Originally Posted by twist (Post 355580)

I realized I haven't seen any posts on steering head bearing adjustment which begs the question, are the steering head bearings adjustable? I ask because I've noticed the slightest feeling of movement when I use the front brakes. I don't detect any movement when I attempt to move the forks laterally. Am I being paranoid?

Originally Posted by smokinjoe73 (Post 355584)

Turns out just a couple measly times where you chop the thottle and sorta come down from a wheelie a bit hard are enough to jolt them into that tiny bit of freeplay.

Originally Posted by chiknhauk (Post 355588)

...no math needed

Originally Posted by twist (Post 355580)

are the steering head bearings adjustable? Am I being paranoid?

Originally Posted by smokinjoe73 (Post 355593)

So Eric, your supposition is that properly adjusted steering bearings will simply never come out of adjustment?

Sounds like something someone under 210lbs who rides on smooth roads, not in the rain or though northeastern winters would say (or think).

Originally Posted by E.Marquez (Post 355609)

No my opinion and experiences are if adjusted correctly, doing what you describe can not make them '"come out of adjustment".

Once the bearings are seated, and properly adjusted..

Unless you're wearing the bearing surfaces, stretching the steering stem, deforming the frame, deforming the bearings or the lock nuts are moving.,, there is nothing else to allow a re adjustment needed.

Short or wrecking the bike, tons of hours and wearing the bearing surfaces, or some extreme stunta deal... If tapered steering head bearings need periodic adjustment during the normal service life.. something else is going on...Thats not normal. If your talking adjustment needed every 10 years,, well, maybe.

Or at least it is not normal for any of my 6 current bikes or the dozens of others I work on, maintain, modify each year.

Roads in the state I live in today are anything but smooth, and I've lived in 6 other states previously, same there. I do not weight 210, but some of my riders do.... I lived in Oregon, you know the Pacific North Wet.... Yes I know what rain is and yes, rode year round there as well as I do here in TX.... And no.... Im not guessing, I'm simply relating my experiences and opinion.. Yours may vary...but I'll say, if you find YOU need to readjust your tapered steering head bearings often.. might want to figure out what your doing wrong :nana:

Originally Posted by Tweety (Post 355610)

Middle of the road here... I find that no matter how well I seat and adjust them on initial installation... About a month or two later of use, I need to tighten them down a little... But after that, I never ever had to touch mine again... Kind of like a "wear in" period... Could be what smokinjoe meant...

Originally Posted by smokinjoe73 (Post 355619)

For me in my experience, almost every older used bike has a lot of stuff out of adjustment. And head bearings on many (most) street bikes are out of adjustment.

Almost all the bikes friends want me to look at for them to buy have rattly head bearings.

They are mechanical parts that need to be adjusted, which predisposes them to be......................out of adjustment. (shock)

If they didnt, then this one spot on this one machine is the only situation where adjustable bearings somehow never degrade or tweak out, but then why would the wizards at all the oems have adjustment procedures?

I guess all thos millions they spent on all that R&D, and engineers are all way off.

Ron Popiel had it right.....set it and forget it.

So guys, DONT touch those head bearings. They dont need it. Even if you have headshake or rattle.

Originally Posted by twist (Post 355623)

this is what I needed to know. The bike has 22550 on it, I am second owner, the first owner was timid and barely used the bike because it was too much bike for him. Myself, I'm not into wheelies and other sqidly activities. Is it "normal" to feel a tiny little "bump" in the steering head when braking moderately? More like a little tick, or maybe it's what Joe describes as, "rattle" but I've ridden bikes with rattly head bearings and this isn't the same.

Originally Posted by smokinjoe73 (Post 355624)

Twist, as stated above, you need to lift the front end of the bike (not with a front end stand). You can jack under it with a 2x4 or hang it from rafters with tie downs.

Then grab the front wheel and push/pull forward and back to check for freeplay.

Originally Posted by 8541Hawk (Post 355629)

The Bay Area will make short work the stock ball bearing set up....... So, no you shouldn't feel a bump and swap in a set of tapered bearing when you can and the bike will be much happier.

Originally Posted by smokinjoe73 (Post 355619)

So guys, DONT touch those head bearings. They dont need it. Even if you have headshake or rattle.

Originally Posted by twist (Post 355633)

Hawk, many of the bay roads have been resurfaced but there are still hazards that take their toll. The coast road to Stinson beach is a dream just now, but North of there is hit and miss.

Originally Posted by smokinjoe73 (Post 355637)

Yes for sure all races and bearings need replacing since ball and tapered rollers are vastly different.

IMHO it is not worth paying for the work (or busting you own knuckles) to just put balls back in there. It is under engineered to me. The balls indent the races and cause stiction. New balls will do the same.

Tapered rollers are the same as are on the wheels of my van, so very robust. Go with those or really just adjust yours, they may have more life in em.

Originally Posted by smokinjoe73 (Post 355637)

Yes for sure all races and bearings need replacing since ball and tapered rollers are vastly different.

IMHO it is not worth paying for the work (or busting you own knuckles) to just put balls back in there. It is under engineered to me. The balls indent the races and cause stiction. New balls will do the same.

Tapered rollers are the same as are on the wheels of my van, so very robust. Go with those or really just adjust yours, they may have more life in em.