GL1000 Front bearings

So as a matter of course I am going to change the front and rear bearings in the Comstars. Now I have bought a retainer ring socket but the cut-outs in the retaing ring are quite small in depth just a smigin over 2.5 mm, My tool doesn't touch it (release it) so my question is the hand on the thread, is it a left hand thread or right hand. Inside of that ring there appears to be a seal of some description. Can that seal be removed before the retaining ring is taken off or only after?

I have the feeling that I will have to replace this ring as a matter of course, as it doesn't want to move and the "Tool" is damaging the faces of the ring. See the picture below "retaing Ring"

So persevered a bit and used a drift, shocked it loose, even thought the retaining ring tool wasn't fitting 100% got it of, the threads were all gritty see the pictures.







You can what appears to be a string of ally and it looks gritty too. Well at least it is off, so off to flea bay to get new bearings and seals.