Steering Head bolt torque

Another of my many areas of confusion...

A few days ago I replaced the steering bearings with rollers and the instructions said to re-torque 100 miles after. It looks like the torque settings in the manuals do not reflect the proper torque with rollers, only when replaced with ball bearings.

So what is the proper torque to apply at this time to the 22mm bolt that is locked by an allen bolt & is at the top of the steering head once I assure the spanner nuts below it are properly tightened?

Thanks!

 

The adjustment procedure for tapered rollers is NOT the same as for ball bearings. You need to preload the bearings then back off, then tighten the nut hand tight only, checking for binding. It then needs to be adjusted to give very slight drag, no tight spots or binding, and a full range of motion. These tapered roller bearings typically require torque values between 15 ft-lbs (loose) and 25 ft-lbs (tight). In this way you are using the spanner nut as a damper for the steering.

Re-assemble everything else into proper position and specifications. And plan on doing a re-torque after a hundred miles of riding.

 

I just replaced the OEM steering head ball bearings in my 1981 XJ650H with new tapered roller bearings. Let me tell you; the lower OEM ball bearing race was badly spalled. Anyhow, I purchased the tapered bearings from a company called "All Balls". I spoke with their technical department regarding the procedure for applying the proper torque to the tapered roller bearing. The man whom I spoke with at All Balls recommended that I torque the bearing nut 25 to 30 ft lbs and leave it there. He said that there is no reason to back the nut off any as this is not a high speed application and by backing it off the steering might be too loose and lead to poor handling. He also told me that there is no reason to go back and re-torque the bearing nut at a later date either. I would highly recommend All Balls. Their replacement bearings went on flawlessly. Also, their technical person got back to me, was very courteous and spoke perfect English. My biggest challenge was not having a pair of hook spanner wrenches. I ended up making a pair of them from 3/16" steel flat stock that I had sitting around. Sometimes it's good to have been a machinist.

 

Hold-on.
You dont need anything Special.

The Roller Bearings get Tightened and Swiveled back and forth under an overtightened load to make sure that the Seats are in right.

Then you looses the load and tighten the First Head Bearing Fastener with your fingers ... Until you put a load on the Bearings ... and THEN, ... back it off from being tight.

The idea is to remove ANY End-play. That's it.
Then, you just HOLD the Bottom Bearing Locker in position with a set of Needle Nosed Pliers and Tighten the 2nd Bearing Locker with a couple of Taps of a Drift Tool to Lock them.

Done.
If it needs a Tweak after a Break-in.
Go ahead.
Chances are you won't need it.

 

I am not even going to comment on your choice of tools to hold and tighten the adjuster ring. I'll stick with my hook spanners.
I agree on your recommendation about rocking the lower steering yoke from side to side to get everything to seat properly but I totally disagree with your tightening procedure. You say you're going to tighten that nut with your fingers to preload those bearings? How tight can you make it with your fingers? Your sense of finger tight will no doubt be different than the next guy. Then you're going to back the nut off from being finger tight. Back it off how much? Then you add that this removes any end play. You just backed the nut off and you think you have removed any end play. Please explain this concept. I posted the torque procedure that All Balls technical support provided me with and you have to dispute it. Why? There is a reason why the torque wrench was invented and that is to eliminate guessing and human error in torquing fasteners. Improperly torqued fasteners and bearings result in equipment failures. Sometimes with catastrophic results.

 

Read the Book.

The BOOK says: "You can do it by feel!!!"

Read the BOOK. Don't pontificate in ignorance.

Look at what it says IN THE BOOK. P. 153 Sect. 13 "By Feel"

I haven't had to put-up with the likes of you in awhile.
It's refreshing.

Now, tighten the Bottom Nut until the Free play is gone and lock it up.

Put some grease on the handle of the Torque Wrench and shelter it from the rays of the Sun.

Torque you.

 

Which book Rick...the Haynes? Because Haynes talks about the ball bearings the bikes came with...which (I assume) would be different torque-wise from the roller bearings. Even Chacal said so 8) . Ball bearings, when over torqued, would easily detent - tapered roller bearings are loaded differently.

Rick...if I remember correctly...you usually give the advice that these ball bearings can be had for cheap...by the cupped hand full...and that that is how you fix YOUR steering head bearings. KA1J said "roller" bearings...which I assume means NOT ball bearings.

