Alas, my poor 'Storm failed it's MOT on worn steering head bearings
But - got home and thought I'd feel just how bad they are. Pulled bike up pivoting on side stand to get front wheel off the ground. No notchiness at all. Got a mate to tug the front end (!) and no play at all.
So - whats the score? Honestly no notchiness at all. At the moment it feels like I'm being ripped off!
Is there anything else to check for? Got till Friday week when the MOT runs out, so got time to sort it, but would appreciate any thoughts from you lot!
Dazjm wrote:Dont spose you saw what they did to check it?
Tried to keep an eye on it, but it took them a while, but I think they just done what anyone else would do - give it a bit of a wiggle. The fail certificate says it has excessive notchiness. I'm 100% certain I can't feel any notchiness at all - not one tiny hint.
Could there be a reason for notchiness coming and going?
genisis wrote:why not pop round to your local friendly garage have a chat with one of the mechanics and ask if they could check them quick?
Yeah - will do in the morning. Just brooding over it and wondered if there was anything I wasn't checking for! Then I went and check the fail notice and saw it specifies notchiness - there truley isn't any at all.
I'll be interested in what pans out with your problem
Mine passed its MOT in Dec (Brrrrr!!!) but since since then have picked up a subtle knock from the top yoke area when braking at slow speed - which I've guessed is ?headbearings? but like you there's no other discernible looseness when inspected jacked up. *scratches head*
I think you'll find they normally wear first at the point where the front wheel is most of the time (in a straight line). With the front wheel off the ground as you have it, see if when the bars are where they would be for a straight line move back to that position when moved very slightly to the left or right I would have said that's what they noticed imo
sirch345 wrote:I think you'll find they normally wear first at the point where the front wheel is most of the time (in a straight line). With the front wheel off the ground as you have it, see if when the bars are where they would be for a straight line move back to that position when moved very slightly to the left or right I would have said that's what they noticed imo
Chris.
The knock/clonk you chaps can hear will certainly be loose s/head bearing, in my experience.
Sirch - yeah, that notch is what I was looking for. Lifted front end up (bike on side stand, lean over tank, grab frame near headstock and pull/lift - the front lift quite easily).
Mate (and then wife!) pulled and tried everything to find some play but couldn't. I very gently turned bars over all their movement but especially on straight ahead to find some notchyness, but it felt lovely.
Could it be because the bike was tilted backwards a bit, it hid the problem?
MrMastodon wrote:
Sirch - yeah, that notch is what I was looking for. Lifted front end up (bike on side stand, lean over tank, grab frame near headstock and pull/lift - the front lift quite easily).
Mate (and then wife!) pulled and tried everything to find some play but couldn't. I very gently turned bars over all their movement but especially on straight ahead to find some notchyness, but it felt lovely.
Could it be because the bike was tilted backwards a bit, it hid the problem?
That is strange
Why don't you go back and ask them to show you how they detected the problem. (It does make one wonder if they are trying to pull a fast one though) Either that (time involved I know) or just replace them anyway. If they are original and have done 20 odd thousand miles they'll be getting to the end of their life by now anyway. If you do replace them I'd definitely recommend tapered roller bearings
I can't see the bike being tilted backwards making any difference IMO, if it did that would mean there is some play in them
Chris.
Last edited by sirch345 on Thu Jun 12, 2008 10:20 am, edited 1 time in total.
Sounds like nitpicking to me! My head was a bit "knocky" a few months after I bought the bike. So I opened up the top squeezed some grease in there and gave it a tighten. Its been fine for over a year now.
Its a service issue not an MOT failure surely? Grease it up, reset the tension and if your happy there is no notchy feeling then take it back to the tester. If he insists that its no better get him to show you what the hell he's talking about. (You could always tell him that you put new bearings in to call his bluff).
"military intelligence, two words combined that can't make sense"
I've just remembered, don't the mot guys have a round steel plate on the workshop floor that the place the front wheel over when checking the steering It's only a 3mm or so mild steel disc, so perhaps you could replicate something similar at home, it may be with the weight of the bike on the bearings that the notchyness shows up which it doesn't with the front wheel off the ground
The bike has just nudged 15K miles - which I guess is in the ball park for new bearings. They don't get too much harsh treatment though - not too many intentional wheelies!
Thats good to know about the disc thing - I'll get a penyy or something and give it a try.
If it needs doing I'm very happy to pay to have it done, but genuinly confused cos it feels perfect.
I'll let you know how the penny thing goes after lunch.
The bike has just nudged 15K miles - which I guess is in the ball park for new bearings. They don't get too much harsh treatment though - not too many intentional wheelies!
Thats good to know about the disc thing - I'll get a penyy or something and give it a try.
If it needs doing I'm very happy to pay to have it done, but genuinly confused cos it feels perfect.
I'll let you know how the penny thing goes after lunch.
I think I may have confused things a little, I should have said the disc is around 3mm thick but the size of a plate, I'm only guessing but may be 9 or 10" in diameter. It bascially needs to be big enough for the tyre to sit on it without touching the floor. They may even have their disc sitting on another piece of metal. All the disc does is reduces the friction by allowing the tyre to turn the disc with it, as you turn the steering from left to right or vice-versa
My theory is that may be the notchyness only shows up with the weight of the rider and bike weighing down on the steering head bearings, but is not enough to be noticeable when the front is off the ground
I would have said that's what they noticed imo 
It's only a 3mm or so mild steel disc, so perhaps you could replicate something similar at home, it may be with the weight of the bike on the bearings that the notchyness shows up 
