Forks and steering head bearing

[Reno380]

I have a 2008 gl1800 converted to road Smith trike, forks started seeping oil and the head bearing seems to be going out as well. What is the perfect tool to use to put the bottom bearing on the stem? Seems like to me that a inch and half steel pipe would do the trick, but how long of a piece would be required? Parts are still on the way, not ready to do this yet, at least for another week or 2.

Thanks for your help.

-=Reno=-

[Rambozo]

If you heat the race a little, it will drop on by gravity alone. No caveman pounding required.

[Reno380]

How would I repack it? Would the bearing not lose most of the grease? One friend in my group suggested that I place the bottom triple tree in a cooler with dry ice to get it really cold then put the bearing on.

[Rambozo]

The factory bearings are all loose pieces. Install the race, then pack and drop the ball cage on it.
The All Balls tapered roller bearing conversion (a great upgrade) has the rollers and the inner race as one unit, but the outer is separate so you can install the inner, then grease it.

[Reno380]

I have the all balls upgrade. I normally pack these styles of bearings first, just never done steering head bearing, was not sure if I needed to do the same.

Thank you for your advice, it really helps!!

Reno

[Andy Cote]

What makes you think "the head bearing seems to be going out" as well? If you can feel a notch, which is uncommon with the All Balls tapered bearings, then they need to come out and repacking would be a waste. If there is some looseness, have you checked the tightness, torque as per All Balls instructions?

The How-To Articles above have good instructions on replacing seals and bearings. There are also details on how to make your own bearing R/R tools. Again, the All Balls tapered roller bearing installation differs from OEM ball bearings. There are also several good YouTube videos.

The article says it, but I would stress the importance of using OEM seals and replacing all the bushings at the same time.

[GoldWingrGreg]

To remove the old races in the steering head (frame), we carefully drive them out with one of those 2-3' long pry-bar screw driver. The one on the steering stem, we use a fat, dull metal chisel to break the bearing cage loose. Once the race on the steering stem is exposed, we cut the race using a Dremel wheel, which will usually crack the race so that it slides off. To drive the lower bearing on to the stem, and both races into the frame, we use a bearing race driver punch from Snap-On.

Unfortunanly, the All-Balls are made of Chineese steel, and on trikes often need replaced. Often they become notchy with less the 15k. Usually we'll wait for them to be real nothchy before replacing them. On a 2-whl 5th gen, at 70k the bearings will become notchy.

[Reno380]

I purchased the all balls steering bearing and fork oil, seals, bushing kit for both forks. I bought the bike used, triked it after 1.5 years owning, has been tricked 3 years now and recently noticed that the steering seems to wander on the road, sometimes I feel a flat spot with the handle bars while turning, guess that's the best way to explain it. I spoke with a mechanic that works on nothing but Goldwings and he confirmed that the fork seals are leaking and the steering bearings are starting to go bad. I have no idea if all balls have ever been installed or still OEM. I have put about 55k miles on it since purchasing it and only had reverse go out which I repaired, and now the forks/steering bearing, all in all going on 5 years not bad so far.

[Charlie1Horse]

If you are replacing with OEM bearings, remove the triple tree from the head and from the forks. Place the tree in the freezer for several hours and place the inner race in the oven and heat it up quite hot. Then when you are ready to install the bearing race, remove the tree from the freezer and the race from the oven. Quickly place the race on the tree and tamp it down with a piece of pipe that just fits over the tree. This will expand the race and contract the tree tube so they will be quite a bit easier to assemble. Then pack the bearing (balls). At the same time freeze the outer race while the tree is in the freezer. After installing the bearing on the tree, remove the outer race and,with a driver that just fits in the head, drive the outer race into the head until it bottoms out. If you are using the All-Balls bearing, still freeze the tree as before. You can pack the bearing full of wheel bearing grease but it can't be heated with the grease in it (that would make a real mess) and you can't heat it and then pack it because it would be too hot to hold to pack so, pack and set aside for now. After freezing you can use the same procedure to drive the bearing/race and the outer race. The same process works for the upper bearing with the exception of heating the frame head. Then reassemble the tree to the head, the handlebar, and the forks. Then properly torque the head bearing nut. I hope this helps someone out there.
Russell

[Reno380]

I have the tool for the race that fits both top and bottom sides and will evenly seat. It is the stem length, will 22 inch pipe be long enough? I don't know how long the stem is. I like to have everything needed so it doesn't take days to do the job. My fork seal driver arrived today and the inside walls are severely scratched so now I am waiting to hear from the seller so I can exchange for another one that is not scratched, last thing I need is to scar my fork tubes when I install new seals and bushings.

[Andy Cote]

I have the tool for the race that fits both top and bottom sides and will evenly seat. It is the stem length, will 22 inch pipe be long enough? I don't know how long the stem is. I like to have everything needed so it doesn't take days to do the job. My fork seal driver arrived today and the inside walls are severely scratched so now I am waiting to hear from the seller so I can exchange for another one that is not scratched, last thing I need is to scar my fork tubes when I install new seals and bushings.

Thinking 22 inches is plenty.

Seals and bushing go in pretty easy. There is clearance between the ID of the driver and the tube but some oil is not going to hurt anything.