Anything further on this? I am going to be doing this job soon and would love to learn more.
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Steering head bearings
- Thread starter jsandidge
- Start date
I think he was Blowing Smoke. He never got back with the "Technical Details"... Anyway, Mikerophone, if you need any help with anything specific let me know. Or if you would like to barrow my tools let me know, I'll send them to you if you promise to send them back.
Thanks storm 64!
I just may take you up on that. I ordered my all balls kit from Z1 yesterday, should be here later this week.
Tackling this tonight and tomorrow - I would have started this last week but I ended up taking a trip to California, and I meant to start it this morning but I picked up and 82 750T last night that took my whole day cleaning up. 
I am hoping to be able to just use the tools I have on hand and maybe a grinder at work for the steering stem bearing if needed. I plan to use the dremel trick to get the races out, perhaps with a little propane and a pry bar as well. Wish I had ordered the wheel bearings you suggested storm64, it is like changing my shorts without changing my socks, but I will need a new front tire soon enough anyway...
I am hoping to be able to just use the tools I have on hand and maybe a grinder at work for the steering stem bearing if needed. I plan to use the dremel trick to get the races out, perhaps with a little propane and a pry bar as well. Wish I had ordered the wheel bearings you suggested storm64, it is like changing my shorts without changing my socks, but I will need a new front tire soon enough anyway...
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I don't think he was blowing all that much smoke - his point about these bearing being designed for a rotating environment is valid. They were never designed for this application, else they would likely last longer, with differing design to take the peculiar loads we put on them.
If they're correctly torqued and loads spread relatively evenly at all times, I can see them lasting longer, but they wont' last forever, as the shock loadings they get are sometimes quite enormous. Which is why I always buy SKF, Timken, etc, instead of no-name cheap crap - or even over-blown repackaged cheap-ish ones that are presented as being "moto-cycle" application.
For years, I've found that decent, name-brand bearings are only a few bucks more than the cheap crap. It's not worthwhile cheaping out on bearings.
If they're correctly torqued and loads spread relatively evenly at all times, I can see them lasting longer, but they wont' last forever, as the shock loadings they get are sometimes quite enormous. Which is why I always buy SKF, Timken, etc, instead of no-name cheap crap - or even over-blown repackaged cheap-ish ones that are presented as being "moto-cycle" application.
For years, I've found that decent, name-brand bearings are only a few bucks more than the cheap crap. It's not worthwhile cheaping out on bearings.
I went with the all balls bearings from Z1, they were the same price as on the all balls site.
Question though - here's where I'm at, at the special notched steering bolt nut:
I don't have the special tool shown here:
It does state that it's counterclockwise to remove, I am soaking it and have given it a tap or 2 with a small angle pry bar and it hasn't budged yet. I don't want to use heat since the dust seal is rubber. I suppose I could take a big socket to work in the morning and grind out two small finger notches or maybe four but my guess is I wouldn't get the spacing exact, anyone have a tip or trick for me here?
Edit: I got it - a good soak of 50/50 ATF and acetone, a little heat on the stem itself carefully, and only from the top, another soaking, another heating followed by another soaking and then 4 taps in a circle around the nut and its loose!
Question though - here's where I'm at, at the special notched steering bolt nut:
I don't have the special tool shown here:
It does state that it's counterclockwise to remove, I am soaking it and have given it a tap or 2 with a small angle pry bar and it hasn't budged yet. I don't want to use heat since the dust seal is rubber. I suppose I could take a big socket to work in the morning and grind out two small finger notches or maybe four but my guess is I wouldn't get the spacing exact, anyone have a tip or trick for me here?
Edit: I got it - a good soak of 50/50 ATF and acetone, a little heat on the stem itself carefully, and only from the top, another soaking, another heating followed by another soaking and then 4 taps in a circle around the nut and its loose!
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