Seals for Timken or other tapered roller steering head bearings?

[FJReady]

Thank you rPgoat and rbent for including your torque numbers. I completed my all balls tapered bearing install yesterday and took a short test ride and was happy with the upgrade. I torqued the first nut to 14ft-lb and I plan to go back in to check it and adjust it after a few hundred 'break in' miles. With your data I won't be afraid to run up to 20-22 ft-lb.

On my short test ride, which the bike was not heavily laden with luggage etc I could not induce a wobble in any of the conditions it used to appear. (cruise control at 35-45 mph, deceleration from 50 to 30) so I'm happy about that. At a steady 35 mph and cruise control on, I could induce a wobble by smacking the handle bars. But it wouldn't do it unless provoked. Even hands free over pot holes, etc wouldn't cause a wobble.

I need to load up the side cases and top case and see how the bike is then.

The installation was no cake walk. Getting old races out was fairly easy. Getting new ones in, especially the lower one on the steering head was a chore. I'm thinking I'll make an installation bushing or something to use when pounding on those suckers if I ever have to do this job again.

 

[Oldjeep]

Thank you rPgoat and rbent for including your torque numbers. I completed my all balls tapered bearing install yesterday and took a short test ride and was happy with the upgrade. I torqued the first nut to 14ft-lb and I plan to go back in to check it and adjust it after a few hundred 'break in' miles. With your data I won't be afraid to run up to 20-22 ft-lb.

On my short test ride, which the bike was not heavily laden with luggage etc I could not induce a wobble in any of the conditions it used to appear. (cruise control at 35-45 mph, deceleration from 50 to 30) so I'm happy about that. At a steady 35 mph and cruise control on, I could induce a wobble by smacking the handle bars. But it wouldn't do it unless provoked. Even hands free over pot holes, etc wouldn't cause a wobble.

I need to load up the side cases and top case and see how the bike is then.

The installation was no cake walk. Getting old races out was fairly easy. Getting new ones in, especially the lower one on the steering head was a chore. I'm thinking I'll make an installation bushing or something to use when pounding on those suckers if I ever have to do this job again.

No need to pound them in. Just use a threaded rod and the pucks from your bearing driver.

 

[adyingbreed]

Tapered bearing fix shimmy issues that some people have with the stock caged roller bearings. Caged roller bearings are a weird application for a headset bearing anyways.

While I can't help OP on the seals for Timkens, as I've only ever used the AB kits, I did feel the need to comment on the spot about "why change bearings?" question.

The tapered bearings I installed on a sv650 gsxr1k Franken bike made my steering SOOOOO stable. I could take my hands off at 70mph and steer with my hips.

So yes I guess I will be getting about 100 bucks worth of tools and parts, and doing it myself.

Which I do have a note to add about jacking the bike up. I have an R-Gaza engine crash cage installed on my gen 1. It allows me to just use my straps on the cage to ratchet it up with the other side hanging from the steel beam rafters of my garage. I have already used this method for doing a tire change.

 

[Oldjeep]

While I can't help OP on the seals for Timkens, as I've only ever used the AB kits, I did feel the need to comment on the spot about "why change bearings?" question.

The tapered bearings I installed on a sv650 gsxr1k Franken bike made my steering SOOOOO stable. I could take my hands off at 70mph and steer with my hips.

So yes I guess I will be getting about 100 bucks worth of tools and parts, and doing it myself.

Which I do have a note to add about jacking the bike up. I have an R-Gaza engine crash cage installed on my gen 1. It allows me to just use my straps on the cage to ratchet it up with the other side hanging from the steel beam rafters of my garage. I have already used this method for doing a tire change.

You can just stick jackstands under the gaza pucks too.

 

[adyingbreed]

You can just stick jackstands under the gaza pucks too.

I used what I had. I want the jack stands lol