Steering head bearing replacement.

Oh joy, oh joy!!

Just futzing around and discovered the head bearings were notched. There is a definite centering when the front end is unweighted. :frown: I thought it was handling a bit off since I put the new Conti tires on, but thought maybe it was just different tires. Nope, time for new bearings. I ordered new Timken style bearings from Honda to replace them. I thought about going with AllBalls, but I've heard they use Chinese bearings. Hopefully I'll get the good ones from Honda.

And since I've got all the stuff off the front, I'm going to install my Galfer stainless lines. I've had them forever but just couldn't bring myself to face the installation and bleeding required. But this looks like the perfect time.

Just started this afternoon, hopefully all the bearings will be in this coming week.

Wish me luck. :smile:

 

Good choice avoiding Chinese crap "AllBalls." But the way things are now, it's possible your Timkens were outsourced to China too.

How many miles on yo' bitch ?? Dija check the wheel bearings when you changed tires ? With things apart, it's a great time to do fork maintenance, inspecting the bushings and changing the oil.

 

Not that many miles: 35,000. I wasn't really sure about not using AllBalls but I know I didn't want Chinese bearings, and it seems to be the consensus that AllBalls uses them, so I decided to give 'em a pass. AllBalls is sure a lot cheaper: $30 versus nearly $70. But sometimes you do indeed get what you pay for. I've still got the bike I bought new in 1986, so I'll probably have the VFR for a while longer and might as well cover what bases I can. I've only had it 12 years so far. :biggrin:

I changed out the wheel bearings when I had the wheels powdercoated at 28,000 miles and checked the forks when I changed the springs and fork oil at 25,000 miles. I can't believe I never noticed the head bearings getting so bad. I haven't got them apart yet, but they have to be awful. With the fork tubes out it feels like there is a huge divot right at 12:00!! And I'm too uncoordinated to do wheelies, so it's just normal wear. It really makes no sense for Honda not to put tapered bearings in the VFR since they do a bunch of other models.

I have the complete set of Galfer lines including the rear brakes and clutch, so I may do the rear brakes and clutch while I'm waiting on the bearings.

 

Cannot go wrong with oem parts. Good choice post some pictures if you can. Have fun working on her front end I am sure she Will be a different girl when you done (Like a virgin) lol

 

Here's the Galfer lines, a total of nine of the little devils: .

I also have a set of SpeedBleeders to install too. We'll see how those work out. I've got a MityVac, but it usually leaks badly around the threads of the bleeder valve.

 

Haha.....you get all the good parts now time to get those fingers nail dirty. Look like fun too bad you cannot wait till winter so you can still ride I am sure the fjr is waiting to hit the road.

 

me, I never cared for speed bleeders (thats just me though) I used to poo poo air-assisted suckers (mity-vac) I own one of those now and its a titz thing I gota say. You can do a hydro-clutch lickity split with two strokes of the clutch lever and get a good feel.

You must have ABS based on all them lines, your sucker tool will come into handy fer sure!!!

When you do your head bearings, me likes to use one of my most favorites tools, BMFH...paired with a nice racist punch, excuse me, race-punch.

 

Been working at it intermittently since my bearings haven't come in yet. Got the Galfer clutch line on and bled, which was a piece o' cake. MityVac does come in handy every once in a while.


And the rear lines are in place and secured to the master cylinder and brake. Not bled since I don't have the front lines hooked up. Easier to work on the bearings with the brake lines out of the way.

Bearings should be here tomorrow or Saturday, I hope. Got the steering head in the freezer and will put the outer races in there when they come in.

Coming along slow but sure, haven't hit any real bad spots yet.

 

Those braided line sure look prutty :biggrin:

 

Wow! that's alot of lines!

Why are there 2 lines to the rear brake? Is that because of the link'd brakes?

 

Dats da fact jack!

 

My names not jack. :tongue:

You should have said:

"Now ya know slow!"

 

And the saga continues. The bearings came in yesterday afternoon and got them installed and torqued down. They feel pretty good but we'll see how it goes. Put all the front lines on and ran into the first snag: the hoses that connect to the hard lines that run to the rear are replaced with the steel lines. But there is no clamp included to secure the new fitting to the steering head area. The 6th gens have an included clamp that does not come with the kit for the 5th gen. Bummer. So I had to fabricate my own today after a trip to the hardware/auto parts stores. It turned out pretty good and is solid so the lines don't move around when turning.


Started bleeding the brakes and the SpeedBleeders are the cat's a$$. The MityVac worked good too, but after you got some pressure the SpeedBleeders work great with no air leakage around the threads like the standard bleeders. Yeah, I know you can fix that, but I still like the SpeedBleeders. Anyhoo the brakes have been bled and I have zip tied the front brake for tonight. I'll probably have to do some final bleeding tomorrow, but all in all it wasn't a bad job at all. Used about 2 pints of fluid all told.

 

Done and done!

Okay, finally finished. I'm retired so I have plenty of time to do these things. :smile:

Here's an overall view:


Here's the rear lines and the line to the oiler outlet:



While it was down I also ran new lines and new wires to my HawkeOiler:
It's a manual oiler and this is the push button:


I hooked up a double drip so it hits both sides of the chain:


And since I put a 45 tooth sprocket on I got my bicycle computer working again:
The RAM mount on the tank mounting bolts is for the GPS and the one on the bars is for my camcorder:


Hope the pics aren't too intrusive, but I love to share. :biggrin:

 

Great job FJ..............:thumbsup: I like it

 

Nice Job!!! Love them red wheels...

 

Thank you all. :biggrin:

 

Hey FJ12

Did you purchase the rack for the rear of your bike, or is that something you made yourself. If you purchased it, whereabouts did you order it from if you don't mind my asking? Also noticed the little blue screen beside the instrument cluster on the black instrument panel bezel. Is that a voltmeter? Where did you wire the voltmeter to? Direct to battery on a fused relay or off something else?

 

The rear rack/sissy bar is from Sargent, they offered them for a limited time and I got one then. Apparently I was one of the few, as they weren't out too long. :smile:

Yes, the blue screen is for a Datel voltmeter, believe it or not I went with blue instead of red. :smile: It's wired from a relay from a Blue Sea fuse box. When I installed it I checked the voltage drop versus wired directly from the battery and it was only a tenth of a volt or so. Not enough to worry about IMO, and it's nice to know what your R/R is doing.

 

Hey FJ
Would you mind sending me a couple of more detailed photos of the rack on your bike. I have a friend who works for a steel fabricator, so maybe I can get him to fab up something similar. I like to take my son for rides on the bike and I would feel better if he had something behind him to lean against when he gets tired. The GIVI rack system, though great looking and convenient, is just a little bulky and I think the bars that hook in to the side of the tail fairing would be in the way of his legs, since he is fairly young and has short legs. Can PM you my email adderss if that is alright with you?

BTW, I meant to say nice job on the Galfer stainless lines, they look sweet. Might have to get a set of those.