Top Adjuster Nut - Steering

[Getty]

Early this morning I took apart the front end and sprayed the top nut with wd-40.

Began banging with this rubber mallet and old steel hammer I made in High School. Not turning.

Right hand threads like almost every bolt?

Heated it with propane torch. She still doesnt turn.

Do I need the right tool? Spanner?

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Getty,

The "NUT" is actually 2 nuts, that are torqued so that they lock together! SO make sure you are only trying to loosen the TOP part, not both at the same time! WD-40 isn't that great of a penetrating oil, you should look at getting some PB-Blaster or such. But yes, lefty loosy is correct!

Mine were not on that tight, I just used a channel locks on it!
HTH!
T.C.

[AlanB]

Hi Getty,

That is TWO nuts, locked together......... turn them seperately, get 'em apart, and both will glide off OK.

They are right hand thread.

AlanB

[AlanB]

Hi TC,

You are quick....... I gotta stop checking my spelling.......

AlanB

[Getty]

Only turning the top one.

Should I heat the top nut Only?

How long should heat be applied? is it like copper (dont think so.. takes longer heating?

Pnatrating oil - Checker Auto is close and they have it. Should have picked it up earlier when I got more carb cleaner and ball bearing grease. I need to see more clearly into the future.

[mitch]

Brass Drift

Lose the rubber hammer and get a metal one then use a brass drift and hit the sucker like you mean it .The rubber is absorbing all the impact .
Doug

[AlanB]

Hi Getty,

They like to stick together, and they need to go in opposite directions to seperate 'em...... 1/8 turn will do it..... if only one does it!

Mitch may have a good point; a short, sharp lesson is what it needs. try a "proper" hammer, and hold the other end of the shaft..........

Good Luck!

AlanB

[Getty]

Oh yeah. I theres no wood showing at the handle end. I get my upper body swinging with it. Was hard to hold camera and two hammers at the same time.

Brass Drift - Where do I find one? I dont know where. Might just replace the rubber with steel hammer.

The penetrating oil is doing its majic as a slowly peck and hunt.

[AlanB]

Hi Getty,

Brass is softer than steel, so will not damage your top nut.

Careful use of a steel drift (your shop hammer!) can give the same result.

AlanB

[Getty]

Spun like a top

Fought this thing because I don’t know what a drift is or how you use it.

Drift - Brass metal object that when hit with a metal hammer does not mark the nut being turned.

My nut is marked and looks like BLEEP. But, it has turned off! yay !Now I must remove the races / bearings. Clean and pack with grease. Wish me luck There goes 2.5 hours. Next time it will take 2.5 minutes. I just keep learning new things all the time.

[AlanB]

Hi Getty,

WELL DONE!...... I wish I was closer;..... It is a LOT easier for me to DO this stuff than type about it!

AlanB..... Scotland!

[Getty]

Im sure it is. Thank you!

These are some nice bearings. They dont come apart like race type.

The top came off and cleaned up nicely. The bottom is stuck down there. I sprayed it with good cleaner and lots of it. Its a rolling and looks good/clean. Can I repack it without taking it off the stem? I would think so. But you guys know much more than I.

Chunks of old dry grease came out. Just like you said T.C.

It got marked up cause me the dumb --- Donkey.. Used a pipe wrench to get it off. Some nice looking teeth marks on that nut now. The bottom nut looks great. O'well, Might have to buy a new top nut in 20K.

[AlanB]

Hi Getty,

I repaired these for a living for a decade after leaving school; others on here are far more experienced than me.........

The bottom bearing is a press fit onto the yoke (triple tree?...... different country; different words!); almost impossible to remove without damaging it.

If it is OK, leave it on, clean and regrease it. if it is not OK, you have to break it to remove it; no problem!

The easy way to assess the bearings is from the fixed element( the bit in the headstock!) If you clean it up and it is smooth, the bearing will probably be OK. If you can see (or feel with the edge of a fingernail) any damage, the whole set needs changed.

You are doing great; Stick with it!

AlanB

[Getty]

Oh... Looking good

Finished... Ready...

[fredintoon]

For the next time

Hi Getty,
before you entirely wreck those peg nuts, spend some money here:-
http://www.mcmaster.com/
Go to "hand tools" and scroll down that page to "spanner wrench" and choose the size that fits. You'll need two of them.