Steering head bearings

[XS1100DRAGRACER]

Has anyone replaced and/or regreased their steering head bearings recently? I need to do it this weekend and wanted to know how difficult it might be....

[81xsproject]

I am just curious as to whether or not you are going to use a tapered bearing conversion or not. If you do I'd be interested to know what you think.
JC

[Pat Kelly]

I got the tapered conversion but have yet to install it on my E.
Part #'s are:
3200SX (small)
32006JR (large)
There is also a 2 1/4" (155mm) seal thingie.

[jetmechmarty]

I did the conversion on my XS650 a couple of years ago. It's a pretty big job. It sure did make a big difference!

[Czekus21]

I did the stearing head bearings on my 79 a year ago. It wasn't that difficult other then getting the bottom race removed. The inner part of the race is flush with the frame and there's no way to get a punch on there to pop it out. I cut a groove in the race with a dremel, Heated up the race with map gas, Threw some dry ice over the cut, ( this made it brittle ) took a chisle and gave it a couple of good wacks. Fell right out. While I had the race out, I ground a groove inside the stearing head so I wouldn't have to go through that agian. While you have the front end torn apart, You'll notice other stuff that will occupy your time. This is a good time to change the fork oil, check front wheel bearings, check calipers, Etc. Good luck.

[randy]

Czekus,

You say you ground a groove inside the steering head, could you elaborate?

[John]

Randy, the upper race has a notch cut into the race land, so you can catch the edge with a punch to drive it out, but the lower race doesn't. After finally getting the lower race out, use a dremel, or a die grinder, to cut your own notch in the lower race land, and you'll be able to drive it out with a puch next time. Silly question, but you know what I mean by 'land' don't you?

[randy]

Sure, as in:

Land Yacht

Land camera

Grace Land

"Where did that f**in' c-clip land"

Yeah, I get it. i just couldn't picture it until you used the right term. I read "inside the steering head" and wondered where?

[xssiveone]

The nice thing about cutting the groove in the outer race is that you can then use it to seat the new race in place. Then squeeze it together and out the old one comes. I cut thru the lower inner race as well to remove it. Cut almost thru and then smack with a chisel to finish the job.

One other thing I did before I put everything back together was to drill thru the neck and install a zerts(sp?) grease fitting. Now I can just hit it with a couple shots of grease every spring and force the old grease out the bearings, along with any water or dirt that might have worked it's way in.

[Rubba]

Anyone try adjusting the bearings?

Haynes recommends tearing down the headset if it's out of tolerance, "it's just not worth it," in order to check the bearings. If I'm going to tear the headset apart I'm going to replace the bearings.

Thanks,
Rubba

[fredintoon]

They came with balls?

Hi Guys,
like Marty, I changed the ball bearing headraces in my XS650 for Timken races. When I tore down my XS11SG steering head I found Timkens already there and that's what Clymer shows should be there too.
Now posts to this thread imply that (some years of?) XS11s came with ball-bearing head races instead of tapered rollers. WTF?
Fred Hill, S'toon.

[John]

Fred, the triple clamps and and bearings that I sent you from the 78E were tapered roller bearings, and my 80SG had tapered bearings also. I haven't heard of an XS11 with ball bearings in the steering head.

[fredintoon]

No balls?

Hi John,
those trees work great in reducing the trail & easing the steering on my XS11SG sidecar rig BTW, thanks.
My Xsperience on XS11's is limited to my own bike and Clymer's manual but for sure Clymer don't mention ball races in there for any year.
One wonders if those who bought tapered roller "replacement kits" first looked to see what they already had in there?
Fred Hill, S'toon.
PS, re "foster child" perhaps AyeshXS after H. Rider Haggard's "Ayesha" the original SWMBO?
F.

[brcree]

bearings....

Have question: I'm in the middle of repainting my frame and needed to replace the steering head bearings. I've gotten the races out but......how did you guys get the bottom bearing off the shaft?

[natemoen]

Have question: I'm in the middle of repainting my frame and needed to replace the steering head bearings. I've gotten the races out but......how did you guys get the bottom bearing off the shaft?

a lot of fighting with a hammer chisel and dremel. Cut it off.