SilentG
Junior Member
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2009
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- 40
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- Location
- South Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Hi guys n gals
Today I had my steering head bearings changed. I didn't get them fitted by a proper bike garage but by a friend of a friend who is a qualified bike mechanic.
Anyway, I bought the bearings myself, tapered (pyramid parts ones) correct size etc. So after going and picking my baby up, the guy asked me to take it for a spin to see if I thought it felt ok. Tootled off down the road and virtually as soon as I set off there was a weird swaying in the steering going off.
Might sound a bit odd but it was like something was off balance. As I am no mechanic I don't really know the technical term for it but it didn't do it prior to having the bearings done. By the way the old bearings were really f**ked, one ball bearing had totally disintegrated on the top race.
Quick u-turn and went back to the mechanic. He seemed a little befuddled of the problem but endeavoured to check all the bolts, nuts etc, which were all tight. Took it for another little spin to see if that was any better and to no avail... same as before, no better no worse so I took it back.
This time he looked at the position of the stancions, which obviously had to be the same either side, me noticed that one was ever so slightly higher than the other. The grooves on each one that are about 2mm off the top are apparently supposed to be lined up to the yoke top. He altered one of them but stil to me seems a fraction off kilter. So off I popped once again for a test run.
Same as before, it is really noticable when doing upto 40mph, which on UK roads is pretty much all you are allowed to do. Anything over 40mph is less noticable.
I took it back once again and he said its possible because they are new bearings and may need bedding in and if they are no better to come back later on in the week.
Right, ramble over. Has anyone got any ideas of what could be causing this weird swaying of the steering? Or is the fraction between both stancions to blame or could it be purely the bearings that need bedding in?
This is really doing my head in, with only one days riding under my belt since having them done my arms are killing with having to compensate the sway which is also making me NOT enjoy riding... seriously I can't be doing with this as its putting me off.
There must be someone who can shed light on this predicament :/
Thanks for reading guys n gals
Today I had my steering head bearings changed. I didn't get them fitted by a proper bike garage but by a friend of a friend who is a qualified bike mechanic.
Anyway, I bought the bearings myself, tapered (pyramid parts ones) correct size etc. So after going and picking my baby up, the guy asked me to take it for a spin to see if I thought it felt ok. Tootled off down the road and virtually as soon as I set off there was a weird swaying in the steering going off.
Might sound a bit odd but it was like something was off balance. As I am no mechanic I don't really know the technical term for it but it didn't do it prior to having the bearings done. By the way the old bearings were really f**ked, one ball bearing had totally disintegrated on the top race.
Quick u-turn and went back to the mechanic. He seemed a little befuddled of the problem but endeavoured to check all the bolts, nuts etc, which were all tight. Took it for another little spin to see if that was any better and to no avail... same as before, no better no worse so I took it back.
This time he looked at the position of the stancions, which obviously had to be the same either side, me noticed that one was ever so slightly higher than the other. The grooves on each one that are about 2mm off the top are apparently supposed to be lined up to the yoke top. He altered one of them but stil to me seems a fraction off kilter. So off I popped once again for a test run.
Same as before, it is really noticable when doing upto 40mph, which on UK roads is pretty much all you are allowed to do. Anything over 40mph is less noticable.
I took it back once again and he said its possible because they are new bearings and may need bedding in and if they are no better to come back later on in the week.
Right, ramble over. Has anyone got any ideas of what could be causing this weird swaying of the steering? Or is the fraction between both stancions to blame or could it be purely the bearings that need bedding in?
This is really doing my head in, with only one days riding under my belt since having them done my arms are killing with having to compensate the sway which is also making me NOT enjoy riding... seriously I can't be doing with this as its putting me off.
There must be someone who can shed light on this predicament :/
Thanks for reading guys n gals