Hey all!
Rebuilding a 2006 CRF450X top to bottom after an oil starvation/top end seizure. I'm doing the bottom end as well just to ensure all bases are covered with potential bearing damage after the bike was run out of oil during the 2019 Baja 1000 race. (That's a whole separate story, don't get me started...)
Anyway, I ordered a rebuild kit and split the cases, removed the crank and all bottom end bearings, and then began installing new bearings.
I froze the bearings and heated the cases in the oven. Yet still, a few bearings are having issues fully seating.
-The right side crank bearing is seemingly sitting a little proud and the torx keepers don't line up (see photo).
-While trying to seat the countershaft bearing using an aluminum driver and a steel hammer, after heating the case and freezing the bearing, it would not seat and the bearing was sitting proud and the keepers with #3 phillips would not line up. I continued to heat and gently tap it with a wood block backing it on the outside of the case. No movement, still sat proud. Finally hit it a bit harder, and the bearing punched through the case. Here's the worst part: I ordered a new left hand crank case from Rocky Mountain, and a new factory countershaft bearing, and gave it another go. Froze the bearing, heated the case, aluminum driver, backed it with a wood block on the case side, gently hitting it. Keepers would not line up. Used a little more force, it broke through as well!
-The result is that the countershaft bearing race appears to have marring on it where the bearing was way too snug and took some material out of the race. See photo.