Just got a new front tire on my 99 cbr 600 f4, the mechanic said that my front wheel bearings are getting bad and should be replaced. He also said that the steering was a little off set (previous owner laid her down) and steering stem bearing are loose and need replaced. I ordered wheel bearings and should be in next week, but how do i fix the offset and replacing the bearings in the steering stem? thanks

 

If the steering is offset then it could be multiple problems......the forks could be tweaked, the lower triple tree could be bent.

I highly doubt the stem is damaged, its housed in the neck of the frame , in my non expert opinion i would say the forks would give way before the stem.

Change the bearings in the wheel and steering head and see if its corrects itself, if the bearings are shot on the stem it could cause play as well.

keep us updated

 

Alright thanks do you know how to go about changing the bearings in the steering head?

 

you will have to suspend the front end off the ground and remove the entire front end after that.

remove all plastics, then the wheel, then the forks, then you can get to the triples and stem.

remove the nut on top once everything is off and remove the top triple tree, then you will be able to drop the lower out of the neck.

That will expose the bearings.

Allballs is a great site for replacement bearings.

 

sweet thanks, ill probably try to work on that next weekend. how do those bearing come on and off? can i just knock them off? and how would you put the new bearings on? do i need to press them on with a press (which i don't have) or can i somehow put them on with a socket and hammer or something like that? thanks

 

I'm almost positive they are tapered rollers, if thats the case they sit in a chase and can be taken off by hand with no issues.

here is the link to the site .......looks like they have what you need

Fork conversion All ***** Racing

 

EVERY BODY PROBABLY ALREADY KNOWS THIS, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEBER IS NOT TO CHIP, SCORE OR DAMAGE ANY PIECE YOU ARE WORKING WITH AT ALL! ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU USE A HAMMER AND STEEL PUNCH FOR THE FIRST TIME. IF YOU DO SCORE OR SCRATCH ANY SURFACE, EVEN A LITTLE BIT, TAKE A FINE FILE AND SMOOTH IT OUT, OR ELSE YOU ARE ASKING FOR TROUBLE.


first, put the new bearings in the freezer for at least an hour, it will shrink them a little for an easier fit when you go to install them into the wheel. after the old bearing was out of the wheel i took a torch and heated the wheel where the new bearing will seat (i held it on there for only thirty or forty-five seconds or so, not long at all). the idea is to expand the wheel metal and shrink the bearing metal for an easier install if that makes sense.

suspend the front end. remove the calipers only. hang them up with a bungie strap. take the front wheel off (note how the spacer on each side comes off). remove/replace the wheel bearing. i used a steel punch to punch the wheel bearings out and i used the outside piece of the old bearings to place it on top of the new bearings and tap away with a plastic mallet or piece of wood, not to damage the bearing, until it seats into the wheel. take your time with this part especially, so you dont chip the wheel. roll the front axle on a glass table to check and see that its not bent at all. put that stuff to the side.

first, put the head stem bearing races into the freezer for at least an hour to shrink them a little. then, take off the clip on handle bars, top triple tree, unscrew the head stem bearing lock nut and nut. then the forks will slide right down. i took a steel punch and punched out the bearing races in the steering stem. top bearing itself should come off easy. the bottom bearing attached to the bottom triple tree was a pain in the butt to get off for me. i had to hit it with the steel punch mnany, many times. alternating sides each time i hit it. it did finally come off after ten or fifteen minutes of tapping away. after i got the old bearing off i placed the triple tree in the freezer to shrink it so it would be easier to slide the new bearing onto it.

while you wait for the parts in the freezer its a good time to inspect your headstem and frame area for tweaks or cracks. and clean of the bearing seat area inside the head stem. use some high temp grease where ever meteal to metal contact is. just a little will do.

for the bearing install onto the lower triple tree, i used a piece of pvc pipe thats the same diameter as the inner piece on the bearing. then tap it down firm, not too hard. it can be difficult, it will go after tapping away at it for a while (getting the lower triple tree bearing off and on was the hardest part for my install). do everything the opposite as when you took it off. also, you can follow the manual. manual has torque specs. with the all ballzs head stem bearing kit i put on, i use twenty-five lbs of torque and its perfect. seems that factory and the all ***** torque is different, check your manual.

you can buy and use the specific tools and it will be easier. you dont have to do it this way its just how i did it. hope this helps.

 

Alright thanks! it sure does help havin you guys here to help!

 

Very good info i totally forgot about that.......yes freezing and heating the bearings are key

 

UalRamper has u on the right track. If u don't have it already, download the factory service manual... It has the step by step procedures outlined.