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.

[macmac]

BD what torque value did you use? if you used one....

The bloomin book has gotta be wrong with a stated 46 INCH POUNDS!

When I do mine I may not bother with a wrench, and do it the old way, : preload the bearing and back off, feel, snug, feel, back off if need be and then feel again till I want to lock it.

I bet that would be around 20 to 25 ft lbs.

[blowndodge]

thats how I did it mac. 43 inch lb has to be wrong. I kept tightening it until it wouldn't fall to either side on its own weight unless you gently tapped the handlebars. I'm guessing 20-25 is probably the ball park....

[macmac]

46, not 43, but what diff does that make the book is wrong...

[MAS Tequila]

46lbs to seat the bearing then back it down to 14 lbs. For the 1500 anyway.

http://www.gadgetjq.com/steering_stem_adjust.htm

MT

[Kawhead]

That bothered me too. I believe I can over tighten 46 inch pounds with me fingers. I didn't use a torque wrench. I tighten it with a firm twist until I felt comfortable with it and filled her with grease.

[VulcanE]

Back in July I had developed a vibration, and found the problem to be a severely cupped rear tire (That's when I went over to the DarkSide). It took care of the vibration, but in corners it still felt a little "rubbery", and I could tell it was coming from the front end, 'cause I could feel it in the bars. In June I had replaced the stem bearings/races and seals, seated the races, and torqued to the specs (46 in lbs) so that couldn't be the problem, right? ::) I got to thinking, and 46 in lbs couldn't be enough force to draw everything together, especially if you had the bike off the ground. So, since the 1600s and 1500s use the same bearing/races, I checked their specs and found them to be 25 ft lbs. I re-torqued the stem to 25 ft lbs, and you could tap the grip, and the bar would settle to the stop with a light bump, and like you said Brad, when adjusted correctly, that is how it's supposed to do. But when I first done the stem, it did that too. I figure it's because of the new grease and bearings. Now 3000+ miles later, all the rubbery feeling, and vibrations are gone, even the ones I thought were normal for a V-Twin. BTW, when I first done the stem, I installed a grease zerk in the neck.

[blowndodge]

Makes a huge difference doesn't it? My Nomad rides like it did the day I rode it home; "Stately" I'm of the belief that 90% of all "front end handling" problems may arise from the steering stem bearing adjustment. It now feels like I have a hydraulic steering dampener!

[macmac]

Kaw-Head (aka itsemt), To pack taper roller bearings you gotta get yer hands dirty. Greasey really.
Thars all sorts of gizmos and I have tried a few, still own a few, but I don't know why.

The 2 I saved are: A cone clamp the a grease gun fits and does a ok job, and a cake decorators rig that will feed a bearing still installed if you can see it. This also take a gun.
The second one lokes like a tube flattened first and then formed in a mild curve, likea mild gouge for wood working, but hollow.

The right way to hand pack a bearing like these is to take a gob of grease in one hand and scrape the wide taper across that hand full of grease, turn the bearing a little and do it again, each time the grease comes guushing up between each pair of rollers.

The zerks on a trailer dust cap are simply useless. Filling the hub, or next with grease is as useless, but a thin film isn't a bad idea.

Some more grease on the race isn't a bad idea either. To get it done right, somebody has gotta get greasey...

[VulcanE]

Yeah Mac, packing taper roller bearings is a dirty job, but someone's gotta do it. ;)

[Kawhead]

Yeah, I've greased few bearings from time to time. I kinda like the cone greaser. Are you talking 'bout the thing with the two cone disk on a threaded rod with a grease fitting on the end? It takes more time to use it than pushing it in with the palm of your hand, but you can see the new grease push out any remaining grease while you pump new grease through it.

On my last wrecked 'O6 I had a grease fitting on the neck and the swing arm as well. I'll do the same to my 'O7 because when I looked in those tubes they were full of corrosion. I don't know if the corrosion is from condensation, rain or mouse p1ss but I fill it with grease to make me sleep better

[macmac]

Yeah the fkyin' saucer rig you got it. Don't work too good... The neck wants a thin film of grease, and not to be packed as full as possible. That just traps water... Sleep tight...

[Kawhead]

If they wun't no such thang as deers and jeeps we might find out which 'un goes out first, wouldn't we ??? Oh and low life thieves to. ::) Gotta go to bed. :)

[macmac]

Someday I amma' gonna' get a new keyboard with ledders on the keys..

[cactusjack]

I did my steering stem bearings today. It isn't a difficult procedure, but it is time consuming and it is a 2-man job (thanks, Toophun!).

My bearings looked good and had plenty of grease in them, I did tighten the steering stem nut a bit to make the steering a little firmer. Going on a ride tomorrow, I'll let you know how it goes.