hi, i have a question about changing the front forks. i bought this 93 900rr as a project bike, when i got it it didn't run and needed major repairs and replacements. so now that i have gotten all that done i find out that the front forks that i swaped are loose at the steering berrings. i'm not sure how it happened but it did. i torqed all the bolts and nuts and thought i'd covered all the bases, aparently not. any sugestions? the front forks came off of the same year bike and were in great shape. i have only ridden the bike about 50 miles and noticed the rattle after hitting a couple of potholes. i double checked to make sure what the problem is. i squeezed in the front brake when pushing the bike forward and could hear it and see it loose.

 

I don't understand. Are you saying the clamps are loose around the steering head...or are the forks loose in the clamps. Don't ride it if the forks are loose. Der. There's supposed to be a row of bearings on the top and bottom, where the clamps swing in the frame head. Maybe you're missing some silver *****.

 

when i installed the front forks they seemed tight, but after a 20 -40 mile ride i noticed that they were loose. they are loose around where the bearings are i don't understand why they came loose i torqued all the bolts and nuts. i was just wondering if there was something i missed. i am currently not ridding the bike until i fix the problem and yes both sets of bearings are installed.

 

Hey how hard should it be to put my forks on i put em both on but then had to ratchet strap the bottom to get the axle to bolt thrui also had to ratchet strap the tops to get em in the tree i know the lower trip is a 99 could my upper triple not b?

 

I'm pretty sure that you should not have to ratchet anything to put them on I think that there's something your trying to make fit that does not belong.
The tubes should fit snug and you should be able to tap them thru with a plastic or rubber mallet. If you are ratcheting them you could bend them and cause the seals to leak prematurely.

 

I have to ask, do you have a manual? I just put 99 forks in a 97 bike and had problems with the rotors hitting the fork tubes. Spent a few hours trying to figure out what the hell was wrong. When putting your forks together you need to follow a procedure and tighten certain bolts in sequence or it just won't work. It sounds like you may have tightened something at the wrong point. Hope this helps, good luck.

 

One more note. Did you follw procedures to seat the bearings inthe headstock?

 

Something is bent, Probably your triple clamps. The forks should slide is easily and the axle the same, If it had a front end crash the bearings are probably bad. Take it apart again and check to make sure the forks and triples are straight, Most definately check the head bearings. I would remove the trees, If you had a 98-99 I have a set of lower trees

 

I am amazed that you got the forks to work, The 98-99 have larger rotors than the 97. 93-97 had 296mm and 98 and later had 310's, Do you have full pad contact? The 98-99 forks are set wider as well, Could be why you had issues?

 

We measured and double checked the forks and they were the same. However your right the cailipers and disks were different. The 97 disks will work in the 99 calipers but not vice versa. The internals my also be different, have not had them apart yet.