Steering head bearing question

[LAWMAN]

My '07 300 needs to have the steering head bearings replaced. I can't get the bottom 1 to come off the steerer tube. is this thing pressed on or something? or do I just pry it off with a screwdriver or something?

Thanks!

 

[gasgasman]

It's pressed on.
You can apply some heat to the bearing and it will slide off.

 

[LAWMAN]

Thanks, GGMan! & to put on the new 1, it's the same I presume, a little heat to get it on?

 

[skid jackson]

throw the race in the freezer to shrink it a bit. Heat the steering stem to expand it a bit. slap a little anti seize on the steering stem. pop the new race in. Some times the old race can be used to bang the new one in place. I really don't know if heating the steering stem where the race goes in expands it that much ... but its good for psychological reasons!!!

 

[blitz11]

Don't cool the bearing to do on the stem. You'll make the ID SMALLER, and harder to get on the stem. That's going the wrong way.

If anything, throw the bottom triple clamp/stem in the freezer. You'll shrink the ID of the stem, and the bearing will go on much easier.

 

[motogroove]

Exhaustive discussion here:

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.motorcycles.dirt/browse_frm/thread/7a1b24f458295565/fa780efea33b7afa?lnk=gst&q=steering+bearing#fa780efea33b7afa

The method I finally used requires a press that opens tall enough for your pieces. It is quite civilized and I didn't curse once.

On Feb 22, 8:36 am, Dean H <dfhy...@optonline.net> wrote:


> Removing the lower bearing from the steering stem seems problematic.
> I'm guessing there's a special tool. I'm also guessing there's another
> way. So far, all my ideas seem a little brutal.


These guys are all nuts.

It's super-easy, you just need a hydraulic press - I have a 6 ton
press that I got from Harbor Freight for ~$100 15 years ago. Set the
lower triple clamp (stem facing up) on a socket that is bigger than
the bottom of the stem. Press the stem out of the clamp and the old
bearing falls off. Press the stem back into the clamp - I use a piece
of 1" black pipe that is 8-10" or so long as a spacer. The stem drops
through the clamp into the pipe, then you press the stem in from the
bottom of the clamp - pipe supports the reinforced area on the clamp
around the stem. Flip over and place the bottom of the stem onto the
socket - but turn the socket oyer this time (closed-end up) so the
stem is supported, and press on the bearing using the same piece of
pipe to push the bearing - it goes on easy, so don't squish it.


Takes about 3 minutes to change a bearing, provided you have Black
Sabbath playing in the background. 4 minutes if you don't.


JayC

Don't get the 6 ton press referenced by Jay. It doesn't open wide enough. He fails to mention that he had to modify it to accept the height of the stem. I never mind buying a tool, but I have a problem that way.

 

[eff]

Don't cool the bearing to do on the stem. You'll make the ID SMALLER, and harder to get on the stem. That's going the wrong way.

If anything, throw the bottom triple clamp/stem in the freezer. You'll shrink the ID of the stem, and the bearing will go on much easier.

I'm not sure I understand that. You want the outer race smaller so it fit in the steering head easier. Freezing the race will do that.

 

[motogroove]

I'm not sure I understand that. You want the outer race smaller so it fit in the steering head easier. Freezing the race will do that.

Blitz is talking about the inner race on the stem, lower bearing.

You are talking about the outer race that goes in the frame.

You are both correct.

 

[blitz11]

The poster is talking about the bearing on the STEERING STEM, not the bearing race which goes into the frame.

You want to cool the stem (reducing it's OD), not heat the stem (which would increase the OD). You don't want to heat the bearing as you'll get the grease to outflow.

 

[gasgasman]

Skid was adding to the discussion.
If the steering stem bearing is being replaced, surely the race will be replaced also.
A "heads up" kinda thing.

 

[skid jackson]

oops my bad ...
actually I f'ed up ...
for some reason I though he was talking about getting the race out of the head stock on the frame.

funny thing was I almost posted what blitz posted after me ...
thats the way I do it!!

oh well all the advice is correct just came in a little out of order!!

 

[LAWMAN]

it's OK, I knew what was meant: freeze the stem, heat the bearing. or is it starve a cold, feed a fever? Thanks for all the help, now I will order the parts.

 

[bchatt]

Haha! that's one of the things I love about this forum. You learn that there are a thousand ways to stuff up even the simplest of tasks...ways that you would never even DREAM of

 

[PEB]

Die grinder the little fer most of the way then smack it with a hammer. Should split and fall off. Use heat/cold for install.

 

[eff]

Blitz is talking about the inner race on the stem, lower bearing.

You are talking about the outer race that goes in the frame.

You are both correct.

Got it! Now it makes sense

 

[LAWMAN]

Well, I have an update & a new question.

Update: I ran out of time & tools to do this myself, so I put it back together & took it to my friendly local GG dealer & he finished it up.

Here is my question: When I was taking the front end apart to get to the bearings, I came across a nut on the top of the steering stem that looked like 1 of the preload adjusters on top of a shock. it was not very tight, & I suspect that this may have been the culprit all along. I've never seen anything like this before (1st GG)--how tight is it supposed to be?

thanks!

 

[cascade_crawler]

thats the preload nut. You want it tight enough to remove all slop in the steering stem, but not tight to the point of hindering steering. The manual even goes on to describe that when on the stand, if you turn the bars slightly they should continue on their own to the stop.

Just like a wheel bearing on the truck or trailer, you want zero lash or preload, just right in the middle.

 

[LAWMAN]

Ah, thanks, I bet that's what it was--I'll make a note to check it on a regular basis.