Steering Head bearings

STsam41

STsam41

Joined
Jun 9, 2012
Messages
33
Location
Glen Ellyn, IL.
Bike
2006 ST1300
So I need to change the head bearings and I've seen some reference to certain types. Whats the general consensus or preference? I'd prefer to buy everything as a kit (dust seals etc.)
Also I'd like to buy a socket for the nut, the maintenance manual calls it a steering stem socket-p/n 07916-3710100. The prices for this online range from around $40 to $120. Does anyone have a reliable source for this? I'd prefer to buy one as reasonably priced as possible and don't want to make or fabricate one.
So main questions: What bearings/where to buy and where to get socket and what's a good price?
Thanks in advance.
 
I had the kit just before Mike. It includes everything you need, with the exception of a 1/2" drive ratchet, a torque wrench, and a hammer. Check out the information on the link Mike provided. Use tapered roller bearings; don't replace the OEM ball bearings with another set. If CBR doesn't have the lower bearing, you can get the upper bearing and two seals from them and find the lower bearing on Ebay. You need a Koyo 32006JR bearing for the bottom. Some of the other brands won't clear the bottom dust shield. Companies other than CBR sell bearing sets, but I'm wary of Chinese or Indian bearings.

The job is easy on the ST1300. There are instructions with the loaner kit, and in the shop manual.
 
I used a tapered bearing set from All Balls Racing. I made do with a tool of my own making so no help there.

The OEMs went over 90,000 miles, just saying.

Edit to add: The ST1300 is prone to the high speed weave and sticking to the prescribed pull torque values measured with a fishing or trigger pull scale is a smart thing to do. That said, switching to tapered bearings throws Honda's service manual values for the locking nut out the window. In order to get the pull torque values in range I had no torque at all on the locking nut, just finger tight. The top nut at SM value brought the pull torque values in range. My bike was prone to the weave but it all but disappeared after replacing the OEM bearings at 96,000.
 
Last edited:
I just finished this job and posted my experience under "bearings."

Call CBR Bearings 1-800-769-5388, they will fix you right up with top quality Japanese bearings.
Also, save yourself a lot of grief and get this:
http://www.harborfreight.com/10-piece-bearing-race-and-seal-driver-set-95853.html
You will also need, besides wrenches:
A good jack or lift
Punches and chisels
Heat gun
Lube
Waterproof grease
A big hammer and/or access to a shop press.
I made a tool for the adjuster with a 32mm impact socket.
Lots of patience
 
dduelin said:
My bike was prone to the weave but it all but disappeared after replacing the OEM bearings at 96,000.
Click to expand...

Would you attributed that to the tapered roller bearings or just new bearings in general? My buddy had TRBs put in his Wing at just under 50K and said handling was vastly improved.
 
I used the All Ball Bearing Brand. Not even half the price. Just clean the bearings used Kerosene towel dry=u are good to go.
Used the same brand to rebuild the front forks.
 
I'm in New Zealand, so can't easily get hold of complete bearing & seal kits from USA, so I've bought the bearings locally but don't have any specs for the seals.

Does anyone have a specification or part numbers for the seals to match the taper bearings please ?
 
mpr128 said:
I'm in New Zealand, so can't easily get hold of complete bearing & seal kits from USA, so I've bought the bearings locally but don't have any specs for the seals.

Does anyone have a specification or part numbers for the seals to match the taper bearings please ?
Click to expand...
You need one of these sets; I've purchased from MotoOne in Onehunga before. All my recent Hondas (ST1100, VTR1000F, VFR800Fi) use the same part.
https://www.allballsracing.com/22-1020.html
 
In my opinion you won't need a special socket to tighten the bearings if you are using tapered roller style.
Repair manuals give torque settings for ball bearings (not tapered roller) which of course requires a torque wrench and the special socket to tighten.
Ball bearings require a much higher torque.
Tapered roller bearings are set much lighter, like finger tight plus 1/4 - 1/2 a turn, which can be achieved by tapping with a large flat blade screwdriver and hammer.
Final measurement is usually done with a spring scale pulling on a fork tube to a specified weight.
 
