[Ratsalad]

...... but how do I know for sure?....What are the symtoms of a bad bearing and what is involved in changing it.

Obviously I need to remove the triple clamp to access the bearing, but that looks kinda tricky.

If I hold the front brake and compress the shocks repeatedly or under med. to hard braking there is a small chunk sound and I can feel it through the bars. Can't tell where exactly it's comin from, but I think it's in the steering head.

After hearing about CBR BRUTHA's little mishap (get well soon Brutha) I decided it's time to take care of this problem NOW!


I can order one from the dealer for ONLY $15---OH MY GOD!...$15. I didn't think you could get anything for a sportbike for under a hundred. Except those $8.00 screws.
I prefer to do my own repairs if possible, but I don't want to jump into a repair that I don't have the knowledge or the right tools to do it properly. Some things are better left to the professionals.

Do the aftermarket repair manuals explain how to do stuff like sprocket,chain replacements, bearing replacements, stuff like that.or are they worthless?

Where can I get a good one?

If I had a good repair manual my thread count would be a lot lower.



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Dave
94 FZR1

"That ain't the way we do things round here boy"

 

[Troublemaker400]

you might be able to get away with just adjusting the steering stem bearing. an aftermarket manual should give you all the info you need to do it. You might need a special socket or something to get the torque right on it. I think it's just like wheel bearings on a car where you would just tighten it to a certain torque and then back it off a 1/4 turn or something like that.

Luke

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[RCjohn]

This is a fairly easy task except for the time involved. One of the trickiest parts is supporting the bike while the front end is removed. Also be careful when torqueing the things back together. The bearings are actually very similar to automobile bearings and if you screw one up it doesn't cost an arm and a leg to get another.

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John

"If Harley made an airplane... would you fly in it?"

[This message has been edited by RCjohn (edited July 25, 2000).]

 

[DoubleAught]

Rat, it's highly unlikely that you need a new set of bearings. Most likely you just need to tighten the ones you have. The procedure is to remove the top clamp, support the bike so that the front wheel is off the ground and the front end is free to move from side to side. Tighten the bearing until the steering begins to drag, and then back off about 1/8 turn. Should be pretty straightforward. You'll know if you need to replace the bearings as you do this, because if they feel 'notchy' then they have become indexed, and need to be replaced. Hope this helps......

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[RCjohn]

Ordinarily I would agree with Leon about just tightening but it is starting to sound like this bike belonged to some clown that did nothing but wheelies. Uncontrolled wheelies will destroy fork seals and bearings in a hurry.

Hopefully it is just needing to be re-adjusted though. Good luck and you will be ready for duty as a race mechanic soon.

------------------
John

"If Harley made an airplane... would you fly in it?"

 

[Ratsalad]

Originally posted by RCjohn:
Ordinarily I would agree with Leon about just tightening but it is starting to sound like this bike belonged to some clown that did nothing but wheelies. Uncontrolled wheelies will destroy fork seals and bearings in a hurry.

-------------------------------

That is exactly what I was thinking. However the only thing that doesn't agree with that theory is that the bike was geared with a 39 rear. 47 is stock. That's 8 teeth smaller(duh) I couldn't even come close to getting the front off the ground with that set up. Maybe he could. Without talking to squidly I'll never know.
I tried to research the previous owner, but the only thing I could find out was he lived in Phoenix, AZ. and the bike was repossesed and sold at auction. I wish I could at least talk to him and find out how it was ridden, but I think I already know the answer-(now)
This weekend is the big teardown day so I will check everything then and HOPEFULLY it just needs tightening.

Thanks for the tips and hopefully you guys won't see a "How the hell do I put it back together" post around Sunday afternoon.

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Dave FZR1

"I have a few good reasons for drinking, and one has just entered my head...... If a man can't drink when he's living, how the hell can he drink when he's dead?"

 

[RCjohn]

Damn, it would be tough to do a wheelie with that gearing.

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John

"If Harley made an airplane... would you fly in it?"