BR fork stem bearings

[MRSOUND]

Hey all, when I took the front forks off my 86 BR I wasn't prepared for the loose roller bearings that ended up all over the garage floor. I bought retained bearings (I think they are All Balls) to replace them and I'm getting ready to start putting things back together. I haven't even opened the bearing package yet to know if there are any special instructions. Thought i'd jump on here and see what kind of advice I can get from you guys. Do I need to change the races? Any special grease? I'm assuming the instructions will have torque values?

Any advice or comments are appreciated!

[El Camexican]

I’ve never worked on a Big Red, but typically the lower OEM bearing is a tapered cage and the upper is the loose balls in set in grooved washers you found.
If you bought a “set” you have the option to change the lower at the same time you switch the upper, but this is a little tricky for anyone who does not own a tool chest and have a healthy dose of mechanical know how. I don’t have the time to explain how I do them, so I’ll just say that if it’s not in poor condition you can reuse it and eliminate the hardest part, or take the lower tree to a bike shop and ask them to change it.
So let’s jump to the upper bearing. Once you have the triple tree removed you’ll need to get a drift and and remove the lower portion of the upper race. NOTE: If you did have a tapered cage bearing at the bottom and you are going to change it, check if there is a lip that you can get a drift on it like the upped washer. If not, the best way to get them out is to find a washer that is about the same diameter as the middle diameter of the race and weld it into the race and then hit it with a drift, it will fall right out.
Anyway, with the upper race removed put your new tapered race in the freezer for at least 30 minutes and warm up the steering stem with a heat gun (don’t burn the paint, just get it really warm). Using a pair of gloves place the race into the top of the steering head, if you’re lucky it will drop all the way in, but make sure you have a socket that is large enough to place on the bearing race and be tapped in with a . If you don’t have one you can sometimes use the old race you knocked out as long as you keep it centered. Another trick in a pinch if you don’t have an exact sized socket you can use a larger socket “upside down” place a socket extension into the socket the “wrong way” and then you will have something to strike the against. Point is that even if the race seems to have gone in all on its own you MUST seat it with blunt force to be sure.
Once the race(s) are set, pack the bearings with automotive grease (the lower bearing will already be on the triple tree). Push the stem up through the bottom of the frame and hold it there with one hand while you place the upper cage bearing onto the stem (Have all your parts in arms reach) Typically the next part is a “cup” or dust cap and then a large nut with square cut-outs. Once you get that nut started you can let go of the triple tree and take a break and wipe all the grease off your hands.
Now start tightening that nut until you can’t turn it with your fingers anymore. This is where everyone has their own way to set the bearings. Not saying everyone will agree with mine, but it works for me. There is a special tool made to fit that nut, if you have one, great. I don’t so I usually use a small pipe wrench (very carefully) or a small blunt drift (I prefer the wrench, but you can’t use it when the upper section of the triple tree is installed on a bike) Assuming you are using the wrench, or the correct tool snug the nut while you slowly move the triple tree back and forth. When it starts to feel a little snug stop tightening and work the tree from lock to lock. In some cases the tree will loosen up as the grease finds a home or the bearings seat a little more. If it does feel like it loosened up repeat this until it remains firm, or has a couple tight sports. At this point I like to tighten the nut another ½ turn and then back it off and then re-tighten it until it starts to tighten up in any one spot between the lock to lock movements.

At this point you should be able to assemble the rest of the front end, but when you are done check the lock to lock travel for any tight spots and adjust with the small drift if need be. Personally run my stuff a little on the tight side. Old drag racing trick to avoid head shake in lieu of a steering damper. After your first ride that included a good hit to the front end you may want to put it up in the air and try rocking the front back and forth to makes sure nothing came loose (slim chance, but better save than sorry).

I hope this helps.

[MRSOUND]

Thanks EL! I believe mine came with the bottom set as well, in which case I will try to replace them as well. Suppose I should have opened the box to see what I had first! I'm not totally unfamiliar with the process due to working at the Harley final assembly plant here in PA. Been working this crazy night shift the last few weeks and just ain't getting anything done trying to adjust. Anyway thanks again, I hope to get to start back working on this in the upcoming weeks. In which case I may hit you up on how you removed the set pressed onto the fork stem

[MRSOUND]

Ok,just checked the new bearings out. they are "All Balls" brand and look like they would be a direct replacement for the old races. Other words remove the old races and press the new bearing housing directly into where the race was on the top and the bottom. there is also what I would figure to be new dust seals as well as a washer in the kit. So has anyone done this to their trike? There is no directions other than to press the bottom set onto the fork stem with a pipe. Would really like to hear from someone who has done this on their Honda.

