I’ve tracked down the noise my Hemlock was making to the main pivot bearings. This is good because it means it hasn’t cracked, but bad because I can’t get the buggers out. I’ve already tried popping the bearing cover off and regreasing them. Twice. Sadly they’re beyond that now.

Is there any known trick to getting them out? Would a tool like this do the job?

Cheers.

Never mind, figured it out. With a hammer. How important is the wee sleeve between the bearings?

The spacer is important. It stops the bearings being overloaded when you tighten the main pivot.

That makes sense. Hope I’ve not bent it too much then 😳

(I haven’t, it’s fine. I think)

It doesn’t need to be too round, it rotates with everything around it so just as long as it slides on and off, it’s fine.

Have you done the other bearings at any point? If the mains are worn out they’re probably dead too.

Yeah I did the whole lot not *that* long ago. Apart from the seatstay ones which are new from a replaced stay a year or so ago. If I remember right I bought a kit of bearings but the main pivot ones were wrong so I stuck some cheap ones in.