Steering Bearings
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 201
Likes: 2
From: Colombia
Original set lasted for about 13000 Miles. All replacement bearings have lasted for about 500-1500 Miles at Most.
Maybe I don’t translate it right or express it right but what I meant to was that my steering didn’t click for the first five years (13000 Miles) of ownership. I’ve always felt the Dyna has a really soft bicycle like steering. Real easy to move, now it’s a bit tighter than that and it started to click after 1.500 Miles.
Same tork specs as mine.
Greasing or packing? I have no clue what this means. I guess I greased them but while holding the bearings on my hand I kept applying more and more grease so it entered through the cracks until everything is tightly covered in grease inside. Is that packing? No special tool used just applied by hand.
Thanks also for the fall away explanation.
Maybe I don’t translate it right or express it right but what I meant to was that my steering didn’t click for the first five years (13000 Miles) of ownership. I’ve always felt the Dyna has a really soft bicycle like steering. Real easy to move, now it’s a bit tighter than that and it started to click after 1.500 Miles.
Same tork specs as mine.
Greasing or packing? I have no clue what this means. I guess I greased them but while holding the bearings on my hand I kept applying more and more grease so it entered through the cracks until everything is tightly covered in grease inside. Is that packing? No special tool used just applied by hand.
Thanks also for the fall away explanation.
Hi LAFO...
It's hard to explain how something should 'feel'. I just adjusted mine after 13,500 miles. When I bought it new the steering felt 'snug', at the end of last year it felt really loose.
First off you mention time span, how many miles between these failures are you talking about? You also keep comparing the way it feels to when you first got it. You're having failures so maybe comparing it to what it 'was' isn't the right way to look at it. Then I want to ask if you are greasing the bearings, or are you packing them?
You can test for looseness by having the front wheel off the ground and gently pulling forward/backward on the forks. (And DON"T pull the bike off the stand!
) If you feel clicking, the rollers are not set tight enough into the race (pre-load).
This how I did mine:
Loosen the top pinch bolts, this allows the the top triple tree to float on the tubes and won't '****' as you turn the star or stem nuts. Loosen the large stem nut so it is away from the surface, don't remove. Use a drift or flat blade screwdriver to tap the star nut, counter clockwise to loosen - clockwise to tighten. Only move the star nut one notch at a time, test the pre-load after each adjustment.
To test, turn the handle bars to straight forward. Tap the front of the tire one way to get the fork to turn by itself to the full stop. This is fall away. Test it in the other direction for the same result. If you tap the wheel to about the half way point between straight and full turn and then it falls the rest of the way itself, you should be good.
Use a torque wrench to tighten the stem (hex) nut to spec, mine is 80 ft-lbs, confirm your value! As I understand it this torque is a critical value. Now retest the fall away as above, if it's like mine, it got tighter. If so loosen the stem nut and loosen the pre-load, repeat as needed.
Re-torque the pinch bolts, mine were 35 ft-lbs for reference. Pull/push on the down tubes to make sure there is no play. Turn the handle bars and make sure there is minimal resistance.
If the steering isn't smooth you may have damaged the bearings, will need new.
That's about the best I can explain it, let us know how you came out. Good luck!
It's hard to explain how something should 'feel'. I just adjusted mine after 13,500 miles. When I bought it new the steering felt 'snug', at the end of last year it felt really loose.
First off you mention time span, how many miles between these failures are you talking about? You also keep comparing the way it feels to when you first got it. You're having failures so maybe comparing it to what it 'was' isn't the right way to look at it. Then I want to ask if you are greasing the bearings, or are you packing them?
You can test for looseness by having the front wheel off the ground and gently pulling forward/backward on the forks. (And DON"T pull the bike off the stand!
) If you feel clicking, the rollers are not set tight enough into the race (pre-load).This how I did mine:
Loosen the top pinch bolts, this allows the the top triple tree to float on the tubes and won't '****' as you turn the star or stem nuts. Loosen the large stem nut so it is away from the surface, don't remove. Use a drift or flat blade screwdriver to tap the star nut, counter clockwise to loosen - clockwise to tighten. Only move the star nut one notch at a time, test the pre-load after each adjustment.
To test, turn the handle bars to straight forward. Tap the front of the tire one way to get the fork to turn by itself to the full stop. This is fall away. Test it in the other direction for the same result. If you tap the wheel to about the half way point between straight and full turn and then it falls the rest of the way itself, you should be good.
Use a torque wrench to tighten the stem (hex) nut to spec, mine is 80 ft-lbs, confirm your value! As I understand it this torque is a critical value. Now retest the fall away as above, if it's like mine, it got tighter. If so loosen the stem nut and loosen the pre-load, repeat as needed.
Re-torque the pinch bolts, mine were 35 ft-lbs for reference. Pull/push on the down tubes to make sure there is no play. Turn the handle bars and make sure there is minimal resistance.
If the steering isn't smooth you may have damaged the bearings, will need new.
That's about the best I can explain it, let us know how you came out. Good luck!
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 973
Likes: 332
From: USA
Original set lasted for about 13000 Miles. All replacement bearings have lasted for about 500-1500 Miles at Most.
Maybe I don’t translate it right or express it right but what I meant to was that my steering didn’t click for the first five years (13000 Miles) of ownership. I’ve always felt the Dyna has a really soft bicycle like steering. Real easy to move, now it’s a bit tighter than that and it started to click after 1.500 Miles.
Same tork specs as mine.
Greasing or packing? I have no clue what this means. I guess I greased them but while holding the bearings on my hand I kept applying more and more grease so it entered through the cracks until everything is tightly covered in grease inside. Is that packing? No special tool used just applied by hand.
