Steering Head Bearing Question

corey · March 22, 2010, 04:54:50 PM

I don't think this question was covered in the other head bearing threads...

Just finished removing the old lower head bearing from my steering stem/bottom triple.
Underneath the bearing seal was a thin aluminum washer. Should this washer remain in place under the new bearings? Or should it be removed, and the new seal be seated directly against the bottom triple?

Bearings are being replaced with SpeedyMoto tapered bearings.

Thanks in advance!

ducpainter · March 22, 2010, 04:56:53 PM

Flatten and re-use the washer.

junior varsity · March 22, 2010, 05:07:27 PM

+1. Its to keep debris out.

On the 93-01 frames, there's also a washer above the top triple, but below the big round bolt. A person could find themselves a titanium if the were industrious... (racebolts.com)

corey · March 23, 2010, 02:39:41 AM

Quote from: ducpainter on March 22, 2010, 04:56:53 PM
Flatten and re-use the washer.

awesome thanks guys. glad i didn't bugger it up too bad removing the old ones

Charlief · March 23, 2010, 04:51:41 PM

Did you save your old race? If you cut a slot into it you can use it to set your new race in place. Literally took me 30 seconds to set my bottom in

corey · March 24, 2010, 12:01:33 PM

I did save it, and have already cut a slot into it

My dad has a nice hydraulic press at work, so I just need a steel tube. I might just use a hammer.

Duck-Stew · March 24, 2010, 12:59:32 PM

Because the race on the tapered roller bearings is so much thinner than on the ball bearing races, the step in the head tube to seat the race up against nearly covers the entire new tapered roller bearing race so you *may* want to cut a couple slots into the step so that you can remove the new races when/if that time comes.

Charlief · March 24, 2010, 02:13:10 PM

Quote from: corey on March 24, 2010, 12:01:33 PM
I did save it, and have already cut a slot into it
My dad has a nice hydraulic press at work, so I just need a steel tube. I might just use a hammer.

I used a piece of PVC and a hammer

Spidey · March 24, 2010, 02:39:18 PM

Put it in the freezer first. I haven't done it with a Ducati steering stem, but on others it's worked great for getting lower bearings on.

corey · March 24, 2010, 03:07:14 PM

All great information! Thanks fellas.
Soon as i get myself a section of tube, i'll toss the triple/stem in the freezer

Any specific grease i should pack the bearing with? I was going to use good ol' molyB

junior varsity · March 24, 2010, 03:32:30 PM

i used mobil synthetic, iirc. whatever you got should work

Duck-Stew · March 25, 2010, 06:33:06 AM

I use Bel-Ray waterproof.

corey · March 25, 2010, 05:01:57 PM

Quote from: Duck-Stew on March 25, 2010, 06:33:06 AM
I use Bel-Ray waterproof.

not sure why, but that seems like a really good idea...

scott_araujo · March 27, 2010, 11:03:32 AM

Quote from: corey on March 25, 2010, 05:01:57 PM
not sure why, but that seems like a really good idea...

+1. These bearings seem to rot like pears. Maybe Ducati doesn't put enough grease in, maybe the seal is not so great, maybe both.

Also, I heard that with the tapered bearings you should install the dust shield washers upside down so they don't rub on the bearing race. Anyone else heard this?

Scott

Duck-Stew · March 27, 2010, 02:24:33 PM

Quote from: scott_araujo on March 27, 2010, 11:03:32 AM
+1. These bearings seem to rot like pears. Maybe Ducati doesn't put enough grease in, maybe the seal is not so great, maybe both.

Also, I heard that with the tapered bearings you should install the dust shield washers upside down so they don't rub on the bearing race. Anyone else heard this?

Scott

I found some 1mm spacers that put the shield just enough far away from the tapered bearing.

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Steering Head Bearing Question