Steering head bearing woe

I am fitting new steering head bearings to the 550/4. The lower shell
has gone in fine but the top one just will not shift and still stands
about 2mm proud of the headstock. I don't want to hammer it more than
I have (using the old shell to cover it) but it has to be put in its
place.

Is there a magic puller type affair that will let me draw it into
place?

 

If you can get the shell out easily, put it in the deep freeze for
about 20-30 minutes. Wrap rags around the headstock and pour boiling
water over them: soak them properly. Then whip out the shell. The cold
contracts the shell, and the heat expands the headstock, and then
it'll go in *much* easier. I do this every time I fit new head races.

Actually, I only fit them myself to smaller bikes these days. It's an
arse-ache of a job and it's something I'm happy to pay my dealer to
do, especially on things like the BMW, or bikes without a centre stand
(which have to be hung from a ceiling beam).

 

Take it to a garage before you break it, you numpty.

 

now now.

I use a threaded rod with inserts to pull cycle bearings into place. In my
case, it's a 1/2" whitworth rod.

For motorcycle ones, something a bit more meaty like 20mm might work better.

The essence of it is having things to fit the bearing shells which make sure
they pull parallel to the headstock and don't twist.

 

A magic amount of heat on the headstock will usually give just enough
"looseness" to allow the bearing to get shoved in up to the spuds with
little more help than that provided by a lump of wood.


--
Beav

VN 750
Zed 1000
OMF# 19

 

What you need sitting in the garage is an ABBA stand and a big bag of sand
(or cement in my case).

The ABBA lifts the bike at the swingarm pivot and a hefty weight on the
pillion seat allows me to rock every bike I've used it on far enough to
easily remove the front wheel.

A bloody Godsend those stands.


--
Beav

VN 750
Zed 1000
OMF# 19

 

I shall be replacing mine in the next few days; there's something wierd
about bike steering that self-centres. No main stand either - I'll have to
dig out the car axle stands again.

 

"Up to the spuds"

LOL

 

I tend to favour using an appropriately-sized socket for such things, rather
than odd washers.

 

If I want both ends stripped, what I do is get the bike on the lift, then
ABBA it up, slip a strap over the back and attach the other end to the
chassis of the lift. A couple of pumps on the lever and both wheels are off
the lift and I can remove the "under the back wheel plate" to make for a
piss easy re-fit.

I *do* like that stand of yours though.

--
Beav

VN 750
Zed 1000
OMF# 19

 

Never less than


--
Beav

VN 750
Zed 1000
OMF# 19

 

Thanks. I bought it from a firm in Norwich about 10 years ago, just
after I got my Firestorm. I'd seen a ZX7R with no wheels sitting on one
for about three weeks in Tinklers of Norwich, so I searched out who
made them and bought mine direct. I think it cost me 90 quid with
fittings to suit the Firestorm, and since then I've made or adapted
fittings to suit a variety of bikes. Next project is to develop a
universal cone fitting so I can use it on any bike without the need for
specific fittings to be turned up.

 

that works, mostly. I could easy enough knock up inserts if anyone wanted
them, but the snag is that you need one for every type of bearing if you
want 'em to really fit, or at least every size bearing. Luckily, the cycle
ones are mostly only 2 sizes, although there are funny oversize ones for
oversize alu frames now.

 

I am. They are quite different sizes and the lower one was a sloppy
fit in the top of the headstock.

 

Getting the front wheel out is no worry - I have a paddock stand for
that. It slots into the bottom of the fork legs. But to do the head
races, you have to remove the forks....

 

a little while ago I acquired one of those front paddock stands that
slots into the hole under the bottom yoke, that's been quite useful on
bikes I can't use my Bjorn Again stand on.

 

The message <EYktk.121148$2>

So do I.

Currently rummaging for some suitable tubing innit.

Incidentally, I've got a little oxy/turbogas welding set. WTF is
Turbogas? (Goes to 3,600° C)

 

Sounds like a fucking excellent idea and also like a job for.... WUNderman.

It's given me something to think about too, as the ABBA adapters aren't
cheap enough to buy a set for all the different bikes. A cone system (or a
stepped adapter) sounds just the ticket.

--
Beav

VN 750
Zed 1000
OMF# 19

 

I've got one of those "under headstock" paddocky type stands but it's a
ball-ache to use in comparison to an ABBA or the one Loz has, plus it's
"right there" under your nose when you're working on the wheel/
calliper/mudguard/whatever. It's no use for headstock work though for the
obvious reason.

I love my lift and stand combo though, coz I can work at exactly the right
height (sat on a swivel stool) for comfort and that's important for a
spazzer like me.




--
Beav

VN 750
Zed 1000
OMF# 19

 

And what's wrong with a beer crate and/or a couple of breeze blocks
under the engine? Always worked for me.

--
_______
..'_/_|_\_'. Ace (b.rogers at ifrance.com)
\`\ | /`/
`\\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2, IBB#10
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