Steering head bearing install

[sliick2]

Friends, I ended my season here in upstate NY & have the bike up on my lift. Going to remove the front wheel & install new bearings ,while the front wheel is off I was very interested in replaceing the steering

head bearings with the All Balls tapered .Looking through the posts for doing this job I came across JimLor's post from Aug 8,2007 which had some very good pictures of the process. However,I still have a question about the comment "you must remove the brake wire jumble that is attached to the lower bracket " I have looked at that area & understand the bolts that need to come out in order to free the brake line junction block & air deflector from the lower bracket- But the brake lines go through the plastic deflector. The question I have, is there enough

play in the brake lines in order to lower the bracket out- without having to disconnect the brake lines ?

I know there was no mention of brake lines being disconnected & all the posts that I've read seem to have no trouble getting the lower bracket out. I hope this wasn't too wordy- just trying to be clear.

Any advise would be great before I get to the point of no return. Thanks in advance, Hope all get the Farkles they asked Santa 4 Sliick ,Rochester,NY

 

[rickysnickers]

Very easy project, just takes time. I did not undo any brake lines. I had plenty of room with them connected.

Rick

 

[sliick2]

Thanks for the feed back Rick . As soon as the parts come in I'll start on it. Have a great Holiday Season. Sliick

 

[SeattleTy]

I am interested in the install too. I plan on doing it someday.

Please keep us posted on how everything went.

If possible and you do not mind, please include pictures and procedure.

Thank you and good luck with the project

 

[SkooterG]

Why are you replacing the wheel bearings?

 

[sliick2]

Skooter - had bought wheel bearings a year ago when I thought I had heard something in the front end when I was riding without my helmet (short ride in a parking lot) & while I have

the front forks off I thought it would be the perfect time.Although I did not isolate the sound that I had heard .I suppose if its not broke don't fix it- right ?

Seattle Ty- Im unable to do pictures- but there are several good posts w/pictures (JimLor

did one in Aug 2007 )that's where I saw the proceedure -very good write up by him-or Google

"steering bearings site:fjrforum.com" you'll get a bunch ! Good luck Sliick

 

[Harald]

I just had my forks off last month to change the oil and the dust seals, so I decided to go ahead and repack the steering bearings. With 68,000 miles on my 07 and lots of riding in the rain, the bearings still looked fine. But if you don't look you'll never know what condition they're in. Unless I notice an issue, I don't plan on going in there again. Like Scooter, I don't see any reason to replace them unless they were rusted and had excessive wear.

Oh yea, it's kind of a pain to get brake hoses and etc out of the way to remove the triple tree but it's very do-able. Mine was complicated a little further because I have a custom bracket attached to the plastic shield mount point that hold a Stebel Nautilus horn. Install documented here: https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?s=&showtopic=112666&view=findpost&p=520719

 

[SkooterG]

Skooter - had bought wheel bearings a year ago when I thought I had heard something in the front end when I was riding without my helmet (short ride in a parking lot) & while I have

the front forks off I thought it would be the perfect time.Although I did not isolate the sound that I had heard .I suppose if its not broke don't fix it- right ?

Seattle Ty- Im unable to do pictures- but there are several good posts w/pictures (JimLor

did one in Aug 2007 )that's where I saw the proceedure -very good write up by him-or Google

"steering bearings site:fjrforum.com" you'll get a bunch ! Good luck Sliick

I am a firm believer in 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it!'. I got that philosophy from a lifelong old trusted motorcycle tech. I would bring my FJR into his shop requesting some service that the manual called out for and he would talk me out of it.

In hundred's of thousands of miles I have never had a wheel bearing go bad. But there are some that have. If they do go bad, you will know about it soon enough!

 

[sliick2]

Fella's, thanks for the feedback & info. If nothing else-when I get the brakes off & have the bike up a little I'll be able to spin the wheel

& listen for any noises. That should put it to rest.

Harald- nice horn bracket & write up !