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Steering head bearing

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Old Nov 13, 2016 | 03:50 PM
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Default Steering head bearing
I put my 1985 FLTC up for the winter today and have it up on the lift. It no longer has a fairing as it was changed out for a windshield and is now a single head light. I was looking for the steering head bearing grease fitting and see none. Am I missing something or do I need to disassemble a lot to find it. Thanks
 
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Old Nov 13, 2016 | 04:36 PM
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Probably need to disassemble it. But while it is apart, is the perfect time to drill and tap it for a grease fitting
 
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Old Nov 13, 2016 | 04:41 PM
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Old Nov 13, 2016 | 05:56 PM
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there are no grease fittings on an 85. my 85 had the bearings greased when it was built. if or when they go bad, i'll replace them then.
 
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Old Nov 13, 2016 | 05:59 PM
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The only time I ever replace bearing is if I am using new neck cups, it's a new frame, or they are notchy. And here is another confession. I hardly ever change the races too.
 
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Old Nov 13, 2016 | 06:24 PM
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Thanks all, My other bike is a 2005 so they are two different animals but I'm learning.
 
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Old Nov 16, 2016 | 10:59 AM
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I can't help thinking that carrying around half a can of grease in the steering head isn't a very good idea! It's not as if it is going to do anything useful, just to be thrown away many years hence, so I wouldn't bother putting a grease nipple there myself. Head bearings normally last donkey's years in my experience, so replace and grease when they need it.
 
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Old Nov 16, 2016 | 11:21 AM
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I'm with gr on that. Grease above the bearing could slip down to "renew" what's there, but all that grease filling a neck won't do anything for the upper bearing, except what's in it to start with.
 
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Old Nov 16, 2016 | 04:06 PM
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Originally Posted by grbrown
I can't help thinking that carrying around half a can of grease in the steering head isn't a very good idea! It's not as if it is going to do anything useful, just to be thrown away many years hence, so I wouldn't bother putting a grease nipple there myself. Head bearings normally last donkey's years in my experience, so replace and grease when they need it.
I greased the first set of head bearings in my bike (through the grease fitting) every 10K miles and they were notching at 80,000 miles. I grease the replacement bearings every 5K miles and they're still good at 127,000 miles, so the grease does do some good in my experience.
 
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Old Nov 16, 2016 | 04:20 PM
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