Steering Column And Fork Service

My friend Craig was having some problems with his bike, when he would stop he could hear a clunk when he grabbed brakes. I told him his steering bearings were probably loose.

So he decided to tear the bike down, he removed the steering column and cleaned the races and bearing in some solvent.

[image: IPB Image]
This picture is the steering head, he had already removed all that stuff before I came over.

[image: IPB Image]
I told him since he had the forks off we should go ahead and change the fork oil since he has 50k miles on them. He said "I am way ahead of you bud" as he pulled out the new fork oil he bought.

Here I am dumping out the old oil, it was the wrong stuff, it was the 10w honda oil! The 96 VFR calls for 5w clear, this stuff was red like mine which is 10w. Craig said when he took off the forks he noticed that the right fork was sitting 2mm higher than the left one! Whoever serviced the forks last time must have been an idiot!

We could not get the cartridge out since the hex keys he has are the rounded ones and they stripped when we tried to get the bolts out of the bottom.

[image: IPB Image]
We just pumped them out as best we could and added the new oil, 14.5oz to a height of 7" to the top of the fork I had to pour some out and add some to get the correct oil height.

We counted the treads to make sure that the cap was screwed in the same spot on the damping rods for both forks, that way the preload would be the same for both forks.

This is the top race, it was slightly pitted but nothing major, I told Craig he should replace them, he agreed but not for the moment.

[image: IPB Image]

[image: IPB Image]
(The clean bearings before we repacked them with grease.

[image: IPB Image]
we packed in new grease and slipped the steering column back on fitted on the bolt and hand tightened it made sure it was smooth and not too tight.

[image: IPB Image]
Craig tapped on the pinch bolt and tightened it down then bent the clips back in place

[image: IPB Image]

Here I am setting the forks to their CORRECT position in the triple tree 39mm to from the triple tree to the top of the fork crown.

[image: IPB Image]

Here is Craig tightening the bottom pinch bolts after I set the forks

[image: IPB Image]
We put the axle in to make sure the forks were not twisted in the triple tree made sure it lined up correctly.

[image: IPB Image]
We put the wheel on, brakes, and fairings and then we set the sag to 35mm for front and back, he likes a slightly soft ride.

Heh Craig rides really fast and I wonder just how fast he can ride with a bike that is actually set up correctly :goof: it is a wonder how he rode it like that the way he does

I had trouble removing the bottom bolts also. I had to buy a socket type allen wrench that was extra long. I also needed to use an impact driver to loosen them. While you're at it, raise the fork oil by using a measurement of 6.5 inches ILO 7.0 inches (this is what I used the 2nd time). This greatly reduces the tendency of the forks to dive during heavy braking. I am confident that Craig will appreciate the extra oil like I do. Good luck.  :p

Is it possible to view this pics on this post still?

HispanicSlammer, Feb 11 2003, 03:56 PM
My friend Craig was having some problems with his bike, when he would stop he could hear a clunk when he grabbed brakes. I told him his steering bearings were probably loose.

So he decided to tear the bike down, he removed the steering column and cleaned the races and bearing in some solvent.

[image: IPB Image] (screen.width/1.75)){this.width = (this.width/1.75)}" onclick="java script:if(this.width > (screen.width/1.75)){this.width = (this.width/1.75)} else {this.width = (this.width*1.75)}" border="0" alt='Posted image: Click to resize'>

This picture is the steering head, he had already removed all that stuff before I came over.

[image: IPB Image] (screen.width/1.75)){this.width = (this.width/1.75)}" onclick="java script:if(this.width > (screen.width/1.75)){this.width = (this.width/1.75)} else {this.width = (this.width*1.75)}" border="0" alt='Posted image: Click to resize'>

I told him since he had the forks off we should go ahead and change the fork oil since he has 50k miles on them. He said "I am way ahead of you bud" as he pulled out the new fork oil he bought.

