another year another mot pass

[Paulfzs]

mot time again. passed yesterday but advisory on steering head bearings being slightly notchy..


Ive never noticed it before i even checked before going for its mot.


with the  bars sat in the middle turn it left or right a little and you can feel its sat in a groove, turn it more it pops out but let go of bars it settles itself straight.


Now i personally cannot be bothered with the hard work of changing bearings as youtube suggests its a pain!


mot guy said itll be fine.


question is..


My fazer doesnt corner amazingly well..


at "high speed" it does seem to throw the bars left and right a little giving me a mini tank slapper.


what do?

[Chris]

Change them.

Chris

[Paulfzs]

Change them.

Chris

-1 from christmas card list.


 

[Chris]

if it's notchy at all I would change them. it will have an effect on the steering. How worn are your tyres? Has been known for worn tyres to cause the steering issue you talked about at higher speeds.

Chris

[unfazed]

Change them.

Chris

 

will make a bigger difference than you might think

[Paulfzs]

tyres are near new less than 3k miles on them.


Looks like il be beating my bearings out soon


frames on 50k miles too.. bet they havent been changed ever...

[darrsi]

It ain't a nice job, especially if you have limited tools, but if they need doing then there's no time like the present, especially while the weather's half decent.

[Paulfzs]

any idea what a garage would charge? or is it scary

[darrsi]

Putting the new bearings on isn't a problem, it's getting the old bastards off that can be a pig of a job.


You'd have to be looking at 2hrs labour at least I reckon for a mechanic, but on the plus side they'll have every tool necessary on hand, and they would have done it several times before as well.


Up to you though mate.

[Arfa]

At least the parts aren't too expensive: taper roller bearings
Yes, change them.

When you notice the notchyness, is this with the front wheel elevated off the ground? Or just in general as you turn the handlebars whilst the front wheel is on ground? If the latter, you must have some seriously fooked bearings.

I was always taught to stick bike on side stand, then reach over to lift it up by a pillion peg to raise the front wheel. Then look away and slowly move the bars left and right to see if you can feel smooth movement or not.

[Paulfzs]

ive never noticed it before, i tested them before the mot and didnt feel any problems but during the mot the tester mentioned it to me and you have to move it very very slightly to feel it which would be why i didnt notice it before.


Looks like ill be booking in a day to do it..

[darrsi]

At least the parts aren't too expensive: taper roller bearings
Yes, change them.

When you notice the notchyness, is this with the front wheel elevated off the ground? Or just in general as you turn the handlebars whilst the front wheel is on ground? If the latter, you must have some seriously fooked bearings.

I was always taught to stick bike on side stand, then reach over to lift it up by a pillion peg to raise the front wheel. Then look away and slowly move the bars left and right to see if you can feel smooth movement or not.

Please tell me you mean centre stand?

[celticdog]

Change them.

Chris

 

will make a bigger difference than you might think

  +1 here for changing

[Chris]

Guess your Christmas card list will be pretty small this year Paul. haha 

[Paulfzs]

Indeed my christmas card list is ever shrinking, but im sure the foccers would love to be on my christmas card list and will happily come change my bearings for me


i will tackle this within the next few weeks...


only notice it with the bike on the stand with the front wheel off the floor and doesn't feel too bad, ive had worse.

[darrsi]

Indeed my christmas card list is ever shrinking, but im sure the foccers would love to be on my christmas card list and will happily come change my bearings for me


i will tackle this within the next few weeks...


only notice it with the bike on the stand with the front wheel off the floor and doesn't feel too bad, ive had worse.

The picture of you doing a wheelie could be why it's actually happened in the first place matey. 

[Paulfzs]

Indeed my christmas card list is ever shrinking, but im sure the foccers would love to be on my christmas card list and will happily come change my bearings for me


i will tackle this within the next few weeks...


only notice it with the bike on the stand with the front wheel off the floor and doesn't feel too bad, ive had worse.

The picture of you doing a wheelie could be why it's actually happened in the first place matey. 

I thought that just destroys them, mot guy said its where you only turn the bars a little bit ie lots of motorway riding... which seems about right as out of the 3000 or so miles this engine has done about 2500 of it has been motorway, and previous engine was 99% motorway.

[darrsi]

Indeed my christmas card list is ever shrinking, but im sure the foccers would love to be on my christmas card list and will happily come change my bearings for me


i will tackle this within the next few weeks...


only notice it with the bike on the stand with the front wheel off the floor and doesn't feel too bad, ive had worse.

The picture of you doing a wheelie could be why it's actually happened in the first place matey. 

I thought that just destroys them, mot guy said its where you only turn the bars a little bit ie lots of motorway riding... which seems about right as out of the 3000 or so miles this engine has done about 2500 of it has been motorway, and previous engine was 99% motorway.

In that case, ride about doing loads of left and right turns and see if you can equalise the wear and tear, eventually eradicating the notchiness. 

[Paulfzs]

might rig up a system to turn the bars left and right.. come back in the morning to a smooth running bike.. or a big fire caused by the friction