Steering bearing replacement - reflections.

[tlbranth]

Just installed the All Balls tapered roller kit in the '75. Some of the things that I thought were tricky weren't mentioned anywhere I could find and I didn't see any custom tools pictured. So on the off-chance this could be of help to someone, I'll describe what I did.

I determined that the washer to use on the lower bearing was the thinner of the two.
To install the lower race, I used apiece of TV antenna support tubing which matched the race pretty closely. A friend more-or-less loaned me an HF press permanently and I used it with the antenna thingy to press it home. The tube needs to be long enough to rise above the steering stem. I never had a press before and I'd have bashed the tube with a hammer.
The toughy was installing the lower race that goes in the frame. I made a tool for this using the old race. I shaved its edges down on a stationary disc sander so it'd fit in the frame without getting stuck. I welded a piece of round steel that was left over from a previous hole-saw adventure that was about the right size (a thick washer would do too) to the ground down ex-bearing race and then welded a piece of steel rod to the assembly. I hope I remember to attach pics of this tool. I put he race in the freezer for a while. To install it, I used a hardwood block to bash it in the frame 'til it was flush and then used my new tool to hammer it home. It worked well.
The upper race into the frame required no special tools. I measured the thickness of the race and the depth of its home and determined that a wood block would do it. I did put he race in the freezer for a while and then banged it into the frame.
The All Balls instructions told me to use a washer (which they supplied) if I had a certain type of nut on top of the upper bearing - which I did. However, This would've given me about 1 1/2 threads worth of tightening. I decided to opt for more thread contact and left the washer out.
I used the procedure in my GL1500 shop manual for tightening the spanner nut. Tighten to 39 ft/lb, turn stem lock to lock 5 times, loosen, hand tighten, move it around a bit, repeat 3 times. Then torque to 14ft/lb.
I didn't know what type of grease to use so after reading all kinds of motorcycle forum advice and Old Fogey's treatise, went with StaLube Extreme Pressure Moly-Graph - a mix of Molybdenum Sulfide and graphite.

[jdvorchak]

Excellent! Thank you sir!