Steering Head Disassembly

[Kiwi_Roy]

Ok, I have been noticing a little stickiness in the steering so I thought I would pull it apart and inspect the bearings.

Once I figured out there were a couple of screws clamping the clip-ons to the top triple clamp it came off easy however

I am unable to drop the bottom clamp down, it seems to be jambed in the top tapered roller.

I took the weight off the front wheel and rapped it pretty hard on top of the retaining nut with a hammer but no joy.

Is it normally hard to slide the assembly apart.

 

 

Rusty eh!

 

What's the procedure?

 

Thanks in advance

 

Roy

[gavo]

Try a block of wood on top of the head stem then hit with hammer so as not to damage thread or nylon faced mallet.

Maybe apply heat gun (hot air type) to top bearing, I assume your going to replace the bearings?/ Mine were hard to get apart and pretty dry as well but not rusted

[luhbo]

...

What's the procedure?

...

 

As Gavo said already: brute force in your case. Normally it should slip out rather easy. Be careful in order not to deform or widen the tube. It must always go through the upper and later on through the lower bearing.

To get off the lower bearing normally is the real task. Sorry in advance for not having a good hint for that. I usually flex those down.

 

Hubert

[Baldini]

A good soaking in penetrating oil wouldn't do any harm.

[Kiwi_Roy]

Thanks Guys.

I screwed the chrome cap back on and gave it several heavy whacks with a plastic mallet

I will soak it in penetrating oil and have another go tonight, perhaps use a brass drift so

I can bash it with a steel persuader.

 

Are both the upper and lower bearings the same part No?

The upper looks like a pretty stock tapered roller.

[luhbo]

Yes, the same and pretty stock.

[gstallons]

After years of experience (of f'ing things up) I have found to screw the nut back onto the steering stem til it is flush with the stem. Then put the socket you loosened the nut with back on the nut. You should have clearance between the socket and triple tree. After you see the clearance is adequate then hit the socket to drive the stem down and break loose... You can remove the nut and use a brass drift to drive it out the rest of the way out......

When you go back together use liberal amounts of wheel bearing grease in the cavity and bearings.

[Kiwi_Roy]

The bearing on top is a FAG 30205A

I called the local bearing supplier, he said yes, that's a standard metric

taper roller, they have the Timken equivalent $19.40 each.

 

I'll pick up a couple on the way home

Then the fun will start

 

Thanks Everyone

Roy

[GuzziMoto]

Did you get the stem out of the Bearing?

I remove the fork tubes from the lower clamp. Their weight can cause issues trying to slide the stem out of the steering head.

Then use one of the various "block of wood and a hammer" tricks.

[Kiwi_Roy]

No, I havent tried again, will give it a tap tonight to see if the penetrating oil worked.

 

The bearing supplier was too hard to get to without wheels, they couriered them over

a few hours after I called. I hope the other bearings on the bike are so easy to get.

 

No excuse now.

 

I agree, dropping the forks will make it easier.

 

Thanks Guys

 

Roy

[Kiwi_Roy]

After soaking all day with CRC the stem came out easily with a few good whacks on top of the cap.

 

I thought the top bearing was bad until I saw the bottom one

I pulled the rubber seal out first so it didn't get too chewed up and found a small cold chisel had just the right taper

to pry the old bearing off. The outer shells popped out quite easily with the aid of a punch.

 

I wrecked the cage getting the bearing off, the rollers hadn't seen grease in quite a while.

 

Tapped the new outer races in with a plastic hammer then used the holding nut to wind the new bearings back on.

 

I couldn't find a torque setting for the bearing nut so I tightened it up to about 20 lb as I would a car wheel bearing.

 

All told it took me about 8 hours, with the right tools it would have gone much quicker.

 

Cost $60 including a courier for the bearings, money well spent.

[LowRyter]

I am guessing that steering head bearings are weak spot on the early models.

 

my bike handles great and steers smooth but when I was screwing around with it installing the tankbag and pulling the bars back and forth, it feels really notchy pushing it around the garage.

[grossohc]

Just in the middle of changing mine, the old ones were a tad rusty but there was a lump of grease halfway up the stem.

[Velf 2003]

I am guessing that steering head bearings are weak spot on the early models.

 

my bike handles great and steers smooth but when I was screwing around with it installing the tankbag and pulling the bars back and forth, it feels really notchy pushing it around the garage.

 

No, not the bearings are the problem. The (lack of) greasing is!!

 

Everyone should inspect their steering head bearing and grease them ass much as possible.

 

The full volume of the steeringhead assembly should be full of grease.

 

I know I did, and no water, rain or high pressure washing, did any harm to mine ( for the last 06.000 kms, taht is...)

 

Winter is comming, a nice one to do if you bored...

 

Good luck

 

Velf2003

[LowRyter]

I think mine are too late. It's pretty notchy.

 

If you go to the trouble of taking it apart, why not replace them with hi quality roller bearings?