Steering head

[Monty]

Well, I guess I need to replace my steering head bearings. I had the wobble at 80mph or so, and I tightened up the steering head a little. Now, the wobble is much better, but the steering response is way too sensitive now. It kind of feels like my tires are one inch wide now, and the bike teeters all over the place. Any small amount of input from me, and it overcorrects badly. I am constantly correcting back and forth when I am trying to cruise along. At acceleration, it is great, and as I said the wobble problem isn't near as bad. The bars aren't tight feeling either, just squirrelly.

 

 

Sound like maybe new bearings and races will cure this?

[Gearhead]

Well...I don't think it's quite that simple. Your bearings are too tight, that definitely causes the overcorrection wander thing. But tightening your bearings won't cure an 80mph wobble (at least I sure don't think so). A small degree of whole-bike-weave is normal at those speeds if you bump the bars, and it seems that only solid engine mounts really help that. As for handlebar-front-wheel-shake (usually worst at 40 mph), that's firstly related to front tire pressure and wear and balance. After that, many here say it's often loose head bearings, but I respectfully have to disagree; at least it's not my experience. Can be bad head bearings, wheel bearings, bad wheel, etc.

 

Do you feel a notch in your steering? Put it on the centerstand, lean back in the seat so the wheel is off the ground. Gently push the bars back and forth past center. Is there a notch at center? Having the bearings too tight will show this up better. If so, then you do need new ones. At any rate, you should probably go in there and either replace or at least repack them.

 

Jeremy

[MiCarl]

Well...I don't think it's quite that simple. Your bearings are too tight, that definitely causes the overcorrection wander thing. But tightening your bearings won't cure an 80mph wobble (at least I sure don't think so). A small degree of whole-bike-weave is normal at those speeds if you bump the bars, and it seems that only solid engine mounts really help that. As for handlebar-front-wheel-shake (usually worst at 40 mph), that's firstly related to front tire pressure and wear and balance. After that, many here say it's often loose head bearings, but I respectfully have to disagree; at least it's not my experience. Can be bad head bearings, wheel bearings, bad wheel, etc.

 

Do you feel a notch in your steering? Put it on the centerstand, lean back in the seat so the wheel is off the ground. Gently push the bars back and forth past center. Is there a notch at center? Having the bearings too tight will show this up better. If so, then you do need new ones. At any rate, you should probably go in there and either replace or at least repack them.

 

Jeremy

 

I concur. I'll add:

 

When you have the wheel up and are feeling it it should move smoothly lock to lock with very little resistance. Grab the wheel and try to "rattle" it perpendicular to the forks - there should be no play. In fact, the bearings should only be tight enough to eliminate the play, tighter will damage them.

 

There is a lot of labor involved in repacking steering head bearings, almost as much as replacing them. They're probably 29 years old and could fail tomorrow...... If I went in for anything I'd go ahead and replace them.