TerryS said:
You need one of these sets; I've purchased from MotoOne in Onehunga before. All my recent Hondas (ST1100, VTR1000F, VFR800Fi) use the same part.
https://www.allballsracing.com/22-1020.html
Click to expand...

That looks promising, but I've already bought taper bearings here in Hamilton, so am trying to find seals as well, locally. Unless I can find the seal spec, I'll just order the online kit and return the other tapers. Thanks for your help with the link.
 
Rob20111 said:
In my opinion you won't need a special socket to tighten the bearings if you are using tapered roller style.
Repair manuals give torque settings for ball bearings (not tapered roller) which of course requires a torque wrench and the special socket to tighten.
Ball bearings require a much higher torque.
Tapered roller bearings are set much lighter, like finger tight plus 1/4 - 1/2 a turn, which can be achieved by tapping with a large flat blade screwdriver and hammer.
Final measurement is usually done with a spring scale pulling on a fork tube to a specified weight.
Click to expand...
when I did mine 20 years ago I went by feel. Progressively tightened them until I could no longer feel any fore-aft rocking "click" in the forks with the front wheel in the air, indicating they were too loose. By the time I removed all slop, at that point they were tight enough that there was a little resistance to turning, the wheel wouldn't just fall to the steering limit if shoved and released. Based on that they appeared to me to have a very narrow adjustment point between too loose and too tight. And, after about 1k miles they bedded in fully and I needed to make one more final adjustment. Not sure if that's normal, or if I just didn't do a good enough job of pounding them into the steering head, since I wasn't using any Honda tools, just a hammer and a metal rod as I recall.
 
Rob20111 said:
In my opinion you won't need a special socket to tighten the bearings if you are using tapered roller style.
Repair manuals give torque settings for ball bearings (not tapered roller) which of course requires a torque wrench and the special socket to tighten.
Ball bearings require a much higher torque.
Tapered roller bearings are set much lighter, like finger tight plus 1/4 - 1/2 a turn, which can be achieved by tapping with a large flat blade screwdriver and hammer.
Final measurement is usually done with a spring scale pulling on a fork tube to a specified weight.
Click to expand...
I couldn't say it better. I used tapered roller bearings on my 1300 and set them to the torque value Honda gives for OE ball bearings. The pull values were way too high. I took it apart several times and kept backing off the torque value until the top nut was just finger tight and only then were the spring scale pull values within specification.
 
Hello there. I know it's an old thread but I need some help with this thing. There is a washer between the steering stem and the top bridge that I'm not sure if it was exactly under the top bridge or under the nut of that external bridge. I even wonder if they put it there by mistake. It's not shown at the workshop manual. Does anyone knows where it goes, why is there, if I should discard it? Thanks.
 
leondante said:
Hello there. I know it's an old thread but I need some help with this thing. There is a washer between the steering stem and the top bridge that I'm not sure if it was exactly under the top bridge or under the nut of that external bridge. I even wonder if they put it there by mistake. It's not shown at the workshop manual. Does anyone knows where it goes, why is there, if I should discard it? Thanks.
Click to expand...
Image.jpeg
 
Don't see a washer either looking in Partzilla's exploded view, only a flange nut which may not require a washer. Do you have a flange nut or regular hex nut for the stem?
 
draser said:
Don't see a washer either looking in Partzilla's exploded view, only a flange nut which may not require a washer. Do you have a flange nut or regular hex nut for the stem?
Click to expand...

I think a flange nut. This is what I have in my workshop manual. Could be a different version to what I have. I think that washer should go between the lock nut of the steering stem and the top bridge, but it's not shown here. I don't know if it could affect somehow the bike. I'm putting it where it was, as I keep track of what I take out of and where it was, except for screws.

1729687993701.png
 
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