[Aj1]

I've been trying to get the top bearing race off the bike all day because I'm meant to travel 120 miles to be somewhere by Wednesday, in the process of trying to remove it (still unsuccessful) I managed to dent the inside of steering head prettying badly.

I did it by wedging something up inside it to push the flathead closer whilst hammering and it's displaced a lot of material, I'll attach a photo. It's not very noticeable in the photo but the dent is definitely noticeable feeling it and the material is pretty raised. Am I fucked? Is this repairable and can I just sand it down or have I permanently destroyed it by messing up the clearances? Is there some sort of coating on the material I would ruin by sanding it down?

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[Dustyroads]

If im looking at this right, the scratch is an inch or so below the top bearing race?
If it is nothing ever touches that part of the frame so dont worry about it.
The steering stem should only touch the bearings, if it was touching the part in the middle it wouldnt turn very good.

I have a couple of bent screw drivers for jobs like this. I put them in the vice and hammered the tip over a hair so they grab onto bearing races, you can even grind them to make them pointier if need be.

 

[Aj1]

Thanks for the reassurance, it's been a stressful day! I may try the same thing with the screwdrivers, getting these out have been the worst and I've not even started on the one on the lower clamp yet

 

[Yamota]

Thanks for the reassurance, it's been a stressful day! I may try the same thing with the screwdrivers, getting these out have been the worst and I've not even started on the one on the lower clamp yet

You need to get a long punch to bang out the bearing race , they come right out . From your photo I don’t see a problem and don’t forget to pack the bearings with grease

 

[Aj1]

Got impatient this morning and crowbarred the fucker out, manage the rebuild the bike and only just finished (besides the steering lock not working, near 0 front brake pressure and anxiety about the tightness of the steering head)

Thanks for the advice and reassurance

 

[Yamota]

Got impatient this morning and crowbarred the fucker out, manage the rebuild the bike and only just finished (besides the steering lock not working, near 0 front brake pressure and anxiety about the tightness of the steering head)

Thanks for the advice and reassurance

How tight did you make the spanner nut ? You should have a slight drag but the forks should not just flop to either side.

 

[Aj1]

Knowing this reassures me, I'm fairly certain it's fine now.

That being said after a few hundred miles I've noticed that the bike now gets a speed wobble between 54-48, and this is with the all balls roller bearings installed (am I supposed to re tighten the steering head after a few hundred miles on new bearings?).

Plus my steering lock no longer works properly and if It will go past full lock if turn the handlebars a little further to the right, luckily only the plastic indicator clamp contacts the tank.

Either way at least it's together and rideable,

Thanks again to everyone for the advice

 

[Dustyroads]

Watch some youtube videos on adjusting steering head bearings, it's hard to describe how much resistance there should be on them but a video shows it well.
I'm guessing you need to tighten the bearings up more adding resistance.
I don't get why the steering lock doesnt work right, does the steering stop still line up?

 

[Aj1]

Honestly it could be the stop lining up or it could be I wrecked it when I was chiseling the old bearings off. I torqued the head up to spec in the workshop manual when I installed them but I'll watch a few videos now to see what they do. I feel like I might have heard someone say torque it after a few miles when it's settled but I can't be sure

 

[ChopperCharles]

You usually have to re-tighten steering head bearings at least once as they fully bed in. You can help this along a bit by tightening them up a LOT, which will pull the races together, and then loosening the nut to the proper setting for the bike. But impact from bumps is really what fully seats the bottom race, so you'll probably still have to adjust at least once. Alternatively you can make the a little tight at first, and then they should loosen up.

Too loose and you'll get a wobble at speed or on decel. Too tight and you'll get a gentle weave and a very vague feeling from the front end.

Charles.