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In today's video I'll be showing you how to replace motorcycle steering head bearings. These are the bearings that sit under your triple clamps and on your steering stem and connect your steering head to the steering tube in the frame of your motorcycle.
Over time and after thousands of miles or kilometers steering stem bearings can get worn and/or rusty and this will negatively impact your handling, if the bearings have deteriorated enough they can become a safety hazard.
I'll be showing you how to replace these bearings without the use of special tools. I'm doing it because where I live special tools needed for this job can't be rented. They can only be special ordered and their total cost can only be justified by professionals.
Before you decide to try and replace the steering head bearings make sure to verify that they are indeed faulty. Elevate your motorcycle and make sure it's stable. Steer your motorcycle slowly and gently. If your steering head bearings need replacing you will notice a particular spot where the steering head sort of „catches“ or snags a bit. This is the are where the bearing has worn grooves and the balls inside the bearing want to stay in this grooves.
In order to access the bearings we will need to remove the front forks. First we are going to unbolt and remove the front calipers and move them aside so they're not in the way. Next we're disconnecting the speedometer cable. After that we're going to unbolt the handlebar. Before you actually do this it's a good idea to make markings on the handlebar towers and the bar itself so that you can return the handlebar to the same position. Once this is done we are going to unbolt the forks from the triple clamps. Access to the lower triple clamp bolts is often poor if your motorcycle has fairings and rounding out these bolts can be very bad news. So it's often best to be safe and remove the fairings so that you can get proper access to the bolts and use a more suitable tool.
Since the forks are out you can use this opportunity in case you want to install something like rubber shock covers / fork covers. After that we can remove the large triple clamp nut on the upper clamp. Once the nut is off you can remove the top clamp. Underneath you will find the preload adjusting nut. If you don't have the special wrench you easily remove this using a hammer and screwdriver. Once the adjusting nut is off you can remove the dust seal and the top bearing, and pull out the lower triple clamp together with the steering stem.
We'll be replacing the bearings with tapered roller bearings. Rollers are what can be found on most modern bikes and they are usually a better and more durable choice because the larger surface area of the rollers is better at absorbing and distributing loads.
First we will remove the old bearing seats from the steering tube on the frame. Slowly and evenly knock them out from the opposite end using a long rod or similar tool.
Once the old seat is out, clean the area and install a new seat by slowly hammering it in using a socket that is just slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the new bearing seat. Repeat the same procedure on the lower bearing race.
Next we need to remove the bearing from the steering stem. This is often the trickiest part of the procedure when you don't have the special tools. Start with a sharp chisel and slowly hammer it into the gap between the triple clamp and the bearing. This should lift up the bearing slightly and allow you to deform it. In some cases you will be able to knock the bearing away and be done but sometimes this isn't possible and you will have to resort to an angle grinder to cut the bearing. Obviously be careful not to damage the steering stem.
Now we can install the new bearing. First install the new dust shield and make sure it's properly centered. Then install the bearing by gently hammering it down using a screwdriver to contact the inner race of the bearing. Never hammer the outer race in anyway, this will damage the bearing and you will have to get a new one.
Once the bearing is installed we can install install the lower clamp and stem from below. The upper bearing goes next. Don't forget to use the provided grease to grease the bearing. Once the bearing is in finish things off with the upper dust shield and adjusting nut. Final adjustments to the preload are best made once you first test ride the bike. At this stage just hand tighten the nut to the point where turning moving the lower triple clamp doesn't immediately loosen the nut.
Test to see how everything feels. The steering should move freely with the slightest of input. If it feels too tight, loosen then preload nut.
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