The oil seal on the front fork is leaking oil. This problem is not an every day event. In this situation, when the fork seals are replaced, there is an opportunity! This is the time to grease up the stem bearings, which greatly affect the operation of the steering bracket, or trident. In this case, we replaced the stem bearings, but simple greasing can also be done in this way.
- Left and right steering stoppers must be checked.
- Remove the ring nut with the hook wrench
- It wasn't a combination of single balls.
- Found slight dings in the steel ball.!!
- We'll knock out the replacement bearing.
- Prepare a new bearing for replacement
- Start hammering work after cleaning well.
- Grease up the gap between the ball and retainer
Left and right steering stoppers must be checked.
When practicing maintenance around the front fork and steering bracket, check the condition of the left and right steering stoppers, specifically, are there any bends or damage to the stopper protrusions? Are there any strong dents or bites in the frame on the receiving side? Let's check both the left and right steering wheel turning angles. Keep in mind that damage to the steering stopper (handlebar stopper) can be a factor in determining whether or not the vehicle has experienced a major fall in the past. This is especially important to check when buying a used bike. If the front forks have been removed, the top bridge can be easily removed by simply removing the top nut. Make a note of how to route the electrical harness before removing the top bridge.
Remove the ring nut with the hook wrench
Using a thin hook wrench, remove the ring nut that holds the stem shaft in place. After loosening the nut, remove the ring nut while holding the steering stem (under bracket) to prevent it from falling. Once the nut is removed, the top cover and inner race can be pulled out to check the condition of the bearing. If there is no grease moisture at all and it is shiny, it can be full of discomfort. ......
It wasn't a combination of single balls.
Honda RVF400 has aluminum frame and the stem bearing is integrated by retainer, so the steel ball does not fall down. Since the front fork was disassembled this time, the owner asked us to replace the stem bearing as well. According to the owner, there is no history of falling, but he said he sometimes feels a slight snag. ......
Found slight dings in the steel ball.!!
I pulled out the stem (under bracket) and wiped the outer race of the bearing that is hammered into the frame side with a clean rag, then sprayed it with parts cleaner and wiped it with a rag. Then I could find the shade before the dents on the upper side and the slight steel ball dents on the lower side (the dents would appear on the steering point when driving straight). The condition was as judged by the machine owner.
We'll knock out the replacement bearing.
The outer race of the stem bearing hammered into the aluminum frame can be pulled out with a square section steel bar or handlebar size pipe. The easiest tool to use for this kind of work is UNIT's Bearing Remover (P2510), which was originally developed for tapping out wheel hub bearings.
Prepare a new bearing for replacement
Upper and lower stem bearings are new parts. The upper and lower dust seals are also new parts to prevent rainwater from getting into the bearings. The older models have the dust seals on the upper side as well.
Start hammering work after cleaning well.
When hammering in the bearing outer, do not rush the work. First, wash and wipe the dirt on the frame side thoroughly, and then apply oil to the frame side and bearing outer side before proceeding. By making the parts slippery, it is possible to drive smoothly. Oil spray is very useful in this case. Using a socket wrench that is slightly smaller in diameter than the bearing outer size, the bearing outer was driven in horizontally. When you are done, use parts cleaner and a clean rag to clean the bearing outer and surrounding area.
Grease up the gap between the ball and retainer
After installing the bearing outers on the frame side steering head pipe, grease up the ball races. Also, apply grease to the gaps between the steel balls and the retainers that hold the balls. In this case, we replaced the upper and lower stem bearings with new parts, but even a simple grease up will have a great effect on the smoothness of steering operation and driving stability. When disassembling the steering system, be sure to check the condition of the stem bearings and clean and grease them.
- Point 1・Why can't we do maintenance contents that are rarely practiced at the time of some maintenance as "incidental"? Let's consider it in advance.
- Point 2 - By floating the front wheel and making it completely free, you can clearly judge the steering condition. If you are concerned about it, replace it with a new bearing!
- Point 3・ When beating out or hammering in the bearing, keep the parallelism of the outer race and work without bias.
Once you start to get interested in bike maintenance, the depth of the work is just endless!!?You can keep your car in good condition by just practicing common maintenance and care, not just poking around in the corner. "It is important to take good care of your car once in a while, not just driving and driving. It is said that the first step in maintenance is to wash the car, and this is definitely true. It's always a good idea to perform maintenance on your brakes after riding in the rain or on dirt roads. Many of today's models are equipped with disc brakes, both on- and off-road, and with disc brakes with exposed rotors and calipers, it is easy for gravel and dirt to accumulate around the calipers after riding in the rain. As a result of this dirt buildup, the condition of the brake components can degrade without even realizing it.
Specifically, just scrubbing the dirt around the brake caliper pads with a long bristle brush and rinsing it off with a water hose will do the trick. Considering the environment when driving in the rain, there is no problem with rinsing with tap water. If you want to go one step further, you can remove the caliper, remove the brake pads, wash off the dirt around the caliper piston (neutral detergent and lukewarm water is effective), and apply a small amount of high performance chemical such as rubber grease or CCI metal rubber to the exposed piston periphery. By applying a small amount of high performance chemicals such as rubber grease or CCI metal rubber to the exposed piston periphery, the caliper piston operation will be significantly improved (original operation can be restored). The caliper maintenance is very satisfying because the touch feeling of the brake lever is clearly visible.
Here, we practiced the maintenance of wiping the front fork. And at the same time, the upper and lower bearings of the steering head pipe were replaced. According to the machine owner, when the front wheel is lifted and the steering wheel is moved, it "knocks" at a specific point.!?"I received a request to replace the upper and lower bearings of the steering wheel with new parts because there was a feeling of discomfort. This time, we disassembled and maintained the steering related parts for the purpose of replacement, but even if there is no discomfort, it is good to practice the maintenance of the steering stem bearing within the range of "just in case" when you practice the maintenance like pulling out the front fork. By removing the steel ball and tapered roller bearings, cleaning and greasing them, you can improve the operation and keep the best bearing life afterwards.
The model that I practiced was Honda RVF400R, and this model has the bearing with retainer that the steel ball does not come apart, so the workability was even better. In case of cone and race type, you should put rag in the tray to prevent the steel balls from falling apart when you remove the stem shaft. It would be better to proceed with the work while receiving the fallen steel ball just below the stem bracket. There are a lot of cases that the grease has run out, and in reality, the steel balls often fall into pieces. Depending on the situation, you can disassemble while pressing the magnetic rod through the gap.
The grease up also improves the steering operation and makes it smoother while driving. For example, when changing lanes on a country road with many waddlers, everyone will be amazed at the smooth behavior and the soft feeling around the front. This is a point that is rarely disassembled, so be sure to maintain it whenever you have the chance.
