bearing search

[Dennyz]

I am trying to locate a custom steering head bearing for my project bike. It is the top steering bearing that I am looking for.

The dimensions are 30mmx47mmx15mm.

Any source recommendation would be appreciated.

[Hobbit]

get your bearings

An auto parts store with a good counter person (most NAPAs have at least one) should be able to match a bearing from the catalog using your dimensions.
It's time consuming and many parts people don't want to go to the trouble, but it can be done. (I once was a NAPA counter person - many, many years ago.)

[DiverRay]

Are you looking for a ball or taper roller bearing? You can try the Motion Industries, They are a chain that can get almost any bearing. The price may not be a nice as some, but the bearings are "top of the line".
I also agree on a good auto parts store. The one I go to will let me look through the book, so he can still help other customers. That works most of the time, but Motion Industries can get it if it's made.

Ray

[Ken Talbot]

Champion bearings produces custom ball bearing assemblies, and they list a 30x47x11 in their on-line catalog. Another option might be a 30x52x17 tapered roller bearing from F I T Bearings , if you could cut off and replace the socket for the outer race??

[DiverRay]

Ken
Taper roller bearings are produced as a "set". It isn't a good idea to try and put the race from one bearing onto another. That is good for a VERY short bearing life!!

Ray

[Ken Talbot]

What I was thinking, Ray, was cutting off the 'sockets' at the top and bottom of the steering neck that the outer races fit into. A person should be able to machine new sockets that would fit a readily abailable bearing set, then weld those sockets in place of the original. I'm guessing this is the application Denny is toying with at the moment - bolting a new-technology complete front end onto an old-technology XS frame.....

[Dennyz]

Here is the scope!

The XS uses tapered roller bearings and the R1 uses ball bearings, which seems like a step backwards.

The R1 triple tree and steering neck use the same bearing top and bottom. The XS uses a smaller bearing for the top then for the bottom. The XS bottom bearing has the same I.D. and O.D. dimensions as the R1 bearings. The XSs bottom bearing, race, and seal mate right up with the R1 steering shaft and lower triple clamp.

The top bearing is the problem. The XS uses a 25mm I.D. with a 47mm O.D.. The R1 has a 30mm I.D. and 56mm O.D., top and bottom.

I was hopping that there was a bearing that would make this simple. The only bearing that I have found so far, with 30mm I.D. and 47mm O.D., is a thrust ball bearing. A thrust ball bearing is not the correct bearing for this applications and having a custom bearing made is way out of my budget (custom bike on a dime).

If I can't find the proper bearing, my other options are:

-modify the XS steering head (as Ken suggests)
-modify the steering shaft on the R1 assembly
-fabricate a steering head
-fabricate a triple trees assembly

Fortunately I have a couple of bent XS frame to experiment on.

[skids]

Here is a link to a bearing supplier:

http://www.awbearings.com/awbearings/

I didn't see a size table, but you could ask those people...

[Dennyz]

Thanks Sid, I already checked with them.

I think I have figured out a simple way to modify the steering head to take a 30mmx55mmx17mm tapered roller bearing. I ordered the bearing on line for $18.00.