[El Camexican]

So your trike came with loose balls in the bottom as well? If so getting that race out of the frame should be easy (drift and like the upper) but getting the race off the tree will still require some work. I usually grind them paper thin and then split them off with a chisel. Make sure you are comfortable with this as you can really jack up the tree if you aren't careful. If you do make a mark with the grinder or chisel it’s not the end of the world, but you MUST file it smooth before assembly. Low spots are fine, high sports are not.

Once it is off find yourself a pipe that fits over the INNER race of the new tapered bearing and does not contact the cage. Put the triple tree in the freezer for 30 minutes and warm up the bearing with a heat gun. Not sure about that washer. You may want to ask All Balls where it goes. So excluding that component for now you place the washer looking thing with the rubber lip facing LIP UP on the steering stem. Using a glove guide the warm bearing onto the frozen shaft. It should go all the way on, but you still want to set it hard with the pipe and a .

Install the new lower bearing race the same way as the top, grease up the lower bearing and assemble as described previously. I hope someone that knows these trikes will step up and explain that “extra” washer.

[MRSOUND]

I got the bottom race off! Instead of using a grinder I have an extension for my dremmill that allows me to hold the end like pencil. I used a small cut off wheel and cut 2 slots on opposite ends of the race (without cutting through) and hit it with a chisel. Instead of splitting, it started moving up the fork stem so I just kept tapping it until it was off the press fit and slid right off the end! I'm sure that was luck.Figured out that the extra "washer" turns out to be spacer for the bottom bearings. After checking the inside diameter it was the same as the bearings. It takes up the extra spacing that was on the bottom of the bottom race as in pic 2 below. Used the freezer and heat gun as EL suggested and although it did not "fall on", using a piece of PVC pipe and a leather dead blow it seated easily. Now I just need to knock the old races out and set in the new. Thanks to El Camexican for the excellent advice. Again a member has come through to help me outPic 1 is shim, seal, and race off of lower tree. pic 2 shows side view of race and the extra spacing on the bottom of it therefore the necessity of the extra "spacer" in the kit.

[El Camexican]

Sounds like you're on the home stretch Bud! Glad to hear its going well!

[Dirtcrasher]

Be careful, ALL BALLS gives no directions. I advise everyone to stack up the old parts and measure the height. Stack up the new stuff and measure the height, if there is a difference, you may need the spacer/washer they give you. If you do not install it and you need it, you are screwed and will need a new lower race or whole kit. If you need the spacer, it goes on the stem 1st, then the seal, then the lower tapered bearing gets pressed on. The stem gets put in the freezer and the only pressure on that lower bearing can be on the inner portion or you damage it. Then both outer races gom in the freezer and I use a 1/2-13 rod with 2 fat plates to seat them, they have to be 100% seated......

[MRSOUND]

Good advice! never even thought of that....I believe I lucked out though (I already had mine on the fork stem) I stacked the old race, shim, and seal up beside the new one and looks to be right. I'll stress again Dirtcrasher made a great point this set of bearings from All Balls is made to fit 16 different models and multiple years in each. so the spacer very well could be a necessity on only certain models. And another great point he made is there are no instructions on assembly of these bearings (i searched the web and found nothing which why I started this thread).

[MRSOUND]

Old races out of the steering head, new ones just went in the freezer. When greasing up the new bearings do you need to put any extra up in the steering neck itself. By this I mean above/below the races in the steering head. I know on some motorcycles they fill the steering neck with grease.

[Dirtcrasher]

I ,lightly coat any bare metal with grease to prevent rust.......

[MRSOUND]

Ok thanks. Got the races in and seated (earlier). Just put a light coating on fork stem and got it mounted. Everything seems in order. bearing is seated and fall away feels good! Now I got to clean everything up that I took off and put the rest of front end back together. Next task will be front wheel bearings. Any reason to get one brand or the other? Any threads on replacing them? Thanks for the help guys!