gstallons Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 Because that is why taper roller bearings are in the steering head. You can adjust all of the clearance out of them. There is no removal of clearance in a roller bearing. You get into axial load on a roller bearing and it will wear out quicker than you want. It is just stupidity that caused no or not enough grease applied to these bearings to cause the wear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi_Roy Posted November 12, 2012 Author Share Posted November 12, 2012 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? Most cars use tapered roller wheel bearings and they last forever when well greased, regular rollers are not designed to take end trust. The bearings on my 01 are FAG 30205A I used the Timken equivalent Pick up a couple before you pull it apart to save time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luhbo Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 Most cars use tapered roller wheel bearings and they last forever when well greased, regular rollers are not designed to take end trust.. You're comparing apples to oranges. While tappered roller bearings may last rather long when used for what they were designed, they won't last very long when used in steering heads. It's not a matter of greasing them or not. The difference is the 'rolling'. Besides that I've lately seen an opened BMW 1000 RR steering head - they use a ball bearing for the upper one. On a V11 this should work as well. Hubert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi_Roy Posted November 14, 2012 Author Share Posted November 14, 2012 Most cars use tapered roller wheel bearings and they last forever when well greased, regular rollers are not designed to take end trust.. You're comparing apples to oranges. While tappered roller bearings may last rather long when used for what they were designed, they won't last very long when used in steering heads. It's not a matter of greasing them or not. The difference is the 'rolling'. Besides that I've lately seen an opened BMW 1000 RR steering head - they use a ball bearing for the upper one. On a V11 this should work as well. Hubert I agree a head bearing is not the same as a wheel bearing but they take many times the weight at similar angles when cornering etc. I was trying to point out that a regular roller bearing is not designed to take end thruat, the inner part will just slide right through. I'm sure the ball race in the BMW works great as did some of my old Brit bikes and bicycles but is it a standard off the shelf item that would be stocked by any bearing supplier? I was under the impression that changing to tapered rollers is an upgrade, I expect my new bearing to last at least 5 years, if I have to replace it again that's ok. The limited range of motion would apply to any bearing installed. The failure of the bearing on my bike was a matter of lack of grease and water. I can relate back to electric motors, they might use balls for a straight drive like coupled to a gearbox but once you get into a belt drive or any serious side thrust it's either roller bearing (straight not tapered) at the drive end or babbit bearings for really large low speed motors. I might be crotchety but still not too old to learn. Cheers Roy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gstallons Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 Roy, your thoughts are correct. A roller bearing is made to handle radial loads only. They do not handle axial loads very well or for very long. A taper roller bearing will handle all loads with very little wear . A taper roller bearing is made to be adjusted for clearance or preload. A roller bearing is "as is" . They (along with any other bearings) will not survive w/o any grease . This appears to be the caes w/the Guzzi steering head. FWIW, GM products until ca. 1960s had adjustable roller bearings in the front wheel hubs. They were a JOKE . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LowRyter Posted November 15, 2012 Share Posted November 15, 2012 geees guys, I was just speaking generically .....just upgrade to better bearings like I have on my other bikes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossi46 Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 Hi guys I've managed to strip the front end down this morning, how do I remove the races, I think that's there name, from the frame and how do I fit the new ones? Also do I need a tool or press to fit the lower bearing? assuming I can get the old one off!! thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewgnu Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 Hi guys I've managed to strip the front end down this morning, how do I remove the races, I think that's there name, from the frame and how do I fit the new ones? Also do I need a tool or press to fit the lower bearing? assuming I can get the old one off!! thanks Blimey! You dived (dove?) into that one! I'll admit that swapping out head races always gave me the fear- even with push-irons. You may benefit from using a bearing extractor. Or you might be able to punch them out with a drift and lumpy hammer. Last option is to chew them out with a sharp chisel- but even thinking about this gives me the willies. Fitting new 'uns: Maybe chill them a bit and tap them in with a matching socket? Don't know if you could take it to someone who has a press... Watching a new bearing get pressed in is ace- effortless! Certainly beats beating the beat out of it with hand tools... I'm sure more knowledgeable folks will chime in with more helpful wisdom! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi_Roy Posted January 6, 2015 Author Share Posted January 6, 2015 Stewgnu is right as far as fitting by chilling or perhaps you could wind them in with a length of ready rod, I don't remember it being dificult If I remember correctly I just tapped the outer race out with a bar from the back-side. The tricky one is removing the lower inner race, I drove a cold chisel in between the bearing and the lower triple clamp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meinolf Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 Hi, I haven't dissassembled my triple clamp yet, but I found on other bikes that laying a weldseam into the race also made them come out easily. The weldseam typically doesn't have to go all the way round. If you should use this approach, then take the precaution to disconnect the ECU and battery beforehand. Cheers Meinolf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gstallons Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 Yes....here it is called welding a 'stringer' bead inside the circumference of the cup and allowing it to cool. It will usually fall out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossi46 Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 thanks guys all back together, kiwi_roy mentions torquing the bearing nut, is this the upper most one, number 13? http://www.stein-dinse.biz//eliste/index.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi_Roy Posted January 11, 2015 Author Share Posted January 11, 2015 BTW, I just pulled the wheels apart on my 72 Eldorado Tapered rollers, look like new, if they were balls like later Guzzis I'm sure it would have gone through several sets by now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossi46 Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 thanks for all your input, was a big job for me, haven't ridden her but all back together! soaked bearings with ACf-50 and had no problems removing, I used some cycling tools to remove the cups and refit the new ones(lower one was the worst) having a celebratory Italian cider, cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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