Honda VFR 800Fi - Steering head bearings - Pre-load and tests

Honda VFR800Fi (1999 pre-Vtec) Steering head bearing (tapered)notes.

Taper roller bearings fitted 27-28th August 2018

Fitted OK but bearing pre-load (25NM) way too tight - using spring fishing scale on handlebar end - ~6lbs pull to move.

Bike tracked and weaved, difficult to change direction or ride in a straight line.

Readjusted to 13Nm pre-load torque - very little difference.

YouTube video (Suzuki bandit) recommended torquing to set bearings as per manual then back off the top nut 90-180 degrees. Also using fish scale on the end of the handlebar 0.5-1lb pull to get the handlebar to move; seemed a better approach as roller bearings are very different in their construction to a ball bearing race.

Tests carried out For the VFR

Preload Fish scale pull (Lbs)

13 Nm 4

Retightened to 25Nm (as per manual) and backed off 90 degrees. 0

50 degrees back off 2

70 degrees back off 1.2-1.4

(smooth travel from lock to lock and zero movement in the bearings when holding fork legs)

Reassembled steering head, lock washer, yoke, handlebars and torqued centre nut to 103NM

Rechecked pull 2.5 lbs

(As the pull value has increased I am assuming that the centre nut, when fully tightened has generated an increase in pressure on the bearings. Therefore additional slack will be required.

Disassembled yoke 90 degree back off and retorqued centre nut - 1.6 lbs pull

Disassembled yoke 100 degree back off and retorqued centre nut - 1.2 lbs pull

I'm leaving it at this value. Slightly more pull than that recommended for the Suzuki but as the VFR handlebars bars are narrower they would need a greater 'pull' value.

Just need to road test now but I am hoping all should be ok.

Road test proved ok so sticking to 1.2 lbs pull.

 

Thanks for the write up, I went through a similar thrash when I put tapered bearings in my Kawasaki. Gonna print your experience out and put it in the 5th Gen maintenance tips folder.

 

Thanks Greg; out for a road test tonight.

 

Road test proved ok. Just edited the write up to make a few points clearer.

 

forget the fish scales. too tight makes the frond end wander, so slightly back off from that until it's good. may take 2 or 3 tries, what you're too busy ?