steering head

[desert1]

Had the Alpha bike in for its annual MVI and it passed OK and after I got the sticker I asked the mechanic what he thought of the steering head bearings, well he checked them to see if there was any play (which there was'nt) then he took the bike for a test ride, he thought as I do that the steering was stiff, so from here I'm not sure if I'm gonna just go ahead and replace the bearings myself or adjust them.......I have a platform jack and parts are not to Xpensive for bearings....waddya all think? Replace or adjustment?
Bruce

[John]

Replace 'em. They are available from your local bearing supply store and when I bought mine I got Timken brand for something like $25 for everything. Be sure to change the races, and pack the bearings with a good quality wheel bearing grease.

[desert1]

a good plan

My thoughts as well John, after 26 yrs they gotta be worn or at least rusted badly and its only a 2hr. job or so..........Go Sox Go.

Bruce

[MartyA]

Take my word change them. I drove 400 miles from Canada with SWMBO on back, the bike squirming and fighting a straight line all the way. Soon those tiny steering corrections become big re-corrections which become bigger re-re-corrections....

When I took the old ones out there were little notches where the bearings sat against the race. Yeah, I waited a bit too long.

Not a hard job, but don't overdo the grease. Abundant but not packed full.

[Ken Talbot]

Or, just for the fun of it, loosen off the locknut, then back off the big adjustment nut just a hair. If your steering feels a bit 'heavy' as opposed to 'notchy', it could be that someone has just tightened it up a bit too much. This only takes a minute and it won't mess up the replacement if you end up having to go that way.

[desert1]

steering problem

Hi Ken and Marty, heres how the whole problem 1st seemed to appear.......last year I had that front tire go flat at hi speed, the tube neck broke off, anyway, I rode on the flat for several kms to my Bro's house as there were no toe trucks available.....I fought the front end for control the entire way, since then the steering has'nt been the same . I had really man handle the bars. Slowing the bike down from that flat was a story in itself......
Bruce