Head stem bearing

Post by **icebreaker** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 8:30 am

I've noticed the steering has become quite notchy mainly at low speed. It had been pointed out a few weeks ago that it needs to be done but I was told that as to when was basically upto me in terms of how i felt it affected things.

I was hoping to get some feedback as to how much people have paid to have them replaced.

I have a track day on the 12th of march so depending on the cost factor I will have to look at having it done.

Cheers,

Dan

Smitty · Post by **Smitty** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 1:05 pm

Dan

its expensive in a Kwaka shop
the bearings are $60-$80 ...genuine of course
plus lots of labour $ coz the all the fairing and front end
(forks clamps wheel etc) have to come out
which is why lots do it themselves

its a prick of a job coz of the way the bearings sit in the
headstem ..and if you don't have the patience or tools
I'm afraid you have to save up

hth

Phil · Post by **Phil** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 2:04 pm

i didnt have time to do mine befoe the island trip so i got the shop to do it. $320, as Ian said its mainly labour charges.

HTH

Post by **icebreaker** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 2:08 pm

Fark... $300..

bugger that... I'll ride the biatch with no bearings... Looks like a DIY job...

BTW, how can you have Kawasaki original bearings.. ROFL.. They're bearings FFS.. You can't tell me they make their own.. I'll be going to a bearing joint and finding me some replacements.. Just have to work out what needs to be done..

*Yells* Rossi... Beer and bikes night.. What ya recon???

javaman · Post by **javaman** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 2:22 pm

Thats exxie

. More reason to not practice mono

Haven't looked at the manual but looks like a simple job? Take off the clamps, fairing, that big bolt, that ring nut ?

Stereo · Post by **Stereo** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 3:01 pm

I had my gpx done a long time ago..... it was farkin expensive....

I watched them do it it too.... it wasnt a complicated job... just a time consuming one...

Smitty · Post by **Smitty** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 4:19 pm

javaman wrote:Thats exxie . More reason to not practice mono

Haven't looked at the manual but looks like a simple job? Take off the clamps, fairing, that big bolt, that ring nut ?

yeah Andi

thats the easy part...getting the taper bearing out is reasonably easy
the bottom one can be a bugger to get off the steering shaft
but the bearing cups....?

special tools or some fancy bits like welders
and long drifts are needed

without them...go to a workshop

Post by **icebreaker** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 4:26 pm

Creativity my dear Smitty.. Creativity... Just add beer and you can do anything

hehehe

Rossi · Post by **Rossi** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 4:52 pm

No problemo Mr Dan.........
Got a big chisel and hammer

Might need to pinch the welder from work to put a nib on the bugger.........gives summat for the chisel to bite on to

Smitty · Post by **Smitty** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 5:27 pm

Rossi wrote:No problemo Mr Dan.........
Got a big chisel and hammer
Might need to pinch the welder from work to put a nib on the bugger.........gives summat for the chisel to bite on to

...zactly me ol'china

and don't forget the 4lb smoter

mrmina · Post by **mrmina** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 5:40 pm

Rossi wrote:No problemo Mr Dan.........
Got a big chisel and hammer
Might need to pinch the welder from work to put a nib on the bugger.........gives summat for the chisel to bite on to

can i bring the sledgie

I-K · Post by **I-K** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 6:26 pm

icebreaker wrote:BTW, how can you have Kawasaki original bearings.. ROFL.. They're bearings FFS.. You can't tell me they make their own..

Nope, but I can tell you they pick dimensions and construction so obscure that a bearing joint will have trouble finding generic replacements.

Eg. after having the frame and swingarm of my ZX9 powdercoated, I needed to refit the swingarm bearings; one ball and three cageless needle-roller bearings at the swingarm pivot, and two other cageless needle-roller bearings for the dogbone pivot.

The closest the big local place here in Canberra could do were needle-roller bearings of ostensibly the same dimensions as what I needed, except they were caged, not cageless, and despite the same numbers, they didn't actually fit.

I ended up reusing the old ones...

That said, you shouldn't have such dramas with steering head bearings...

Tack · Post by **Tack** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 7:49 pm

I dunno whether the head stem bearings on ur bike would be similar to the ZX7R in design but I did get some after market ones which were a little hard to source because of the unusual deisgn.

The problem is the inner race on the bottom has a radiused edge that seats on the stem shaft. A normal bearing doesn't have the radius'd edge.

The top bearing is pretty straight forward and standard (with a square edge)

Anyway, I was able to source both after market and they cost me $70 for the two bearings at trade price. Just BTW, the bearing have numbers on them which can be cross referenced to all the different brands. In my personal opinion, SKF are the best brand.

As far as doing the job is concerned....it was pretty straight forward but a little awkward. The main pain in the arse was guiding the lower bearing shell home as you have to fit it upwards which means working backhanded. I guess I had it easy though cause I made a drift the right diameter in the lathe which made it easy to keep the shell straight so it slipped in easy.

The other niggle bit was getting the lower bearing off the stem. I actually set the stem up in the press with a bearing drift under it and the bearing basically fell off. So I guess the story here is that if you can keep the bearing square with the shaft it will come off easy.