bbirdxx2000
Expert Class
Posts: 147
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posted November 08, 2001 04:07 PM
HEADBEARINGS
I hear a lot about replacing your bearing with tappered bearings. How can you tell if you have bad bearing????????
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9.96 @ 143 stock with flies removed
  
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macnas
Expert Class
Posts: 102
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posted November 08, 2001 04:30 PM
Tank Slappers!
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entropy
Moderator
Posts: 8671
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posted November 09, 2001 01:41 AM
damn good question
With all the discussions about loose steering head bearings and increased possibility of a slapper, seems like this is an excellent question.
I sit on the bike, lock the f brake and rock the bike back n' forth with my finger on the steering head/top on the bearing area. If there is any movement it needs tightening. Or, I sling the steering head by my Harbour Freight hoist (plug-plug) get the f wheel off the ground, grab the forks and wiggle bACK N FORTH LOOKING FOR MOVEMENT (fukken capslok).
There has got to be a better way?
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fish_antlers
Administrator
The Truth is Out There
Posts: 21896
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posted November 09, 2001 07:15 AM
I agree.... my headbearings seem to be loose AGAIN... what is it with this bike and head bearings? Just too heavy a bike to be landing wheelies and doing stoppies on er what? Why so loose so often? Am I the only one who has this prob?
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hondo
Expert Class
Posts: 140
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posted November 22, 2001 06:26 PM
No!
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Candy Persimmon Red may be slower, but I'm trying!
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fish_antlers
Administrator
The Truth is Out There
Posts: 21896
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posted November 22, 2001 06:54 PM
so is there a replacement bearing kit for the 12?
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Bikelover
Novice Class
Posts: 64
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posted November 22, 2001 06:59 PM
I keep noticing people referring to replacing the head bearings with tappered bearings. Aren't the stock bearings tappered? It seems to me that they have to be.
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SPEEDCRAVER
Expert Class
Posts: 183
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posted November 23, 2001 07:17 AM
If I can get out of this hell hole early today I am going to check mine. I know that I need to tighten again! I like my whelies but this bike seems to loosen very easy. I just did a few top end runs with no issues. Next on my list is a steeting damper.
I never had to tighten the front end on either of my 9R's or my 6 R.
Alan
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I keep all of my guns loaded, to many people die from unloaded guns.
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redelk
Moderator
Please... speak to the hand.
Posts: 3212
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posted November 23, 2001 11:56 AM
Damn! I should have taken a picture!
While doing a typical "I'm bored... I think I'll tear my bike down to the engine and frame" during yesterday's changing of the tires, I decided to check my head bearings. Since I was going to move my forks back down a little, I just went ahead and took them out so I could easily repack the head bearings. When I had the forks off, I moved the bars from side to side. Uh oh! It seemed "notchy". Not too tight or too loose, but it was as if it had "clicks to it, like the suspension adjusters.
I started to imagine all kinds of disasters... wallered out races... toasted bearings... all kinds of shit. Knocking out the races wouldn't have been much of a challange, but I doubted if my dealer had any races or bearings in stock and I sure as hell wasn't going to get them on Thanksgiving Day if they did. First things first, off comes the "upper and lower fork holders" (official KMC term).
The good news is that the races were fine. Even better news is the bearings were fine too... just dirty and needed to be repacked with grease. The bazaar new... these are some "unique" bearings! They are not tapered or roller bearings. Just regular ole ball bearings... with a unique twist. The bearing ring that retains the metal balls is .... PLASTIC! That's right, plastic. The upper and lower bearings are both different in size and configuration.
After throughly cleaning them off (the were filthy and full of gritty crap), I closely inspected them for any kind of distortion, pinching or wear. There was none. Keep in mind, this is the first time I've physically checked them in over 27,000 miles (Oops!). I repacked them with Silkolene grease and reassembled it. While I was tighten it up, I noticed something else.
Great care needs to be taken in not OVER TIGHTENING the steering head nut. There's a fine line between being too loose and too tight. If you over tighten it, it can cause the bearings to bind. The part that sucks is that if I was checking it with the forks and tire on the bike, I would not have been able to tell what was too tight and binding. I don't have my service manual with me (I'm at work), but if I remember correctly, the torque specs for the steering stem nut is not that high. Not much beyond snuging it down. IMHO, that'd translate to about a half of a "umph" with that funky wrench or one solid hit with a hammer and screwdriver.
So, I'm thinking that unless there is obviously too much play or slack in the steering head, tightening the stem nut might NOT be the answer. I'd also suggest that if you thing there is a problem with the steering, it would be worth the effort to remove the forks and physically inspect the bearings and races. Judging from the amount of crap that I found, it wouldn't hurt to go ahead and repack them while your there.
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There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games.
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entropy
Moderator
Posts: 8671
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posted November 24, 2001 02:52 AM
once again Red, you do it!
RedElk: great post. I always enjoy your way with words, and I learn plenty! 
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