Ok, so I am in the process of replacing my stem bearings while Jamie has my forks, and I ran into a bit of a delima because I dont have a steering stem socket to tighten down the nut properly. It's off and ready to go back on but I dont have the socket to torque it.

How have some of you over come this? Is there another good method? I just tapped it off with a brass drift but I want to make sure the bearing preload is right.

 

That's exactly what I did. I believe the shop manual has pre-tension setting that you can use to test for pre-load of the bearings. It is definitely not as precise as a full sized socket and torque wrench, but if I remember right, you get a pull scale (such as a fishing scale) and pull on one of the forks or triple trees, reading the load that it takes to move them. Then you adjust the torque of the bolt to get this reading to match the one specified in the manual.

At least that's what I remember.

 

Socket of suitable size + angle grinder & welder = New tool...

I used one large on the bottom with the 1/2" side cut open and a smaller on top, to make up for the protruding stem...

 

Yeah, I was thinking of making one but I figure as long as its done right the first time I won't need the socket again.

So I guess I'll try to do it with a brass drift and just measure preload with a spring gauge and hope it works if not I will make one.

 

Actually the spanner is in the tool kit. Its in this pic as the sickle shaped tool.

Honda NEW Tool KIT CB350 CB360 350 360 CB350G CB360G 1972 1974 CL350 CL360 | eBay

Check that, its this one. But the shock spanner works fine.