afpreppie04
The Thread Killer
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2007
- Messages
- 747
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- Location
- Rio Rancho, New Mexico
All balls that is
I actually bought the steering head bearings about a month and a half ago but just got around to installing them tonight. It was a slow night at work (I work as a tech at a Ford dealer) so I had plenty of tools to get the job done. That being said I had never changed steering head bearings before. Although we actually have a motorcycle lift at work we have never actually had someone bring a bike in. The install went pretty easily, got the stem out and my buddy got the old bearings and races off the stem and put the new ones on while I took the races out of the frame and installed the new ones. A 36mm socket works perfect for tapping the top race back in; I didn't have a big enough socket for the bottom one but there was a race from a Focus lying around that fit.
As for the feel afterward, it will take some getting used to. I appreciate that there is no more clunking when going over bumps. The part that will take getting used to is how it now turns more easily. Before I had to put some effort to turn, now that is not the case. It is not a bad thing, I just forgot how steering was supposed to feel. Took it out for a nice night ride after getting off work and overall it feels much better now:thumbup: Just in time for my road trip over the long weekend!
Here is what my old bearings looked like, they had about 15.5k miles on them and they were not babied. Not wheelie-wise, but I ride rain or shine.
I actually bought the steering head bearings about a month and a half ago but just got around to installing them tonight. It was a slow night at work (I work as a tech at a Ford dealer) so I had plenty of tools to get the job done. That being said I had never changed steering head bearings before. Although we actually have a motorcycle lift at work we have never actually had someone bring a bike in. The install went pretty easily, got the stem out and my buddy got the old bearings and races off the stem and put the new ones on while I took the races out of the frame and installed the new ones. A 36mm socket works perfect for tapping the top race back in; I didn't have a big enough socket for the bottom one but there was a race from a Focus lying around that fit.As for the feel afterward, it will take some getting used to. I appreciate that there is no more clunking when going over bumps. The part that will take getting used to is how it now turns more easily. Before I had to put some effort to turn, now that is not the case. It is not a bad thing, I just forgot how steering was supposed to feel.
Took it out for a nice night ride after getting off work and overall it feels much better now:thumbup: Just in time for my road trip over the long weekend!Here is what my old bearings looked like, they had about 15.5k miles on them and they were not babied. Not wheelie-wise, but I ride rain or shine.
