Torque for All Balls Steering head bearings question

[MrM0t0]

I just installed a set of All Balls steering head bearings and have found that that at the manual's settings (37 lbf then 13) there's an awful lot of stiction and friction compared to the stock bearing set. The old bearings had 44K on my '08 AE.

I'm trying to determine the cause here. Since there's greater surface area with the roller bearings vs. ball bearings, it's makes sense to my non-engineer brain that this would result in more friction. Or, less likely, to the same brain, is there a break-in period after which I should retourque everything?

Should I back the nut off 1/4 turn at a time until I feel that the friction is back to what it used to be?

 

[wnyfjr]

I've never touched my steering head bearings, so this is just from reading threads like this one, but I believe the 37 lb-ft torque setting is an initial setting to seat the bearings, and then you're supposed to back it off and then re-torque to a much lower value (can't remember what that value is). You may already know this, so I may be playing Captain Obvious here...

 

[ionbeam]

Mr' did note the final 13 ft/lb torque spec. Maybe after wnyfjr's post?

People that have done the balls for roller swap have been fishing for a good final torque value with most ending up using 15-25 ft/lb as the final torque value and 40-45 ft/lb as the initial torque value. The majority of people used 15 ft/lb or near that value as the final torque setting.

With the front end in the air and the front wheel facing forward there should be no play when pushing and pulling on the lower end of the forks (it's in the FSM) (don't push the bike off the center stand!!!) With the front wheel straight forward, when you push left and right on the front wheel it should freely and easily swing from side to side. If this all happens then the bearings are tight enough but not too tight.

 

[SLK50]

Ball bearings and tapered rollers are vastly different.

While the original balls required 13 lb/ft of torque the

rollers require virtually none.

Tighten them until there is zero play and then maybe

just a smidgen more.

Properly done there should little to no resistance and

smoothness from lock to lock.

For more info refer to the FSM for any bike with

rollers as OE.

 

[wnyfjr]

Mr' did note the final 13 ft/lb torque spec. Maybe after wnyfjr's post?

Nope, just a complete lack of reading comprehension on my part. Carry on!

 

[MrM0t0]

Mr' did note the final 13 ft/lb torque spec. Maybe after wnyfjr's post?
People that have done the https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php/topic/24459-installing-all-balls-racing-tapered-steering-head-bearings/?p=286607]balls for roller swap[/url] have been fishing for a good final torque value with most ending up using 15-25 ft/lb as the final torque value and 40-45 ft/lb as the initial torque value. The majority of people used 15 ft/lb or near that value as the final torque setting.

With the front end in the air and the front wheel facing forward there should be no play when pushing and pulling on the lower end of the forks (it's in the FSM) (don't push the bike off the center stand!!!) With the front wheel straight forward, when you push left and right on the front wheel it should freely and easily swing from side to side. If this all happens then the bearings are tight enough but not too tight.

Ball bearings and tapered rollers are vastly different. While the original balls required 13 lb/ft of torque the

rollers require virtually none.

Tighten them until there is zero play and then maybe

just a smidgen more.

Properly done there should little to no resistance and

smoothness from lock to lock.

For more info refer to the FSM for any bike with

rollers as OE.

Fred> I'll have the forks back on tomorrow and can check all that, but I'll tell ya, 13 lbs is WAY too tight. Lots of stiction and then it takes force to keep the yoke turning. SLK50's info is much more in line with what I'm experiencing.
SLK50> This sounds like what I need to do. If I back the nut off to where the yoke moves freely, I get zero play as described.I don't have access to a FSM as referenced, but I think I can get this right by feel.

Thanks Gents!

 

[dcarver]

Timely for me. Just did service to steering head, running timken rollers. overtightened. knew it when i did it. sloooow response through bar, almost like low tire pressure.

reduced torque, to one right wrist click, now all is much better.

 

[MrM0t0]

Got everything back together today and using SLK50's method everything moves easily with no play up and down. I'm going to examine it after getting a couple hundred miles on it to be sure all stays the same.