Steering Head Bearings

kraakevik

keep the steering head nut installed on the bottom, use a wood block & a hammer. Years of corrosion invaded mine - took quite a bit to get it out - more than you think

It worked, David--many thanks


Tim

Tintin said:

If it is deformed by welding (which it undoubtedly is) guess what happens when you press in a pretty sturdy and dimensionally far more "correct" steel ring ....
Tim

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Sturdy? We look at stem bearings differently. In the case of a Commando, I see the ball bearings as disposable items. They have a certain lifespan, they're cheap, they don't need adjustment, and they are easy to replace. There may be people that can tell the difference between a taper vs ball bearing setup, but I'm not one of them.

I've got the 1972 Commando stripped bare and I'm replacing the taper steering head races with the standard setup. I've got the main parts, including the spacer tube, but looking at the parts book there is what looks like a spacer which isn't numbered. It looks as if it might go between the bottom yoke and the bottom race. Could anyone give me the build up?

The thread on the top yoke stem is past it's best - any one had a new stem pressed in? What's my options if I need to replace the yoke - do I need to buy a set of "later" type.?

Thanks for your help,
David

DavidT said:

but looking at the parts book there is what looks like a spacer which isn't numbered. It looks as if it might go between the bottom yoke and the bottom race.

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I can't say I've noticed it before, it isn't in the '71 or '73-on parts lists, as it isn't numbered I think it can be disregarded.

DavidT said:

The thread on the top yoke stem is past it's best - any one had a new stem pressed in? What's my options if I need to replace the yoke - do I need to buy a set of "later" type.?

Click to expand...

http://www.norvilmotorcycle.co.uk/061918.htm

061918 STEM - TO FIT 750 & 850 YOKES FROM 141783

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RGM Motors

821 061918 FORK YOKE STEMS (FITS IN TOP YOKE) £19.90

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Brinelling is common on some bikes that use tapered rollers in the steering head (like BMW airheads and K bikes, happened on mine) so I plan to stick with the stock bearings on my Norton...



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brinelling

Thanks Gents,

I did contact RGM, but it would be well into February before they would have any engineering work done, and I missed Norvil before the holidays started. Without that odd bottom spacer I think the nut might sit on a good bit of thread and I can just reduce the diameter of the damaged end (actually caused by me bludgeoning the nut with a block of wood and mallet to overcome the seized bearings/yoke stem!).

Now, if I can only get that swing arm spindle out...

David