Steering wobbles fixed

Queensland Ken · Jul 11, 2007

I changed out the steering head bearings with a set of tapered roller bearings and the handling is fantastic.

The steering is light, almost too light and it has stopped the dreaded handle bar wobbles.

Could actually ride the bike “no hands”

The best fix I have done! Bike is an 06 model

For you information the size of the bearings are

sorry for the metric sizing)

ID 30mm

OD 55mm

Cone width 13mm

Timkin bearings make them serial # 32006X

Of course you need 2 of them with 2 dust seals to suit.

There is no need to have much preload on them, just a nip up

The only real problem is to remove the old inner race from off the triple tree, very careful with a die grinder.

The bike is 16K old and already had to change the front wheel bearings at 10K. There was wear on the steering

head bearings, the races were pitted and small scuff marks on some rollers.

You could easily notice the problem trying to turn the front wheel with some weight on the front end, like turning

the bike at hte botton of a steep driveway.

I tried to take some photos but you cant make them out.

I had the steering wobbles even with new tires and no matter how tight I had the origionals done up still

clunking on the front end, and the steering was heavy.

SPORT · Jul 11, 2007

Queensland Ken said:
The steering is light, almost too light and it has stopped the dreaded handle bar wobbles.Could actually ride the bike “no hands”

The best fix I have done! Bike is an 06 model

For you information the size of the bearings aresorry for the metric sizing)

ID 30mm

OD 55mm

Cone width 13mm

Timkin bearings make them serial # 32006X

I had the steering wobbles even with new tires and no matter how tight I had the origionals done up still

clunking on the front end, and the steering was heavy.

I wonder if the Timkin P# will also fit the '05's?

What did you pay and where did you find them?

S76 · Jul 11, 2007

Appreciate that input. I have a set and haven't installed them yet, wondering if there is actually much advantage. Now I know. I too have the death wobble. They'll go in this winter with the fork diassembly, flush, and reseal.

Thanks

Scab · Jul 11, 2007

SPORT said:
I wonder if the Timkin P# will also fit the '05's?What did you pay and where did you find them?

Try here: All Balls Racing

SPORT · Jul 11, 2007

SPORT said:
Try here: All Balls Racing

Thanks

radman · Jul 11, 2007

Gonna quote myself here from an old post.

Just put them in Frank a couple weeks ago. No riding experience on this bike with them, but I have put them in several other bikes, and the change was well worth it-much more contact area, the result being a more solid feel in front. Now these were older bikes, but with good condition front necks and bearings-I don't doubt there will be similar results on the feej, not at all. Install is straightforward, the only real touchy part is getting the lower inner race off of the stem-I used a dremel cut-off wheel, cut the race at 90 degrees to it's mounting ( in other words, the disc was in line with the stem), use care, and a steady hand, you don't need to cut it off completely-get about 2/3 of the way through, and you'll hear a sharp CRACK from the race-the pressure of the press fit will split it and you can just pop it off with a set of pliers. I used a long brass drift to pop the neck races out-there are circular notches in the neck to facilitate locating the drift against the races, you'll see it when everything is out. Use the old races as protectors when hammering in the new ones, be sure to fully seat them, easy to tell as the sound when rapping them changes to a more solid sounding tone, get them started as evenly as possible and work in a circle till they're fully in, then a couple more raps around to be sure. The old race will just lift out, a taper in the neck ensures they won't be trapped. The lower bearing has to be pressed onto the neck shaft, don't hammer this one-if no press available have a machine shop do it, there is no substitute for this install IMHO as the stem is a press fit into the lower clamp-get carried away and cock the stem in the lower tree and you're fooked. The upper is a close slip fit-no need for pressing this one. Be sure to install the supplied seal before pressing the lower bearing on-forget and back off it comes, probably junked in the process. Some have suggested more torque on the nuts than oe for this app, I don't know about that. Tapered roller bearings don't like a lot of preload, I set mine at 15lbs, we'll see how that works. Be prepared to retorque after a few hundred miles of seating anyway-if it felt a little loose, add a pound or two but don't get carried away-there should be no drag when turning the forks side to side with the wheel suspended. Grease the bearings like a wheel bearing-press it through so that it is forced through the rollers and out each end from the back of the rollers, don't forget to grease the surface the seals ride on-be generous as this is what prevents dirt and water intrusion. Pretty much it. The bearings and races are the same top and bottom, as well as the seals, so no mixing those up. All in all, pretty straightforward. Hope this is what you were looking for.

Queensland Ken · Jul 12, 2007

Ken here,

I checked out All Balls ( https://www.allballsracing.com) and it seems that the bearings should fit the 05 model.

I took the bearings to work and checked out the Timkin bearing bible. It cost a lot more in $ AUS than from All Balls in the USA.

Going for a good ride this weekend to see how much of an improvement there is :yahoo:

G-Man · Jul 12, 2007

I started getting wobbles on my 2006 about 500 miles ago about 2,000 miles after I put some new Avon's on... It's driving me crazy trying to get the wobbles fixed...

I took everything apart Tuesday and rebalanced the tire and re-torqued to spec... still wobbles... however everything feels tight in front... I have 8K on the bike...

I will have a look at your fix... not sure of the complete fix yet...

Greg

Lododenver · Jul 12, 2007

Queensland Ken said:
Ken here,
I checked out All Balls ( https://www.allballsracing.com) and it seems that the bearings should fit the 05 model.

I took the bearings to work and checked out the Timkin bearing bible. It cost a lot more in $ AUS than from All Balls in the USA.

Going for a good ride this weekend to see how much of an improvement there is :yahoo:

Do you have a part number ?

Thanks!

Lododenver · Jul 12, 2007

Queensland Ken said:
Ken here,
I checked out All Balls ( https://www.allballsracing.com) and it seems that the bearings should fit the 05 model.

I took the bearings to work and checked out the Timkin bearing bible. It cost a lot more in $ AUS than from All Balls in the USA.

Going for a good ride this weekend to see how much of an improvement there is :yahoo:

Do you have a part number ?

Thanks!

V2win · Jul 17, 2007

Im getting ready to change out the stock bearings with tapered roller bearings too.

I did some research into the allballbearings. Another local rider here, smitty141, had some sitting on the shelf waiting for an install on someone elses bike. He took them out to give me the number and mfg. of them. They were KML 32006x. KML is a Chinese company. I will not use chinese bearings in anything I do repairs on. Now days, its gitting hard to find quality parts for bikes and cars. I stopped off at AutoZone for some u-joints for a pickup. Everything they had was Chinese. Napa was able to supply some from Japan. If you want quality bearings they are availabe but you may have to shop around a bit. I plan on getting mine at a local bearing supply house here in St. Louis. Any bearing supplier can easily cross reference to another brand for you. Bearings from the USA, Germany, or Japan may cost more but well worth it in my opinion.

V2win · Aug 12, 2007

Ken,

What seal did you use with the Timken bearings?

Thank,

John

Steering wobbles fixed

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