Tapered roller steering head bearings?

So how do you know when your new t apered roller steering head bearings
are done up tight enough (but not too tight)?

I've just replaced them in the Spada, but the original Spada ones were
ball bearings but the currently supplied parts from Honda are tapered
rollers (as used in VFRs and VTR1000s, apparently), so I'm not sure that
the specs in the manual apply to the new bearings. (also, the specs in
the manual don't actually make much sense to me, they claim "Steering
bearing pre-load: 1.1 - 1.6kg" - how am I supposed to measure _that?_)

So, does anyone have any vaguely credible "rules of thumb" for torquing
down the steering head bearings that are applicable to tapered roller
type bearings? Or does anyone have a VFR or VTR service manual that they
could look up the steering head bearing torquing instructions from for
me?

Thanks,

big

 

Same as ball bearing ones.

tighten them until they just start to feel a bit 'tight' then back off a
bee's dick.

Moike

 

Doesn't sound very scientific, but it seems to work!

-----sharks

 

VTR come with ball bearings but everybody replaces them with roller
Use lots of grease

 

OK, sounds like something to try at least

big

 

With the bike on the center stand on flat ground, and the
front wheel in the air, you should be able to balance the
bars easily in the center, and a small nudge should make
them fall gently to either side. If they don't move, too
tight. If they won't sit in the center, or they hit the
stops with a clank, too loose.

Or at least, that's always worked for me. The usual
disclaimer about programmers and screwdrivers applies.

-----sharks

 

Get one of those spring balance weight scale ,with the front wheel off
the ground tighten the bearings until you can pull the steering around
with the spring balance and you get a reading between 1.1 and 1.6 kgs.

 

The scientific way is to back it off an eighth of a turn, I believe.

 

I saw a bloke a couple of years ago who was trying to ride a big chookie
with steering bearings nearly that tight.

About every ten metres he would lurch one way or the other as the
steering head caught or gave way to his hauling on the 'bars. It was
kinda scary. I stopped and talked with him, told him it was the head
bearings, but neither of us had tools for it. He'd just picked it up
from a workshop, and if he could get the MF to turn around he was going
to take it back again.

Moike

 

Try
http://www.sportbikesforum.com/manuals/90-96HondaVFR750F-Manual.pdf
http://www.themotorhead.com/downloads/HondaVFR750F(90-96)_English.pdf
http://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=41567

 

I've installed them on both The Jackal and Minx's bike. I found that
on both machines they needed re-torquing after about 50km, once they'd
bedded in (or something).

My rule of thumb is this: If they click when you brake, they're too
loose. Tighten them by about a quarter turn and try again, repeating
as necessary until they don't click any more. They're pretty easy to
overtighten.


BTH

 

That makes sense as 1/8 turn would be 0.1 mm or .004".

I remember that the manual for my Morris 8 that said to snug up the valve
adjustment and back it off a quarter turn. A quarter turn being exactly the
..008" required. If you know what thread you have it makes for an easier
adjustment than feeler gauges.

Theo

 

You're kidding. Even my bicycle came with tapered rollers in the head.

Theo

 

I overdid the head bearings just a little when residing in Sydney in 1982.
The effect it had was a slight constant weave at 60km/h. Backed it off a
smidge and it was fine.

Theo

 

Mine (all of 'em) came with ball bearings top and bottom.

GB

 

.... headed out of town one day and couldn't turn around to go
back to Sydney.

GB

 

Why would you want to?

Theo