Steering head adjustment

[suecanada]

I am pretty sure Melena went through this not too long ago.  Do we have any access to the old tech history from R65.org?? Lots of great advice on there.

Anyway..LRB's steering is heavy and he rolls and weaves at low speed and his handlebars this year finally DO NOT fall easily to one side with a slight push on the end. They used to do this beautifully. Anyway. there is NO notchiness at all that I can feel..just slow moving....I also have thought that it is still cold here and that may slow down movement because of thick grease.  But the bike was weaving last season a bit so I am pretty sure it's steering adjustment that needs to be the first step anyway.

Here's my usual dumb question......How much extra work is involved if I want to renew the bearing grease? Is it worth the extra effort if all i want to do is adjust things? I'm thinking that the only good way of doing this job is to put new grease in the bearings..but I think I have heard horrible stories about getting at the bearings in there. Any advice?  The bearings must need it..I've never done it and I haven't read anything about it being done in the bike's history either. 85,000 miles later!

[Ed Miller]

Here's Snowbum's article on it:

http://home.jps.net/~snowbum/steering.htm

I know SOMEBODY    8-)  will probably advocate simply replacing the bearings and races, but if yours are not rusty or notched a simple cleaning and regreasing will probably work.  It's not that tough a job; the worst part (especially for your LS, I bet) is getting the junk out of the way so you can get to the bearings.

R65 top adjusting nuts and those parts are different in some ways from Snowbum's article, as I recall, but the principles work fine.  My bikes steers fine down into the upper teens, I don't know how cold "cold" is to a Canadian.  

[Justin B.]

I was reading in Machinery's Handbook the other day and got the impression that grease will "wear out" even under light duty conditions after about 60 months as the oils leech out.  That is probably why old grease gets hard as all that's left are the carriers and binders...  I would go ahead and re-grease, it's not that hard on a bike that's not fully faired, unlike an RT...  

[suecanada]

Thanks for the upbeat advice. Once it warms up again I'll get started. I sure hope I can remember how I cranked down those nuts at the top of the forks like I did when I replaced the fork seal....then again,  :-/not totally understanding what is involved, maybe I don't need to. I am thinking that removing the circlip isn't part of the job anyway. Thanks to Mike F....nhmaf...for good advice via email.

So I am really good at removing all the LS's fairing and handlebar nuts and gas tank etc. by now having done it so often. Just have never removed the top yoke.

[MrRiden]

Sue,
If you can snap a few pics when you tackle the job. Snowbums stuff is helpful but lacks visuals for this 'show me' learner.
Rich

[nhmaf]

Sue (and all)

I have a photo of my LS with the top yoke removed, and the whole front end dropped
for cleaning/greasing the steering head bearings.   Aside from the top yoke and handlebars and black
plastic cowling, everything else is still attached (though the inside black plastic fairing pieces are
also of course removed and the fairing bolts are loosened.  I meant to scan the photo (I only have
the "hardcopy") and send it to Sue and you all but my #$%&! scanner died yesterday.   If I can
borrow a neighbor's while mine is getting repaired (sometimes those $20 service plans pay off)
I'll try to get it out - not a step by step thing, but from the photo you can hopefully tell that it
can be done without totally disassembling the bike.  I will say though, you need some way to support the
bike (both pieces are heavy) and unless you are fairly strong you may need help getting the
two bits carefully back together.

[suecanada]

Snowing and cold here so I have the time to wait for the photo!! [smiley=bath.gif] [smiley=lurker.gif]

I knew so little about where those bearings where that I found it very helpful to look at Don Whiteside's parts photos for those R65 parts he was selling....it's in the trade or sell section of this forum. Mike's photo should be really helpful.

It would be nice for just once to do a job without any glitches! [smiley=wall.gif]

I guess if I wasn't so cheap I'd get some pro to do the work but then I'd never learn anything...live longer mind you without the stress.

[nhmaf]

Hopefully this will work,  I get rusty when I don't do things periodically...
This link should get you to where I've managed to scan a couple pictures
and upload to photobucket..
http://s159.photobucket.com/albums/t138/nhmaf/

Unfortunately the photo quality wasn't the best, and the scanner is pretty old, too.
But maybe you'll get the idea..  If you look closely, you can see the lower tapered
roller bearings just below the steering head.   There is, of course, an upper set but I
couldn't find any more photos from that operation - sorry !  If I do come across more
photos hiding in the garage I'll post them too.  I'd *highly* recommend pulling the
fuel tank off, or at least sliding it back.   We didn't dent it while doing this, but I can see
where it would be very easy to do - the front end is kinda heavy, and when you have
the handlebars loose and flopping, things can get hit.

