Head/Neck bearing change.

This question is for all those who changed there neck bearings to the new tapered bearing. Before I changed the bearings my steering was very easy swinging side to side, I did have a shake between 40-MPH which is why I changed them but since the new bearings have been in there my steering in allot more stiff than it use to be.

The locking nut is tightened just a little past finger tight so I do not have allot of pressure on them. When I installed the new bearings I put both bottom and top in then used the locking nut to pull them together then backed off. Has anyone experienced the same with the stiff steering with the new bearings.

82 XJ750 seca

 

Short answer is NO .. there is NO functional difference between the OEM ball bearings and the Tapered types. I suspect an install error or you have the nut/preload Wayyy too tight.

 

If you got the bearings from Chacal, TheHound spoke to the manufacturer who said to torque their bearings to between 15 and 25 ft-lbs
http://www.xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic ... rt=15.html
apparently you can "adjust" your steering between this range.

I think the main functional different between the tapered and ball bearings is that you can tighten the tapered bearings more before damaging them, where ball bearings will detent.

 

By using the nut to compress both bearings I would think that they would go in straight. I can take the 2 large nuts and loosen them allot and the steering is still a little stiff. The bearings are put in as per directions, with the ball bearings the fork just dropped when I released it from the nuts, I took off the 2 nuts with the new bearings and the fork never moved in fact I think I would have to take a hammer to it to get it to drop. The new bearings were very tight going around the fork shaft. Boy I would hate to take this all apart again but I don't think I could live with it the way it is. because of the stiff steering the bike drifts.

 

And yes I did get them from Len. Keep in mind I am no way blaming Len for this at all, I just want to make that clear. I just don't know why it happened, If most or all of you guys done the bearings and had no stiffness in the steering then it has to be something I had done I just don't know what.

 

could switching the top and bottom races cause this? Did you keep close track of that? There are numbers on the races that link the cage to the race on the instructions Len gives...just a thought

 

I put them in the freezer as instructed and took 1 out at a time to grease and install, did bottom first then the top so I would not get them mixed up. Should the fork slide in and out of the bearings without to much trouble? somehow the bearings seem to be out of line somehow while installing this would account for the stiff action of the steering. I would have thought by using the nut for compression it would go straight but maybe not. Either way I think I will have to take it back apart. Before I do I need to know from others how hard is it to seat the new bearings top and bottom because these were very hard to seat. allo of pressure was put on the large nut to get them seated. What I mean is do the races/bearings slide on easy to the bottom or do you need a hammer and pipe to drive them in.

 

Sitting here back tracking what I had done I have another question. Should I have tighten up the crown nut until it stopped. I just eyed the bearings and they looked seated. Maybe I never did seat them and that's my problem. I remember while turning the nut it was hard to turn and was afraid of stripping the threads on the fork. It feels like the bottom bearing is hanging. Should I take off the handle bar and tighten up the nut until it stops. I really feel dumb about this been riding on and off for 50 years but I had my business and always had the shop do my work, Now I am retired and need to learn to do the work myself.

 

The bottom cage should be tight on the stem, the top and bottom races should be tight in the neck, and these three must be installed (driven with hammer and drift, or suitably machined pipe) before the stem is inserted into the neck. The top cage should be loose and is tightened down by the dust cover and nut when tightening. No installation forces (i.e force needed to seat bearing races or cages) should be transmitted through the bearing rollers themselves.

I'm pretty sure, or at least I know that when I loosened my steering lock nuts and remove them, that if the stem (with the weight of the forks attached) don't slide out, a slight tap and the slide right off (and the bike tips over and off the jack stand holding it up from the front). Check the numbers on the races and roller cages when you slid ther stem out (if you can see the backs of the races), and match them to the instructions Chacal gives as a double check.

 

Hmm.... In MY misspent life I was always told to Carefully preload tapereds as it was a critical setup . One has to tighten until their nut stops easily turning then add a quarter turn OR a feeler gauge clearance under the tightening nut.
Methinks you've got it Back Asswards.
Balls are more tolerant of preload than tapered roller bearings.
DO Not torque them down or they WILL feel too stiff to rotate properly and will incur damage.
But Hey! check with a bearing Manufacturer... just to be sure .. Either way

 

OK guys Thank you for your time. I am going to pull this apart tomorrow and I will let you know the outcome.

Thanks again.

 

OK had only time on my hands so I got to it. Here is what I found. The top bearing was in fine no problems, Came out looks good. Dropped the fork almost out to check the bottom bearing, I could not even turn it. I popped it up about 1/8" or 3/16 and was able to turn the bearing. The bearing was on the bottom of the fork so why did it get tight so it will not turn. Now I can re grease and put it back together and the fork will be smooth but my concern with riding the bike with bumps the bearing will go back to the bottom and get tight again. It's almost like it needs a 1/8" washer. Not sure where to go from here.

 

Bottom seal installed?

 

^^^ What he said. lol.

 

Yes bottom seal in. cannot understand why it bottoms out and freezes up.

 

I Len, When I first took the fork apart the bearing was on the bottom of the fork shaft but I could not move the bearing in the race. moved the bearing/race up 1/8" and the bearing moved OK.

 

pictures?

 

Put it back together. I tapped the bearing down to where it was just snug and turns easy. tighten up the crown nut just past finger tight, took it out for a spin and all was OK so far, If the bearing compresses again and gets tight down the road I will take a pic and post it.

 

ok well just throwing it out there...you did remove the old race from the stem right? The one from the old ball bearings?

 

Yes I did.