Ducati Monster Forum

Anybody have anything good/bad to say about this product: https://secure.speedymoto.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=03-02TB-1&Category_Code=BR (https://secure.speedymoto.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=03-02TB-1&Category_Code=BR)

Its a taper roller kit complete with seals.

I have 'em, but also have the SM top & bottom triples as well - definitely noticed a much better feel after the install.  Before I put them on/in I had a bit of a wierd oscillating "weave" going thru high speed sweepers, that is gone.

I would recommend them -  added benefit is that they are longer lasting than the stock bearings.

When/if you put them in, it's a pretty tight fit & can be tough to get them to fully seat properly - once you get them in & put 100 or so miles on, check for any play, if yes, then tighten things up again.  I didn't have any prob, but just wanted to make you aware of the potential.

I definitely noticed, just sitting on the bike & moving bars side to side, that it was much smoother over stock.

I am going to be disassembling my front end anyways so I figured why not replace the bearings.  I just wonder if there will be a noticeable difference with stock clamps.  Is the installation difficult?  (first time I am taking the front apart).

You will need:
Some form of support that leaves the front end free
Special tool to remove the headstock nut
A bearing puller with split bearing cups to remove the bottom inner race

You can drift out (carefully) the outer races from the  frame and( again VERY carefullt) tap in the new bearings, use a soft drift to dive them home.

Use a torque wrench to tighten the headstock nut as this is setting the bearing preload.

Any idea where I can get that special tool for the headstock ring nut?  I think I am going to use a come-along to lift the front end.

Do you mean this?:
(http://www.desmotimes.com/Images/product/steeringstemnuttool.jpg)

www.desmotimes.com has them, among others.

Sorry to thread jack...

That is what he means... I made a tool like that with two screws and a vise grip; 0$...

Couldn't see buying one for the once or twice I would use it. And mine worked like a charm..

The important point here is being able to torque the nut to the specified figure. This governs the preload on the bearings.

safest way I have found to support the bike while removing the front end is this.1 pair of jack stands on either side of your bike and a 3/4 inch square bar about 3 feet long.set the jack stand on either side ,have a friend lift the front end while you slide the bar under the front cylinder and on top of the jackstands. Adjust height as needed. You can completely take off forks, wheels brakes triples fenders bearings etc with this set up supporting your bike. There are pics of me utilizing this on the other forum to Scooby's bike a while back.

+1 Be very careful when using a drift to tap the races from the frame tube. Work your way around the race to tap it out evenly. Mine were on pretty tight and I didn't want to risk damaging the tube so I got on of these:
(http://www.parktool.com/images/products/productimages/spr_RT-2_side_2007327_23098.jpg)
RT-2 - Park Tool Steering Race Remover http://www.motorcycletoolchest.com/Park_Tool_Steering_Race_Remover_p/rt-2.htm (http://www.motorcycletoolchest.com/Park_Tool_Steering_Race_Remover_p/rt-2.htm) With a few taps, it took all of 2 minutes to get both races out safely.

Here's a great tip I picked up: Put the new races into the freezer so it shrinks a little. Take one of the old races and file a few thousandths off the perimeter so it just slides freely in and out of the frame. You can then use it as a tap to install the new races. Just turn the tapered end of the old race to face the tapered end of the new race like so:
(http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s306/rafael04/DSC01253.jpg)

For my bike (S2R), to remove the lower bearing inner race and seal from the steering shaft, I took the entire bottom triple to a machine shop. Pressing the shaft out from the top causes the race and seal to come off the shaft.

Then it's just a matter of pressing the new seal and lower bearing onto the shaft, putting it together, and torquing the steering nut to factory specs with that special tool.

My ring nut has more than 4 holes in it but I assume that tool will do the trick.  Scooby I think that is totally cool that you made your own tool and I wish I had the know how to do cool stuff like that BUT if I am going to be paying for a tool I won't mind so much if my money is going to a good person.  I wish there was a tool borrowing or rental system on the DMF. 

Anyhow I got a come-along from Home-D and so basically I am going to use that with a strap on each side of the front portion of the frame,   but I will try to find some place to put the scissor jacks just for insurance. I'll look for those pics Scooby's bike.

Wow, thanks for the tips w/ pics ;D  Honestly I am not familiar at all with the triple clamp construction but once I get my forks off and get better acquainted and I will definitely have to re-read your reply.  [popcorn]

The races are VERY hard, no file is gonna touch them. You could grind them though

Yeah, now that I think about it, I used a dremel to grind it down a little [thumbsup]

that's a good idea, I usually find a correct size socket that fits the outer race, the freezing the new one is good to, we used to heat up bearings in an oven to put them on a shaft, never thought of freezing them to put inside  ;D ;D get some good ideas on this forum

Honestly,  I bet if they did a study they of all motorcycle owners they would find that Ducati owners are the most intelligent.  [cheeky]

Here, is another tip: In addition to freezing the races you can use a blow dryer to heat up the tube a bit.