top nut

[dunvilsteev]

I am trying to do the steering head adjustment but I cannot for the life of me get that top nut loose. I've tried channel locks, even clamped on locking pliers and hammered the end, tried putting a pipe on the end .... all no go. That is one tight nut.

Any suggestions .... I dont have a wrench big enough for the head, and the darn space is so small. I presume it isnt a reverse thread and its "lefty lucy". Aaaargh!

[SilvrT]

I am trying to do the steering head adjustment but I cannot for the life of me get that top nut loose. I've tried channel locks, even clamped on locking pliers and hammered the end, tried putting a pipe on the end .... all no go. That is one tight nut.

Any suggestions .... I dont have a wrench big enough for the head, and the darn space is so small. I presume it isnt a reverse thread and its "lefty lucy". Aaaargh!

 

Well this is proof that no matter what a guy does or experiences on his scoot, someone else here also has .... I'm having the same problem! LOL

[dunvilsteev]

TWO OF US!!?? I think one more and its a recall, let me just check toyota.com.

 

I even just tried taking off the jack so there is some tire resistance, all that happens is it looks like I'm raising the whole front end up .... what adreneline?? scratched the crap outa the bolt already too.

 

Put a pipe on the end of the channel locks ... I bent the channel locks handle!! Don't mess with me!! grrrrr

Edited June 3, 2010 by dunvilsteev
addition

[V7Goose]

Well. the nut shouldn't really be that tough to get off - the torque spec is only 17 ft lbs. But I wouldn't try it without the proper size wrench (27mm or 1 1/16"). If you don't have an open-end that large, then it is pretty simple to remove the handlebars and use a socket.

 

As for the idea several people have mentioned in other threads recently that you need to loosen the pinch bolts on the top trippletree to make this adjustment - I don't buy that. The ring nuts generally need way less than 1/4 turn to tighten up, so the actual vertical movement of the steering head is virtually nil.

 

Not only do I make this adjustment without touching the pinch bolts, I used to do it without even loosening that top cap nut! It doesn't actually lock anything, just presses that thin top cover down on the top ring nut. Since you will be turning the ring nuts together in a direction down and away from the top plate, it is quite possible to do this without bothering that nut too; it just takes a slightly harder tap on the hammer to start the ring nuts moving.

Goose

[dunvilsteev]

Well. the nut shouldn't really be that tough to get off - the torque spec is only 17 ft lbs. But I wouldn't try it without the proper size wrench (27mm or 1 1/16"). If you don't have an open-end that large, then it is pretty simple to remove the handlebars and use a socket.

 

As for the idea several people have mentioned in other threads recently that you need to loosen the pinch bolts on the top trippletree to make this adjustment - I don't buy that. The ring nuts generally need way less than 1/4 turn to tighten up, so the actual vertical movement of the steering head is virtually nil.

 

Not only do I make this adjustment without touching the pinch bolts, I used to do it without even loosening that top cap nut! It doesn't actually lock anything, just presses that thin top cover down on the top ring nut. Since you will be turning the ring nuts together in a direction down and away from the top plate, it is quite possible to do this without bothering that nut too; it just takes a slightly harder tap on the hammer to start the ring nuts moving.

Goose

Thanks Goose

I'm going to try it without loosening that darn bolt .... looking at the rings from the right hand side (throttle above my head) I should be hitting them so that if looked at from above they would be turning clockwise or to the right .... I presume this is the correct direction ... second guessing myself

[SilvrT]

Thanks Goose

I'm going to try it without loosening that darn bolt .... looking at the rings from the right hand side (throttle above my head) I should be hitting them so that if looked at from above they would be turning clockwise or to the right .... I presume this is the correct direction ... second guessing myself

 

When I was looking at tightening mine, it seemed to me that it would be easier to get the right angle to the "locking" nuts with the screwdriver/hammer from the LEFT side of the bike...??

 

Yes/No ?

[dunvilsteev]

All rightee!!

Thank guys! YES from the left hand side seemed to worked vs the right.

Did NOT need to undo that nutfromhell. Front wheel sits solid! Yeah.

Thanks again.

[V7Goose]

Both the ring nuts and the top cap nut are normal clockwise threads. You can tap the ring nuts from either side of the steering head, just depending on where you can get the best angle for the current position of the ring nuts. Sometimes the tab washer is in the way on one side, so you need to get to them from the other side.

