Symptons of Worn Bearings

craigs23 · Mr Muscle Joined: 08 Jun 2005 Karma :

Hi all,

Trying to determine which of my bearings need replacing.

What symptons are assosiated with

Worn Front Wheel Bearings

Worn Steering Stem Bearings (any difference between top and bottom?)

Cheers.

Kickstart · The Oracle Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

Hi

Not easy to change just one of the steering head bearings (quite often you need take the one out to get the a decent angle to take the other out.

Steering head bearings often develop a notchy feel. Hold the front wheel in the air and gently turn the bars. See if you can feel uneven pressure required to turn the bars.

All the best

Keith
____________________
Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

craigs23 · Mr Muscle Joined: 08 Jun 2005 Karma :

Pressure left/right is fine, with no notchiness or restriction - the problem seems to be when riding/pushing the bike around.

When stationary, if I pull on the front brake and gentle rock (not pump) the bike (so that the suspension doesn't move), there's a light tapping through the clippons. Last time I recall, there was a slight tap when riding over bumps (especially rutted/bumpy roads, although not constantly), or when wheeling the bike around over low kerbs and what not. The front suspension is set relatively hard atm to illeviate the lack of damping, could be emphasising the problem.

sickpup · Old Timer Joined: 21 Apr 2004 Karma :

Could be worn out fork bushs or stanchions.

I've also seen this with cracked/loose clip ons, cracked yokes, loose/damaged calipers and loose fitting brake pads.

finpos · World Chat Champion Joined: 13 Sep 2005 Karma :

Also, don't discount the big old nut that holds the steering stem having come loose. Should be locked somehow, but if someones been at the steering bearings before, it's always a possibility (and very cheap to fix - my favourite).

finpos.

craigs23 · Mr Muscle Joined: 08 Jun 2005 Karma :

Okay, to start ticking things off the list:

finpos · World Chat Champion Joined: 13 Sep 2005 Karma :

Woo! - if the bearings were only changed recently, then DEFINITELY check the big nut again. There's two possibilities:

1. I don't know how the nut is locked on your bike, but if it wasn't done right, two or three waggles of the handlebars may be enough to start to loosen it.
2. Both doing up the nut and dropping the weight of the bike onto the front wheel for the first time may have had the effect of seating the bearings. So again, that nut might no longer be as tight as you think.

Should be easy enough to check without any dismantling, though.

finpos

craigs23 · Mr Muscle Joined: 08 Jun 2005 Karma :

The bearings weren't replaced, just greased/tightened. There's no two ways of adjusting them or tightening down the nut. The bearings were tightened according to the manual spec; the lock nut ends were folded back into position, the yoke was clamped down in place, the steering stem nut was then tightened to the torque setting from the Haynes manual.

stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

craigs23 · Mr Muscle Joined: 08 Jun 2005 Karma :

Thanks peeps, I'll try retightening the head races again over the weekend Thumbs Up

craigs23 · Mr Muscle Joined: 08 Jun 2005 Karma :

Re-checked the headraces - still seem to be making the noise, despite the new callipers (which possibly emilinates that source).

Fork Bushes maybe? The noise doesn't seem to be coming from the headstock - slightly lower down Confused