[Closed] Removing YT Capra bearings on a AL 2017 frame

I can! I've literally just done this job on my capra AL. Agree there was very little out there to go on info wise, but navigated my way through! Invested in some specific bearing removal and press tools to help out. I can write up the process and tools I used if it helps.

Start by removing cranks(which are self extracting), chain guard and rear shock. Remove cable from rear mech and pull back the inner only through to where it comes out of the main frame. You'll now have access to the main pivot bolt and the small rear seatstay pivots.

You'll need a torx t40 for the main pivot, undo each side counterclockwise, worth spraying in some penetrating fluid before if they've never been serviced. Once the bolts are out, knock the pivot through with a hammer and relavant size object. Knock it through towards driveside.
Undo the rear small pivots with a tiny Allen key and a small torx, can't remember size, just hold the Allen key in place and rotate the torx counterclockwise. You'll now be able to remove the rear chainstay meaning you can take out the bearings.

I purchased from bearing pro tools the bearing press kit specific for the Yt capra. You can use this for pressing out, and in, all but 2 of the bearings. Use a combo of the presses and suitable size sockets/metal spacers to press out the bearings. Clean up and reverse process to press in new ones. Reassemble chainstay.

The horst/vpl link thing is a little harder and if once you remove the shock it all feels smooth I'd think about whether to bother. The design makes it hard to remove the main bearings as you cant get behind them so need a blind puller. Theres a weird little specific bolt cover thing that needs a random tool, and add to that one of the very specific seatstay pivot bolts stripped on me on removal, which has been a nightmare to replace (thanks brexit).

In brief, torx t40 the main pivot, adapt a bent spoke or something to fit in the other side to remove. Undo the hard to access seatstay bolts with a short or ball end Allen key, once these are out you can remove the linkage. I then pressed out, and back in, the smaller bearings using the same method as mentioned earlier. I could not get the larger bearings out with a blind puller, the design is poor I think, you end up with a pivot bolt spacer floating around inside and can't get behind them to press out, so i ended up leaving them in and popping off the cover and regreasing, which worked fine. I imagine if you had a dremel you could smash them up and dremel out what's left.

DM me if you need any more info.

This is my contribution to the internet! There wasn't a clear write up of this anywhere, so took the time in the hope that others will be helped.

Lord Humgunous, I really appreciate you taking the time to write up your experience. As it happens I have the very same bearing pulling kit. Just need to remove the final set which are the main pivot bearings.

So, you are saying that I need to tap the axle out (tapping out towards the drive side). Do I need to find a washer that fits inside the bearing, but can push the axle through?

Re the above , I did try screwing in the T40 bolts/covers a few turns then gently tapping them to see if that would push the axle through. No movement.

Hey, yeah remove the bolts, don't use them to tap through. I had a suitable size metal bar that just fit through the bearing and matched the end of the pivot, so find something that just fit, maybe a bolt head orsomehting. A couple of taps and it should free. I think it probably can be removed both ways, I went out driveside.

Once it frees up after some initial taps (maybe rising to wacks on the scale of hitting things) it should come out pretty smoothly.

that was the reassurance I was needing. Will get to it tomorrow. Thx for all your help