mpb218
Junior Member
Is there anything I can do to lube them without taking them apart? I looked at the how-to on changing them, seems rough, I would rather just maintain and possibly extend the life. Is there a way to get grease in there?
Steering head bearing service?
- Thread starter mpb218
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mglowe
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I would think that the procedure just to get to the bearings is bad enough that you might as well do it correctly. This service does look bad tough doesn't it - very few have posted doing one.
If all that you want to do is pack some new grease into/onto the bearings, then...
I would:
-- put bike on center stand
-- remove front wheel
-- remove brake calipers from their mounts, don't forget the little hose holder thingy near the horn.
-- support bike and fork (a gallon paint can fits nicely under the header, as for the fork you'll have to just get creative.)
-- remove the chrome top nut from the top of the steer tube
-- remove the lock nut and the adjusting nut (your shock preload adjusting tool is rumored to fit the nuts, but I can't sweat to that...) Do a search on this topic and you'll find a link to a tool that Grainger's sells that will fit the bearings quite nicely.
-- the fork should come out now. You'll have to un-hook the horn...
-- clean the bearings and their races.
-- grease lower bearing and re-insert fork.
-- grease upper bearing and drop it in (there may be a seal of sorts, I don't remember...don't forget it if there is one)
-- adjust tension with adjusting nut, grabbing the ends of the fork to try and rock it to feel for play. Turn the forks left and feel for play, then turn them to the right, repeat trying to rock them, feeling for play.
If you get the fork too tight and it binds as you turn the bars, back off the tension.
Don't leave the fork loose or tight. Both are bad for their own reasons.
Once you get the tension right-ish, re-assemble.
After the whole thing is all back together, you'll want to apply the front brake and rock the bike against the brake, feeling for a "clunk" in the bearing assembly. If it does clunk, it's too loose and you'll have to adjust again...
After all this, wouldn't it be nice to be popping a beer and patting yourself on the back for having gone the extra mile to put in the AllBalls bearings..?
I would:
-- put bike on center stand
-- remove front wheel
-- remove brake calipers from their mounts, don't forget the little hose holder thingy near the horn.
-- support bike and fork (a gallon paint can fits nicely under the header, as for the fork you'll have to just get creative.)
-- remove the chrome top nut from the top of the steer tube
-- remove the lock nut and the adjusting nut (your shock preload adjusting tool is rumored to fit the nuts, but I can't sweat to that...) Do a search on this topic and you'll find a link to a tool that Grainger's sells that will fit the bearings quite nicely.
-- the fork should come out now. You'll have to un-hook the horn...
-- clean the bearings and their races.
-- grease lower bearing and re-insert fork.
-- grease upper bearing and drop it in (there may be a seal of sorts, I don't remember...don't forget it if there is one)
-- adjust tension with adjusting nut, grabbing the ends of the fork to try and rock it to feel for play. Turn the forks left and feel for play, then turn them to the right, repeat trying to rock them, feeling for play.
If you get the fork too tight and it binds as you turn the bars, back off the tension.
Don't leave the fork loose or tight. Both are bad for their own reasons.
Once you get the tension right-ish, re-assemble.
After the whole thing is all back together, you'll want to apply the front brake and rock the bike against the brake, feeling for a "clunk" in the bearing assembly. If it does clunk, it's too loose and you'll have to adjust again...
After all this, wouldn't it be nice to be popping a beer and patting yourself on the back for having gone the extra mile to put in the AllBalls bearings..?
danfree
Junior Member
I haven't done mine yet either, but I am quite sure that some, if not all, the bearings on most motorcycles were not properly greased from the initial assembly. When I do decide to tackle it, I think maybe I'll replace the oil in the forks for a better feel as well. Look at it as an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. By the time you research the best fork oil and/or better bearings to use and study the service manual on HOW to do it properly, you/ we will be prepared to do it right. Maybe even send out the forks for gold valves or such. By the time I get around to the swingarm, that would be a good time to upgrade/ modify the shock. See what I mean? Don't start trying to do something half fast. But if you are going to tear into it, make it worthwhile so you won't be doing the same thing to accomplish something else later.
