When I replaced mine, and wrote that artical, I borrowed the Kaw tools from a close friend, and did not buy anything, but before you spend money on tools, bearings, and get all freaked out, please disassemble the area of concern, clean and examine what you have, and if there is no catastrophic damage, regrease and reassemble them. Inspection is always the first step, before spending money in gobs..
The person that told you they needed to be rpalced, likely was just digging for excuses on why he didn't want to take the trade in...which is common.
Also, if you do need to replace the bearings, that OTC puller tool is a starting point, but you will still need to modify it as I noted, by chamfering the top "ring" at a 45* angle, to a sharp edge at the bottom of the rings outer diameter, this allows it to "catch" the edge of the pressed in cup, and pinch in along the perimeter, where the bearing cup is radiused on its edge, and mates with the positive bore of the tube its pressed into.
As the bearing cups vary dimensionally (top and bottom) on the diameter, its takes 2 different driver pilots to install them, that is why I showed the cup drivers and allthread thing... but, you can accomplish it with the proper cup drivers found in most kits, and install them either singly, or in tandem, using allthread and some big washers, or flat bar, drilled for the threaded rod to pull them in... commonly people drive them in using the tool and the handlensupplied in the kit, and hammer them in... I don't like that method, as there is too much chance if installing it cocked to the side, and wedging it up, just my preference.
The installer kits can be commonly found at most parts stores like Advance Auto, or AutoZone, and they have a loaner tool program, where you leave a deposit, and borrow the set..... I would have done that myself if I didn't have access to the Kaw assembly tools.
Toughest part is getting the bottom race off the stem itself, for replacement of that and the important bottom grease seal... it takes a lot of creative cursing and methods to get that one off, but most bike shops that are worth anything, have a tool to do it, and will pull it while you wait for $10... well worth it...
While it "looks" like a common split race puller will work, they really don't, almost all of them are to big, too thick, and don't fit in there between the stearing stops on the bottom tripple tree.. I wouldn't stear ya wrong on this, (sorry for the pun), but I bought and returned almost a half dozen of them searching for one that fit.. and ended up cutting that race using an abrasive cutoff wheel, and splitting it with a chisel... which I HIGHLY recommend against doing, as even though I had it wrapped in a rag, shrapnal embedded razor sharp shards in my hands and chest... very painful lesson...that race is as brittle as glass...and explodes when you try what I did.
Best of luck, please, save the pain and agony, do an inspection and clean them first, and if they look good, repack them and re install..
COG Forum
Facebook
Twitter: COGRiders