You'll want to have something sturdy to help hold up the front end, and I'd put some sort of
wood blocks under the bike frame if you don't have it strapped onto a bike lift.   It can be a bit tippy
in this condition.   I believe that we used a coated bungee cord or something to help hold the
handlebars/front end.   If you do this yourself, we'd all benefit from having better photo-documentation
of what you did, Sue !!  Best of luck !

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

I like to hang my bikes from the rafters when the front end is off.

[Ed Miller]

I like to hang my bikes from the rafters when the front end is off.

Sometimes I hate my pathetic excuse for an imagination.  It can really come up with some disgusting images.

[MrRiden]

The pics help. thanks

[suecanada]

Thank you so much Mike.....Rob is right....a hanging at dawn!  BTW. my steering was sweet last summer. Bike sat too much and now has problems...so this can happen quickly...I just hope it is dried grease not the bearings shot. Bike's hate to sit!

So far: For a 1983 R65LS   Clean and Lube Steering head Bearings

1. Remove National Cycle windscreen
2. Use circlips to undo the ignition threaded ring and remove ring and collar. Store safely.
3. Loosen black instrument cowling gently and carefully remove turn signal bulbs from inside holders.
4. Remove totally the black instrument cowling and store somewhere very safe!
5. Pop off the two black covers over the 2 top fork tubes. Store away.
6. Unscrew the 10 mm. Allen centre top nut and use a big screwdriver or steel rod to counter the force of removal.....I read this is called anti-torquing method and helps relieve cranking pressure on fork alignment. Awkward to hold both socket wrench and screwdriver but can be done. Nut turns counterclockwise and the screwdriver pressures clockwise.
7. I put the bike on a lift and cranked it up so front wheel is 2" off the floor.

Now that's as far as I have gone. Here is what I think may be the next step:

PLEASE CRITIQUE AND ADD/DELETE/ SUGGEST other ways:

8. I think I am suppose to put a block under the wheel now. Remove any fork brace or just loosen now.
9. Loosen only the lower yokes clamping bolts.
10.Remove the top oval looking nut from the top of each fork? Do It need to remove the filler Allen nuts?  I think I do but...Haynes says no for another model bike.
11 Do I loosen more stuff on the top yoke?
12. Lift the whole top yoke and handlebar assembly up...like Rob says maybe tie to ceiling with bungees and rope.
13. Remove the knurled or bevelled? adjustment nut.
14. Pull forks down while adjusting the block under the wheel to allow it to fall down a bit. Make sure I have fore and aft movement of forks so can smunch grease around. A slight hammer on hardwood blcok on the steering stem may be needed to make the forks fall down a bit.

I will get the camera out a try to snap each important step.

Greasing will be done by hand. Adjustment is another good challenge which I will tackle but now I need to watch the Masters Golf.    Be back tomorrow probably.

[Ed Miller]

Do you have your gas tank off?  Please don't dent that pretty red tank.

Here's a bit of heresy that I only realized after I did the job on mine:  I think you don't have to remove those top plugs at all, as they fit entirely inside the fork tubes, and the top yoke can slide up over them after it's lock bolts are loosened.  As I recall how much you hated removing and replacing them before, you should be happy to try it this way.    Just call it another R65 improvement.  But I think you have to remove the adjustor nut before you raise the upper yoke, not after.  You may need to disconnect stuff like your speedo drive cable, I can't remember.

Unlike the other Beemers of similar age, the top triple clamp on our R65s has an influence on the fork alignment, so you may want to check that out when you're nearly done.  A link to the article by Randy Glass is on the web page I posted earlier.  Sadly, a write up done by ME a couple of years ago, clarifying things for the R65, has gone the way of our previous forum.  What, ME save a copy?  Mostly just follow Snowbum's article, but remember that some of our specifics are different.  Personally I think our forks are better than the rest of the line; you won't see any of us installing a top fork brace by Steven in Phoenix because we already have one!  

Have fun!

[Bob_Roller]

Is it a safe assumption, that the lower bearing has a death grip on the steering spindle ? I was going to disassemble the entire front fork to remove and grease the bearings. But after looking at Sue's pictures, I don't think that is necessary, unless the bearing races are in need of replacement.

[Ed Miller]

I can't remember.  I know you can spin it around easily to clean and grease it (small hands would help, though) but I can't remember if it slips up and down readily, if that is your question.  And I must have been able to inspect the races, both top and bottom.  I remember Ed Korn sells a tool for removing and installing ...something.... in that area, but I thought it was the race that wouldn't move.