Here I am dumping out the old oil, it was the wrong stuff, it was the 10w honda oil! The 96 VFR calls for 5w clear, this stuff was red like mine which is 10w. Craig said when he took off the forks he noticed that the right fork was sitting 2mm higher than the left one! Whoever serviced the forks last time must have been an idiot!

We could not get the cartridge out since the hex keys he has are the rounded ones and they stripped when we tried to get the bolts out of the bottom.

[image: IPB Image] (screen.width/1.75)){this.width = (this.width/1.75)}" onclick="java script:if(this.width > (screen.width/1.75)){this.width = (this.width/1.75)} else {this.width = (this.width*1.75)}" border="0" alt='Posted image: Click to resize'>

We just pumped them out as best we could and added the new oil, 14.5oz to a height of 7" to the top of the fork I had to pour some out and add some to get the correct oil height.

We counted the treads to make sure that the cap was screwed in the same spot on the damping rods for both forks, that way the preload would be the same for both forks.

This is the top race, it was slightly pitted but nothing major, I told Craig he should replace them, he agreed but not for the moment.

[image: IPB Image] (screen.width/1.75)){this.width = (this.width/1.75)}" onclick="java script:if(this.width > (screen.width/1.75)){this.width = (this.width/1.75)} else {this.width = (this.width*1.75)}" border="0" alt='Posted image: Click to resize'>

[image: IPB Image] (screen.width/1.75)){this.width = (this.width/1.75)}" onclick="java script:if(this.width > (screen.width/1.75)){this.width = (this.width/1.75)} else {this.width = (this.width*1.75)}" border="0" alt='Posted image: Click to resize'>

The clean bearings before we repacked them with grease.

[image: IPB Image] (screen.width/1.75)){this.width = (this.width/1.75)}" onclick="java script:if(this.width > (screen.width/1.75)){this.width = (this.width/1.75)} else {this.width = (this.width*1.75)}" border="0" alt='Posted image: Click to resize'>

we packed in new grease and slipped the steering column back on fitted on the bolt and hand tightened it made sure it was smooth and not too tight.

[image: IPB Image] (screen.width/1.75)){this.width = (this.width/1.75)}" onclick="java script:if(this.width > (screen.width/1.75)){this.width = (this.width/1.75)} else {this.width = (this.width*1.75)}" border="0" alt='Posted image: Click to resize'>

Craig tapped on the pinch bolt and tightened it down then bent the clips back in place

[image: IPB Image] (screen.width/1.75)){this.width = (this.width/1.75)}" onclick="java script:if(this.width > (screen.width/1.75)){this.width = (this.width/1.75)} else {this.width = (this.width*1.75)}" border="0" alt='Posted image: Click to resize'>

Here I am setting the forks to their CORRECT position in the triple tree 39mm to from the triple tree to the top of the fork crown.

[image: IPB Image] (screen.width/1.75)){this.width = (this.width/1.75)}" onclick="java script:if(this.width > (screen.width/1.75)){this.width = (this.width/1.75)} else {this.width = (this.width*1.75)}" border="0" alt='Posted image: Click to resize'>

Here is Craig tightening the bottom pinch bolts after I set the forks

[image: IPB Image] (screen.width/1.75)){this.width = (this.width/1.75)}" onclick="java script:if(this.width > (screen.width/1.75)){this.width = (this.width/1.75)} else {this.width = (this.width*1.75)}" border="0" alt='Posted image: Click to resize'>

We put the axle in to make sure the forks were not twisted in the triple tree made sure it lined up correctly.

[image: IPB Image] (screen.width/1.75)){this.width = (this.width/1.75)}" onclick="java script:if(this.width > (screen.width/1.75)){this.width = (this.width/1.75)} else {this.width = (this.width*1.75)}" border="0" alt='Posted image: Click to resize'>

We put the wheel on, brakes, and fairings and then we set the sag to 35mm for front and back, he likes a slightly soft ride.

Heh Craig rides really fast and I wonder just how fast he can ride with a bike that is actually set up correctly :goof: it is a wonder how he rode it like that the way he does?

PLEASE as I am having the same problem