Steering stem bearings

[blowndodge]

After putting this off as long as possible I decided to "tackle" this project. Like changing the rear tire to a car tire, I hope not to repeat this again!

I always thought my steering stem bearing nut was loose but wasn't convinced. Several times after parking my bike with the wheel pointed to the right, my bike's handlebars mysteriously would have gravity turn the bars to the full left position by itself! Other times I'd get on my bike with the bars fully turned left and when I'd straightened them out to take off the front felt "rubbery" like the front tire was out of air. I have a brand new Avon cobra at 40lbs so I know it wasn't the tire!

I jacked up the bike to see how easy the bars turned by themselves. They would flop to either side and bounce 3 times against the stops! The head didn't wiggle like really loose or bad bearings but a bike this big and heavy I want the steering to be firm and fluid.

I've always wondered why the freeway rain grooves seem to bug my Nomad a little more this last year and I blamed all of it on my truck tire. Even though it's now fully broken in with 6K on it and I'm running 28lbs once in a while some rain grooves caused a little "nervousness" in the steering. Nothing alarming but just on rare occasion.

To make a long story (mac long! ) short lets just say that my entire front end got a dumping of grease and the head nut and steering stem bearing nut were pathetically loose and re-adjusted!

Now with my bike on the lift I can turn the handlebars half-way either right or left and let go and it won't fall to the side. Just a soft tap on the end moves it easily. I know some think this is too tight but every bike I've ever owned for 35 years has had the steering adjusted to this level of tightness and it's worked wonderfully. The steering stem bearing nut took almost 1/2 turn. Those that have done theirs knows how loose this must have been!

I Plan on taking a 200 miler this weekend to check the results. I don't plan on having to do this again ever. Tons of fresh grease and new rubber seals and snug steering.

If you having "vague" steering and notice you Nomad is moving more on the highway that it did when it was brand new, I'd check the above and if more than 3 years old do what I did and be done with it! I can already tell the low speed turning is super solid feeling.