will come off. My top race fit perfect so...I don't know. Both races in the neck should be removed plus the factory race on the lower triple-it gets replaced by the all balls bearing (took me a little while to figure this out after flinging things thinking it wouldn't fit. Are you sure you're using the right one in the top. If I'm not mistaken I think mine may have been two different sizes. Gotta run to work. Will see if you need some more help when I get home this evening because I'm doing the same swap and got everything to fit up fine with regards to swapping the front end to the frame.

I've used a sharp cold chisel in the past for changing lower races. Clamp in a vise and hammer around.

You're not doing something right or they gave you the wrong stuff, the bearings should fit fine. Post some pics if you want. Did you take out the old race before you saw if the new one would fit?

I have the all balls bearing kit for the RC51. The top race is too small. If I were to have used the All balls kit for the Hawk the bottom bearing would have been too small... I got the race off with my dremel and a little carefull trimming then poped it right off. Ill get some pics up. Thanks so far guys.

~Brian

Here's the part# of the kit I used from All Balls. 22-1037. '00-'01 RC51 & '01-'04 Gold Wing. You will run into some other issues with the swap (clearance with clip ons and steering radius) but this shouldn't be one of them. If you take the old race out and compare the diameters, and they're not the same, you either have the wrong kit or they sent you the wrong part. And don't forget to put the dust cap on first under the bearing on the lower triple like I did and then have to swear and turn red because you have to get it off again.

By the way I don't know how using a later year front end affects this process. Mine's a '00 or '01 I can't remember at this moment. I don't know if you got the bearing kit for a later year if there were any changes. Anybody?

I was told that my front end was from an 01 RC51. IM not too sure though.... I wonder how I can tell the difference? From what I can tell the bearing race from the kit I have which I bought from EBAY doesn't fit in the top part of the neck on the superhawk. Its not that bad of a deal though because I can use the superhawk bearing on the top race and the all balls on the bottom. The top of my steering stem fits perfectly in the factory hawk bearing. I can't wait to get this thing all together I miss being able to ride the hawk. :cry: Sor far Im into my swap for 250... :mrgreen: How much is a stock front end from the hawk worth? Rim tire, calipers, brakes the whole kitten caboodle?

~Brian

Oh yeah, what did you do for your key setup on the bike? I noticed the tumbers are slightly different.

~Brian

So is the part# on your kit the same as mine? I ask because sometimes buying stuff like this off ebay can be a crapshoot and who knows what they sent you. I got mine direct from all balls, most of all because they were cheaper than on ebay. Not sure again about the ignition lock, mine seemed to fit fine into the rc upper triple...my superhawk's a '98. I know the ignition locks looks a little different on some of the newer ones.

Brian,

The 02-on RC51 has different forks. The way to tell is that the preload adjuster does not rise when backing out preload. It's all internal. The previous years moved up and down as they do on the Superhawk.

If thats the situation Ill look at my forks tomorrow. I think I may have a set of 02 and later forks.... Im commiteed now so I just gotta make it work...

~Brian

I need to look, I think they are the same, unless they were re-packaged.

~Brian

The o2 and later forks can be deciphered by the steering stem on the triple tree's. The 00-01 have a tapered steering stem and thats why they fit in the Hawks neck. Donno if this will help anyone. It turned out that I purchased the wrong bearing kit which wasn't all bad as the bottom bearings are the same for all years. Now I just need to get the upper bearing. This was kind of an expensive oops. I think I was given the wrong kit via ebay however, guess thats how the cookie crumbles. Does anyone know about using a 600f4i front rim? I have seen some people saying they can be used on the RC 51 with different spacers. Can anyone confirm this?

~Brian

p.s. Thanks for all of the info ya'll have given me. This site is a godsend!

I'm 99% sure the rotors are different on the F4i but if you can find out if you can mount the RC rotors to the wheel then....You can also use a 929/954 wheel if you change out the bearings, collar, seals, axle and rotors.