Steering head bearing replcement

[ffltstn]

Are there any tricks to make replacing the bearings easier? Do I need to basically remove the forks and then the triple tree? Can the lower be done with the forks, fender, and wheel still attached? I have checked and tightened them a couple times but still have the wobble, which I didn't use to have till recently. I have the new All Balls in hand.

[Nails]

I haven't replaced these bearings in an XII, but I have removed the upper triple-clamp and adjusted them. I've also messed with head bearings in other bikes that don't seem very different.

Yeah, it's all gotta come off. The manual, 13-6, has the info you need. This includes special tools that I don't think are strictly necessary. I remember seeing other posts here about that.

As for tricks, there recently were posts about getting the front wheel off the ground. That's usually a major PITA, but not really too difficult with the XII using the centerstand and a small bottle jack.

Enjoy!

[triton28]

One of the the hardest parts is the removal of the lower bearing race from the recess inside the fork neck. The steel tunnel frame neck casting obscures the shoulder of the race so it is almost impossible to drive the race out from above as the shoulder of a hefty steel punch doesn't have much of a race shoulder to drive against.
There are some expanding springy finger style bearing race removers which may work similar to a solid steel punch from top down but I found them to be only good for 1 or 2 uses with a "non relieved" race.
The simplest is the lower bearing tool that Nails spoke of. I got one for a Suzuki from eBay and it did work relatively well.
Another way is to use one of those expanding puck style race removers which comes with a sliding hammer.
As a last resort one can Dremel/grind a relief slot in the lower bearing race and then the race will collapse into itself easier once it has had a slot cut into it and will drive/pull out easier. Others have used oxy/acetylene equipment to burn clearance in the race but I would definitely NOT recommend this if one has the same beginner/novice torch skills as I possess
One thing to watch out for is the grease shield mounted between the lower inner bearing cage and the lower triple tree casting. It WILL suffer damage in most cases and try to avoid damaging it or at least have a spare handy, see page 13-8.
As with any other repair procedure I would recommend a thorough familiarization with the appropriate chapter of the manual before starting. Careful wrenching,
Dave

[GrandpaDenny]

Before you go performing major surgery, have you checked the following:

1. Front fender bolts tight? The front fender, believe it or not, is a stressed member and is critical for front end stability.
2. Front wheel bearings? You have to pull the calipers to check.
3. Front tire pressure. Recommended by Maw Kaw is 32psi. cold
4. Front tire condition.

When are you getting the wobble? At a particular speed? Hitting bumps at slow speed?

[Heavy Armor]

Maybe I'm just lucky, but I've never had a bike that ever needed steering head bearings, so I'm always suspicious when they get named the culprit. I'd definitely check EVERYTHING else first.

[starrider]

If you can’t get rid of head shake and have done all the suggested possibilities, then bearing replacement may be the solution. Yes everything must come off. On my 2003, moving the front wheel back and forth everything seemed smooth after adjusting preload. Finally replaced bearings. Did purchase a special bearing remover to remove the lower race. When I pulled the lower race out, I could feel several depressions in the race when I ran my fingernail around the race. Even though there is not much rotation on the bearings, the constant pounding of the front end must have caused deformation in the bearings. Solved my head shake problems.

[Nails]

If you can’t get rid of head shake and have done all the suggested possibilities, then bearing replacement may be the solution.

+1.
For an old and old-fashioned bike (or really any dirt bike), I'd put bad head bearings in the "quite likely" category.

In another thread, I carried-on about having an old Wing. It needed head bearings. I didn't have a reliable way to suspend the front of the bike, so I took it to an independent who quoted me a cheap price. A little later, the proprietor had hernia surgery and got a real job in the oilfield -- so he needed to get bikes out to close up his shop but couldn't lift anything. The upshot is that I went over in the evenings, after my day job, to wrench on Harleys. I got a nice set of leathers out of it.
Did I mention that it was a Harley shop? In oilfield country? And boy-oh-howdy did the weirdos turn up after dark. (Think good-natured horseplay with derringers.)

[spnkybnky]

Like the other responder, I've never replaced the steering head bearings. I have 455,000 miles on my '86. I have adjusted them, re-greased them every few years or when I replaced the fork seals. If you have a wobble, it could be a few other things like an out of balance tire, bent front rim. If the bearing has no play in it or doesn't bind up or have a "rough" feeling when the front wheel is raised turning the it from side to side, the bearings are probably good. Over the years, I've seen many motorcyclists owning many different brands blame the steering head bearings for a wobble when it turned out to be something else.

Good Luck ...