 

Just a note for anyone who has not seen my comments on this elsewhere - the two ring nuts are locked together with an aluminum tab washer, but that tab washer is NOT keyed to the shaft or locked in place in any way (except for the pressure of the cap nut on the top). Because of this, you do NOT need to pry out the tabs - you will be turning both ring nuts together.

Goose

[SilvrT]

All rightee!!

Thank guys! YES from the left hand side seemed to worked vs the right.

Did NOT need to undo that nutfromhell. Front wheel sits solid! Yeah.

Thanks again.

 

how much movement in those nuts did it take?

[slick97spirit]

how much movement in those nuts did it take?

 

I did mine recently per Goose's instructions and turned it maybe 1/4 turn, but I did it little by little to make sure I didn't over tighten them.

[V7Goose]

There is no way to predict how much you will need to turn the ring nuts - it all depends on how loose the bearings are. Just as a rule of thumb, if you need to turn then ring nuts more than the full distance from one slot to the next, your bearings are probably destroyed.

 

If in doubt about the condition of the bearings, I would SLIGHTLY over-tighten the nuts (just so the forks do not smoothly fall all the way to the stop on the left side), then carefully check for any slop in the bearings by pulling straight forward and back on the bottom of the forks. When doing this test, try not to rock the bike on whatever stand or jack you are using, and if you detect even the slightest motion in the steering bearings, they are ruined. This happens a lot when the bike is ridden much with the bearings too loose since they never turn in the race and every bump hammers the rollers in the same spot.

 

Finally, be sure to back off the ring nuts to the correct tightness so that the forks just slightly rebound from the first touch on the steering lock when falling under their own weight to the LEFT side. If this is done correctly, the steering head will only touch the stop one time; if it bounces up and then returns all the way to rest on the stop, the bearings are too loose.

Goose

[dunvilsteev]

how much movement in those nuts did it take?

 

I'd say mine moved about 1/4" total.

[dunvilsteev]

How often should this be checked?

05 and this is my first time, I thought my bearings MUST be ruined but things seem just as explained, soft plunk to the left side and firmer to the right side.

 

I will check for motion next time I dig out that ^#$^ jack again. Ain't they a treat to pick up?! ooowww my back!

 

Thanks again guys - indebted!

[SilvrT]

Finally, be sure to back off the ring nuts to the correct tightness so that the forks just slightly rebound from the first touch on the steering lock when falling under their own weight to the LEFT side. If this is done correctly, the steering head will only touch the stop one time; if it bounces up and then returns all the way to rest on the stop, the bearings are too loose.

Goose

 

OK, just so I have this totally clear (as mud) ... I have the bike up on the jack. Because the jack angles slightly to the left of the bike, the steering has a tendency to turn that way on it's own. I can centre it by hand but as soon as I let go, it will turn towards the left...it won't go all the way though. So, I will lightly force it to hit the stop and it will bounce off the stop ... and stop moving.

 

All of this sounds "normal" ???

[V7Goose]

It is hard for me to say if that is normal without actually touching it myself, but something doesn't sound quite right.

 

The reason I say to check the tension on the left side is because the throttle cables and wiring harness run on that side and often cause some tension that prevents the steering from smoothly falling all the way to the right. The tension from the throttle cables is often so much that the throttle will not even snap all the way closed when the forks are held all the way to the right stop!

 

But unless something else is binding the steering, the forks should always fall naturally under their own weight all the way to the stop on the left. If yours does not fall all the way to the stop, that could be caused by bad bearings, too tight adjustment, not enough grease, or something pulling/pushing on the fairing as the forks turn that way.

 

As for frequency of checking the bearings, I strongly recommend that ALL Royal Stars be checked before 10,000 miles, since the initial looseness in these bearings seems to be a chronic problem. After being properly adjusted, I have not had an issue with them getting loose again, but I'd still recommend this simple test be done any time the bike is on a jack, such as at each tire change. Since the front tire always leaves the ground first, the best point to check it is with the front tire just off the ground and the real wheel still down - that way you have less motion from the bike and it is easier to feel slop in the forks. Of course, if you ever think you feel chattering in the handlebars when using moderate to heavy front brake over rough road surface, then that is an indication you have very loose steering bearings and should check them immediately. For me, that chattering is most noticeable just before the stop at a light when the road surface is a little bumpy.

Goose