Thanks also for the fall away explanation.
Maybe I don’t translate it right or express it right but what I meant to was that my steering didn’t click for the first five years (13000 Miles) of ownership. I’ve always felt the Dyna has a really soft bicycle like steering. Real easy to move, now it’s a bit tighter than that and it started to click after 1.500 Miles.
Same tork specs as mine.
Greasing or packing? I have no clue what this means. I guess I greased them but while holding the bearings on my hand I kept applying more and more grease so it entered through the cracks until everything is tightly covered in grease inside. Is that packing? No special tool used just applied by hand.
Thanks also for the fall away explanation.
Don't take my questions wrong! Thanks for the mileage report, yeah, should last a LOT longer.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 11,448
Likes: 2,299
From: NW Ohio
Agreed on mileage, I replaced my original 99 Timkens last year at something like 65k miles. Only pulled them because I smashed the front end in a crash. They still looked good. It was preventative.
18 years without much attention
After a good cleaning. Some minor scoring or burnishing on the race which I attributed to several years of poor (loose) adjustment by the PO. They still rolled smooth.
18 years without much attention
After a good cleaning. Some minor scoring or burnishing on the race which I attributed to several years of poor (loose) adjustment by the PO. They still rolled smooth.
Last edited by cggorman; May 4, 2018 at 12:39 AM.
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 201
Likes: 2
From: Colombia
Thanks for confirming y did apply the grease correctly.
Guess there is no girl method for this, just fall away as it has been made very clear. I will try and follow instructions you guys wrote and the method you use but I have a couple of last questions.
should I go ahead and change bearings again in case this ones where over tightened and damadged?
when I tighten the star nut this time, should I test fall away with tire and fender on? Accessories handle bar? Just want to be real clear on this because it’s a real pain to waste money and mostly the time it’s takes me to do it.
My my other option would be to adjust with the actual bearings and wait till January when another state dealer does a Rally and brings their Mecanica to do certain maintenance stuff. Just have them give it a try.
Either way you guys don’t know how much I appreciate your help and guidance on this. Wish you guys lots a Miles to enjoy....
Guess there is no girl method for this, just fall away as it has been made very clear. I will try and follow instructions you guys wrote and the method you use but I have a couple of last questions.
should I go ahead and change bearings again in case this ones where over tightened and damadged?
when I tighten the star nut this time, should I test fall away with tire and fender on? Accessories handle bar? Just want to be real clear on this because it’s a real pain to waste money and mostly the time it’s takes me to do it.
My my other option would be to adjust with the actual bearings and wait till January when another state dealer does a Rally and brings their Mecanica to do certain maintenance stuff. Just have them give it a try.
Either way you guys don’t know how much I appreciate your help and guidance on this. Wish you guys lots a Miles to enjoy....
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,246
Likes: 251
From: Belle River Ontario
Adjust with everything on, tire. Fender, brake calliper.....only way to be accurate.
YouTube bearings Re-pack to see how it’s done, the hand method is what I prefer but there are tools that can be used.
I hit the bearings against my palm where the glob of grease is...really gets the grease in there
YouTube bearings Re-pack to see how it’s done, the hand method is what I prefer but there are tools that can be used.
I hit the bearings against my palm where the glob of grease is...really gets the grease in there
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 973
Likes: 332
From: USA
Thanks for confirming y did apply the grease correctly.
Guess there is no girl method for this, just fall away as it has been made very clear. I will try and follow instructions you guys wrote and the method you use but I have a couple of last questions.
should I go ahead and change bearings again in case this ones where over tightened and damadged?
when I tighten the star nut this time, should I test fall away with tire and fender on? Accessories handle bar? Just want to be real clear on this because it’s a real pain to waste money and mostly the time it’s takes me to do it.
My my other option would be to adjust with the actual bearings and wait till January when another state dealer does a Rally and brings their Mecanica to do certain maintenance stuff. Just have them give it a try.
Either way you guys don’t know how much I appreciate your help and guidance on this. Wish you guys lots a Miles to enjoy....
Guess there is no girl method for this, just fall away as it has been made very clear. I will try and follow instructions you guys wrote and the method you use but I have a couple of last questions.
should I go ahead and change bearings again in case this ones where over tightened and damadged?
when I tighten the star nut this time, should I test fall away with tire and fender on? Accessories handle bar? Just want to be real clear on this because it’s a real pain to waste money and mostly the time it’s takes me to do it.
My my other option would be to adjust with the actual bearings and wait till January when another state dealer does a Rally and brings their Mecanica to do certain maintenance stuff. Just have them give it a try.
Either way you guys don’t know how much I appreciate your help and guidance on this. Wish you guys lots a Miles to enjoy....
It's not real clear but yeah, in my description I meant to try the existing bearings and then if there were problems replace them.
The manual says disconnect the cables so it doesn't affect the fall away. I think they state that because like I mentioned it's hard to write about how something 'feels'. I didn't disconnect or remove anything, You will see a little difference from left and right while testing.
You'll get it - don't get discouraged......
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 973
Likes: 332
From: USA
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Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 230
Likes: 25
From: Pacific Northwest
Greasing or packing? I have no clue what this means. I guess I greased them but while holding the bearings on my hand I kept applying more and more grease so it entered through the cracks until everything is tightly covered in grease inside. Is that packing? No special tool used just applied by hand.
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 201
Likes: 2
From: Colombia
I’m about done working on the steering. Removed everything. Took them apart, repacked them, tightened the star nut (which was extremely tight from yesterday) and starting to test fall away.
its really soft. A tap while straight and it falls away really fast.
its really soft. A tap while straight and it falls away really fast.