Ok so I am working on my first build and have run into some speed bumps. I purchased a rolling chasis but it did not come with all the components for the steering head assembly. I purchased a set of bearings with races and fork stops and dust cover. However when I installed the front end I have about a 1/4 inch of play in the front end. Am I missing a spacer or something? THe steering stem goes into the top tree with the steering head stem bolt on the bottom end. It is bottomed out on both ends but there is still the 1/4" of play.....any suggestions. I was told by one person to cut the steering stem but I want to make sure before I go chooping away.
Thanks
Eric

 

you can get a 1/4 spacer that can go below the lower race. got any pics of what you have going on there?

 

Here are a few pics of the problem

The stearing head stem is bottomed out in the upper tree and when I placed it on the bike and installed the lower end and lock nut I still had a 1/4" gap????

Being that the fork stop is in the way, would a spacer at the top work? I just hate to cut the stearing head stem if I do not need to.

 

I don't know much about this stuff, and I too am starting a build so I know I am going to run into similar problems/questions.

 

What frame do you have? When building my bike I used the V-Twin kit number 24-0122 Big Twin neck kit for my Kraftech frame. My frame looks very similar to what you have pictured.

Sorry the pictures are dark and dirty, but had been riding all weekend on it.

 

Eric1492,
I'm not sure I fully understand how your triple trees are assembled. Is the stem on your stuff fixed to the upper tree and the nut to secure it on the bottom tree or is the stem fixed in the lower tree (Like a stock set of trees is assembled) with the nut on the top tree?
Do you have a manual for a stock HD? I have to look at this starting from a stock perspective.
Your pic of the frame doesn't have a press in steering head cup (this is HD's term for it). Is this right? You press the bearing race directly into the frame? On a stock HD, the bearing race is pressed into the steering head cup and then the steering head cup is pressed into the frame's steering head.
Once the steering head cups and their races are pressed into the frame, you go to the triple tree.
If your triple tree stem is fixed to the lower tree, you start by sliding the dust shield down on the stem. Then put the bearing (often referred to as the cone) on with the small end of the taper up. It can just slide on or be a light press fit. Then the stem with the lower tree is slid up into the lower steering head cup until the bearing (cone) is seated in the bearing race. Next, the upper bearing (cone) is dropped onto the stem and seated in the upper steering head cup/race assembly. Then a combination dust shield/nut piece is threaded onto the stem. This piece can be in two parts according to my newer manual, on older bikes like mine it is combined. This will hold the lower triple tree in place while you get the rest of the stuff together. Next, you slide the upper triple tree on the stem, put a special HD lockwasher on, then the fork stem nut.
Does this make sense to you?
Even if your particular set of triple trees has the stem fixed into the upper tree, the order, bottom to top, has got to be similar.
Perhaps a picture with all your parts would help me help you. Were their any instructions with you triple trees?
I gotta go, I'll check this thread again later today.

 

The Frame is a DNA frame. The neck does not take cups. The tree stem threads into the upper tree. I tightened the tree stem into the upper tree untill it bottomed out. Then I placed the upper bearing in with the dust cover ontop. Then I put the upper tree on sliding the stem through the neck. Next I put the lower bearing in and put the lower tree on with the fork stop plate installed ( the fork stop tab is on the frame of the bike) with the lower nut bottomed out I still have about a 1/4 inch of play. Here are some pictures of the neck and parts I have.
Thank you all

 

I think I would try to shim the lower bearing/dustcover. Last resort for me would be to cut the end of the stem. Both would probably work.

Good luck.

 

Does the fork stop plate on the lower tree also act as a bearing dust shield? There should be something on the bottom to act as a dust shield so maybe something is missing.
Or, does the stem have the same pitch and number of threads on each end so it doesn't matter which end is installed in the upper tree? If there are more threads on one end, than the other, it may be installed with the wrong end in the upper tree. It also could be that something is preventing the stem from screwing all the way into the upper tree? You are absolutely positive it has bottomed out in there?
How about talking to whoever made the trees?
Or, call DNA and ask them if they have seen this problem before.
Do not cut anything until you have totally exhausted all other options.
You'll figure this out.

 

I beleive that the fork stop plate does act as the lower dust cover and the stem will only go in one way, the top of the stem is a larger diameter than the bottom where the lock nut goes. I will try the supplier again and see what they have to say.