Lower head bearing seal (am i screwed?)

[ogh11756]

1977 xs650
I installed the new tapered head bearings from mikes xs yesterday.
All went according to plan and re assembled with no problems.
Then i noticed there was no lower dust seal included with the kit.
Old parts are in the trash. Can i use an O-ring as a seal?
Should i go dumpster diving or buy a new seal and disassemble/reassemble.
I am a little cheesed that a new bearing kit would not come with a seal.
Am i screwed or what?

 

[gggGary]

The early bikes never had a seal, it's not the end of the world as we know it. Most of the kits have the wrong seal if they have any seal at all.
Let this be a lesson to you NEVER throw away the old parts till the project is DONE.
Your local Yamaha dealer probably has the seal in stock, it is used on well over 100 different Yamahas, list price is $3.35

http://www.partzilla.com/parts/detail/yamaha/YP-164-23462-00-00.html

If you don't throw away your old parts the shed will end up looking like this.

 

[hard_y_rd]

Good luck getting the tapered bearing off the lower stem. I didn't use a bearing puller and destroyed a new bearing trying to get it off. I installed my dust seal upside down.

 

[5twins]

The stock dust seal is all rubber and pretty stretchy. Chances are, you can work a new one over the installed bearing and into place.

 

[ogh11756]

The early bikes never had a seal, it's not the end of the world as we know it. Most of the kits have the wrong seal if they have any seal at all.
Let this be a lesson to you NEVER throw away the old parts till the project is DONE.
Your local Yamaha dealer probably has the seal in stock, it is used on well over 100 different Yamahas, list price is $3.35

http://www.partzilla.com/parts/detail/yamaha/YP-164-23462-00-00.html

If you don't throw away your old parts the shed will end up looking like this.

View attachment 34261

Thanks Gary,
I have to take everything apart for blast & paint at the end, so i will drive the lower bearing off and put a new seal on before final assembly.
I remember having all the old parts in my hand and the packrat in me was thinking they would be useful for something. Unfortunately common sense and the fact that i only have a 1-1/2 car garage took over and i tossed them. I still find it irritating that they do not provide a new one with a kit. had i seen the new one, i would have put it on.
Quite the treasure trove you have going there. Would'nt happen to have a rear axle, nut, & spacers for a 16" mag wheel you want to part with do you?

 

[5twins]

I save the old ball bearing races because they make a useful tool for driving the new lower race up into the neck.

 

[gggGary]

Now that it's already too late you did slot the frame so the race can be gotten out of the neck at some time in the future?
I did try a new trick for this task. I drilled two 3/16" MOL holes at an angle into the fillet in the neck above the race, then I used a drift through the holes to tap out the race.

And yes the stock seal will easily stretch over the race to install. I wouldn't remove the race unless I HAD to.

 

[ogh11756]

Now that it's already too late you did slot the frame so the race can be gotten out of the neck at some time in the future?
I did try a new trick for this task. I drilled two 3/16" MOL holes at an angle into the fillet in the neck above the race, then I used a drift through the holes to tap out the race.

And yes the stock seal will easily stretch over the race to install. I wouldn't remove the race unless I HAD to.

LOL, no i did not slot the neck. I ran across that bit of wisdom searching for the answer to my last question. Learning alot as i go along. Most helpful, is the info i get from this forum. I guess the timing for that info is the key.
I hope to never have to remove the races.