 

Ball Bearings.
Roller Bearings.
I don't know anyone who Torques Headset Bearings.

Remove the End Play.
Cut the Horse Play.

I give advice that ALL Bearings can be had at appreciable savings.
Weather they are 1/4" Ball Bearings
Roller Bearings
Sealed Bearings
Whatever, ....

 

What book? Mien Kampf? The Cat In The Hat? The Communist Manifesto? The King James Bible? What book??? If "The Book" happens to be the offical Yamaha shop manual, very few of us would have a copy of that save for experts like you. I own a Haynes manual for Yamaha XJ650 & 750 Fours. Chapter 4, Page 153, paragraph 12 states the "official" method of adjustment is to tighten the slotted adjuster nut to 18 ft-lbs then back it off 1/4 turn. However; this is for the OEM ball bearings and would not apply to tapered roller bearings which are not OEM and therefore fall outside scope of your "Book" whatever it is.
Pontificate in ignorance? You should look in the mirror then repeat that accusation. You haven't had to put-up with the likes of me in awhile?
Your problem is haven't had someone who knows something correct your ignorance in a long time. This will be my last response to your insulting replies. If you continue to attack my future advice I will report you.

 

I have haynes book and its in there, tighten down and back off 1/4 turn, its in there starts at page 164 item 17. I just did mine last month

 

Here also try page 151-152, thats the final adjustment, sorry my bad

 

bunglejyme, I nearly swallowed a paregoric.
The secret is to tighten down the head bearings real tight, then slacken off & set up as Mr CoMatic. Wiz.

 

i tighten them down tight then back off till the wheel just quits flopping to the side under it's own weight
i do check them after a ride though, i guess at 30 ft/lbs that wouldn't
be necessary though

 

I recently changed mine out to roller bearings and as RickCoMatic says did it by feel..then test ride and re tightened the bottom nut until no free play...passed M.O.T that we have here and they are very strict :wink:

 

Just to be sure.
Only to be absolutely positive, ...
I took a ride over to the Dealership and asked.

I had it right.
No Torque Wrench needed.
Period.

But we learned a valuable lesson.
Don't shop where the staff works on commission!

 

AH-HAHAHAHA - Here some of us are arguing about steering head adjustment...and KA1J was asking about the Steering stem pinch bold and Crown bolt. And the answer there is...it doesn't matter what kind of bearing you use, those bolts are torqued the same: 22mm crown bolt - 39 ft-lbs, and pinch bolt - 14 ft-lbs. They don't load the bearings.

And I guess people can use what ever adjusting procedure they want. I haven't personally called the manufacturer, but there are members who supposedly have. I saw this thread when doing mine: http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=1 ... rt=15.html and I choose to go by what TheHound said the bearing manufacturer recommends.

hehe...my torque wrench is a beam type (greasy handle just makes it messy) and I used a spring scale anyway to measure the torque :lol:

 

For new bearings, my experience (and I am NO grand master here folks) is to seat the bearings (ball or otherwise) with no more than about 15 lbs (wrist factor here), back it off and then BY HAND, take out any play while both swinging and rocking the head/forks to achieve a "zero" play condition where the head turns lock to lock smoothly without binding or drag. Then I set the castellated nuts (using what ever tools provided handy, up to and including channel-lock pliers) and let her go. If the bearings are old, not as much preload is needed (ie almost none). I've not had an issue with anything yet.
Then just follow along with setting the torque on the 22mm like ManBot13 said.
I use this method as it is how my old VW (water cooled) rear wheel bearings were to be installed/adjusted.
Rick, by the "book" I assume you are referring to the factory manual as that is the only book I would say has anything definitive in it. The Haynes has been a solid investment for me for the many years I was without the factory manual, and I only bought the latter out of a sense of curiosity. While you make a good argument, our compatriot bunglejyme is right to ask the question. We do need to be clear about what we are referring to and why.
I am glad that someone took the time to research their problem and share the information they received with us. And while I cannot say I'm 100% in agreement (with the engineer at All Balls), at least we are getting feedback on what works for folks. Reading your repartee with each other leaves me feeling saddened as you both seem to have missed the important point here (and the opportunity it presented as well). Tsk tsk. Let's get back to the focus here, fixin' them XJ's!