View Poll Results: Do You think filling your steering head with grease is a waste of grease and time?
Yes
46
31.94%
No
98
68.06%
Voters: 144. You may not vote on this poll
Steering Head Bearing Greasing
Thread Starter
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Supporter
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 4,419
Likes: 90
From: Vermont
Steering Head Bearing Greasing
How many fill there steering head with grease and how many feel it will never actually pack the bearing enough to make a difference and just pull the bearings and grease and adjust at a certain service interval? Opinions or facts on the subject welcome.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 2,916
Likes: 31
From: earth
I tightened my bearings one time, while I was in there I got the recommended HD grease and pumped it till grease stared to purge from top and bottom. not long afterward driving down the highway I got a taste of petroleum in my mouth, later I realized the grease was running out of the steering head and the wind was splatering it all over my tank and me. Been wiping clods of grease off the lower tree ever since. Others have reported filing the neck with grease with no issues, I wouldn't recommend it, give it a couple pumps every year and forget about it. its not a wheel bearing in constant high speed rotation, it only travels about a 45* span back and forth at very slow speed, it probably doesn't even need interval lubrication but it won't hurt anything.
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Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 5,189
Likes: 16
From: N.E. Wisconsin
I tightened my bearings one time, while I was in there I got the recommended HD grease and pumped it till grease stared to purge from top and bottom. not long afterward driving down the highway I got a taste of petroleum in my mouth, later I realized the grease was running out of the steering head and the wind was splatering it all over my tank and me. Been wiping clods of grease off the lower tree ever since. Others have reported filing the neck with grease with no issues, I wouldn't recommend it, give it a couple pumps every year and forget about it. its not a wheel bearing in constant high speed rotation, it only travels about a 45* span back and forth at very slow speed, it probably doesn't even need interval lubrication but it won't hurt anything.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 6,336
Likes: 67
From: SW Minnesota
My dealer packed mine when new. I give a couple of shots each oil change....grease always oozes out top and bottom, so I know it's full. At 60K I've never touched my front end other than that. (Yeah, I know, it's probably time to change fork oil!)
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 42
Likes: 1
From: Indiana
I user heavier grease in mine and does not leak out. Grease keeps moisture out and bearings will not rust. They are not high speed bearings, but they do support a lot of weight.
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 2,916
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From: earth
You are correct, they are still heavy load bearings and the job is promote free movement and reduce friction, My intent was that being low speed bearings they don't "sling" grease from their contact sufaces, requiring routine replacment of the lubrication. Not saying they shouldn't be greased routinely, just that it probably won't matter if you don't. What heavier grease did you use?
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Supporter
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 5,189
Likes: 16
From: N.E. Wisconsin
On my old bikes when they put a grease zerk on the shift levers pivot point I put in Racing Grease......seems like I could shift faster back then !........LOL
Thread Starter
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Supporter
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 4,419
Likes: 90
From: Vermont
I thought this thread might promote some interesting discussion. I brought it up because I had always greased mine but was recently told by not one, but two popular bike builders, that it is essentially a waste of grease and serves no good purpose. I got to thinking about that when a friend pulled his trees to do some customization on his bike and said the grease in the steering head was just kind of pushed around, but not in the bearing. If you think about packing a bearing, it takes some good pressure and rubbing and moving the bearing down into the grease to get the bearing filled.