lower triple tree needle bearing removal?

[akendall1966]

I would be concerned about grease melting and bleeding out to mess up the powder coating during the heat cycle. I would be inclined to try and remove it, as it going to make less risk you mess up the bearing getting grit in it or the powder coating with grease.

I would think a little heat and patience will get it off without damage.

[Coyote]

If you can flush ALL the grease out of the bearing so that it's dry, the powder coaters have a tape that will protect it from blast and the heat of curing. It's not a high speed bearing and you will probably never feel a piece of grit or two. Ideally, remove the bearing. If you can't or don't want to, talk to the coaters, I'm betting they can work around it, but it will have to be free of ALL grease.
You might find that the lower bearing is not all that tight and working around it with a flat blade screwdriver will easily remove it. As for the races, I use a top and bottom plate with a length of all thread thru it. Put a thin sheet of rubber under the plates. I have a koi pond in my back yard. There was lots of left over liner. Works great for that application and it doesn't melt.

[rngdng]

That Koi-pond rubber does NOT make good float-bowl gaskets! They swell up and jamb the float.....



Lane