Advice please - steering head bearing

MrMastodon · Post by **MrMastodon** » Thu Jun 12, 2008 5:33 pm

Yes - thats what I thought too. Took a big bearing home to rest the front on!

Needn't have bothdered though. Rung up the MOT place and was pleasant but honest and told them I couldn't feel any notchyness - can he tell me how it is tested.

He said the front wheel is raised off the ground, one hand on the front tyre, the other on the throttle - then rotate around.

We went and tried exactly this and guess what - no notchyness!

I'm gonna pop round the MOT place saturday morning and they can show me how it's done and hopefully I'll feel the notchyness! Even more hopefully, they'll say it must have been a mistake and it's fine!

Post by **sirch345** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 5:16 pm

Glad too hear you're getting somewhere at last

I hope all goes well on Saturday

I like the big bearing idea, good one

Chris.

MrMastodon · Post by **MrMastodon** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 12:22 pm

UPDATE!

Went along this morning and asked them to show me. The chap came out and the knack is to move the 'bars VERY slowly - then I could feel a very slight tendency to pull to the centre. Moving the bars only slightly faster covered it up. I'm sure a lot of places wouldn't have picked up on this, but it shows they're very thorough!

So - faith is restored and I've learnt something! Hope this is useful to others too!

Bought some new EBC HH pads while I was there - are they any good?

Post by **sirch345** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 8:13 pm

Oh well at least you now know

Glad too hear it's now sorted (or will be with new bearings) and interesting too hear exactly how they checked them

As you say probably some mot places wouldn't have even noticed that

Chris.

MrMastodon · Post by **MrMastodon** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 12:20 am

UPDATE 2!!

Went to deonstrate the 'notch' to my mate but couldn't really feel it again! I think I might have, but not sure. Mate couldn't.

Went along to the MOT testing station in the village and told him honestly what happened and asked him if he'd have a quick look.

"How f*cking picky do they want to be??" he advised. I said if they needed doing I'm happy to have them done, but was unsure if they needed replacement yet.

He assured me they were fine. Needless to say - it has an MOT now..!

Another thing - fitted the HH pads in the front - fantastic!

Post by **sirch345** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 6:46 pm

Glad too hear you've got it all sorted now

Chris.

firestorm 69 · Post by **firestorm 69** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 8:19 pm

I had same problem in May.
I had checked out the previous years mot details online ( when previous owner mot'd) this showed an advisory note on "slightly notchy head bearings"

I completely forgot about this before going for new mot as I never noticed anything when riding. :roll:

However the tester failed it on the head bearings & showed me how & where the problem was, to be honest there felt next to f*&k all there
(i used to be an mot tester for 5 years) but i guessed that as it had been picked up twice there was something in it.
The steering did seem to be easier after changing,but matbe I was imagining it !

chris300hills · Post by **chris300hills** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 1:45 pm

Last week, when my bike was MOT'd, tester noted as an advisory "Slight notchiness in head bearing" but obviously didn't think it was bad enough to fail. He also demonstrated it by balancing bike on the sidestand and I could just detect what he meant but it was quite faint.

My bike has done 26k miles so I may think about replacing the bearings soon. Has anyone else attempted this - it looks quite involved from the Haynes manual? Any tips?

Dazjm · Post by **Dazjm** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 2:26 pm

Its pretty straight forward, from a novice point of view.

You need to support the bike, so no weight is on the front tho.

Ive seen people recommend tapered head bearings btw.

Beast · Post by **Beast** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 6:01 pm

I've used 2 different types of tapered bearings now and results have not been brilliant.

They last well for about 4-6 months then when i go over a large bump i get that knocking noise...
Yet when i try and tighten them up, the steering goes too stiff so i have to slacken off.

Just purchased Honda originals to fit shortly.

Post by **sirch345** » Sat Jul 05, 2008 4:05 pm

Beast wrote:I've used 2 different types of tapered bearings now and results have not been brilliant.

They last well for about 4-6 months then when i go over a large bump i get that knocking noise...
Yet when i try and tighten them up, the steering goes too stiff so i have to slacken off.

Not wishing to sound as if I doubt your skills in fitting new taper roller head bearings, but something to me just doesn't sound right, if they need re-adjusting after 4-6mths if you go over a large bump

I would have a good study of the taper roller bearings and how each one is sitting on assembly, also making sure each part is up against their stops etc when fitted, even make sure each bearing is paired up with the correct tapered outer ring. There's no way they should need adjusting so quickly IMHO

Chris.

Chris.

Pete.L · Post by **Pete.L** » Sun Jul 06, 2008 5:36 pm

Also, here's a quick thought before you all run out and change your bearings. Sometimes the notcheness is just dirt build up and old grease. One thing you can do is to take the bearings out and give them a good clean, regrease them and put them back in. Also if you put the bearings back in 180 degrees around from where they were when they came out you effectively remove the notched bit , if there was any wear and it wasn't dirty old grease, from the range of where the testers check.
I've never had to replace any bearings using this technique and I've put some really high mileages on most of my bikes.
Might save you a few pennies

Pete.l

chris300hills · Post by **chris300hills** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 9:34 pm

Good advice as always.

Pete, like your suggestion re cleaning the bearings and then re-fitting them turned 180 degrees. Might give that a try.

Chris

VTR1000.ORG

Advice please - steering head bearing

steering head bearings