Steering Towards Stupid - Stop Me! R80gspd

[disston]

I'm still trying to figure out how to end up with working forks. I had it last Winter and then I made a small adjustment on something and it's not right again. I think it requires some innate understanding of what is happening and you know you are doing the right thing. I'll try again when it warms up.

So I'm not going to try and tell you how to do this. But I have one tip;

There is a part usually called the slotted nut. It is directly under the top clamp. It is part #7 in your diagram from the Southerngintelmen. It has a tapered edge on one side and the other side is wider. When you look at it you will notice that one way it bears on a wider area than the other way. Got it? The wide edge goes up to bear on the top clamp. The narrow edge goes down to bear on the inner race of the bearing. Often found installed upside down I do believe the correct way is the way I have described. I have it from several Gurus this is important but I really think it may not matter. Still they say it does so I do it that way.

[jackd]

Originally Posted by Sutherngintelmen

.

A couple of questions come to mind already - oil volume for refill is based on oem spring displacement. Is my best method to measure fluid drained and replace with equal volume?

Very timely questions. I'm getting ready to re-fill my forks on my R100GS. According to my receipts the last time it was done they put in 7.5 weight BMW brand fork oil - done at a dealer in Denver. I went and bought some in Vancouver - one dealer uses Belray products and the other used Motul - these are both BMW organizations and according to Steve G they have common ownership. It just seems that they are pushing different product lines. As per the MAX BMW fiche, I am putting in 10W.

I was careful in draining each leg and measured what came out. The left leg contained 360 ml - it should have had 410 ml. The right leg had 370 ml - it should have had 440 ml. There are no leaks on my fork legs. I will be putting in pre-measured quantities of 410/440 mls as per the manual. It should be fine...

[Sutherngintelmen]

No drama..... yet

[Sutherngintelmen]

Need some lube!

[bpeckm]

That photo of the lower bearing race makes it look VERY (what's the proper word?) dimpled.... Head bearings cannot make use of the design of a bearing, which is meant to rotate A LOT, so they tend to press "ridges" into the race. If you run your fingertip lightly around in there and can feel ANY un-evenness or indentations, you should replace the bearing AND races....

It's sort of a pita, but really not hard to do once you are there (the hardest part is getting the old races out)... lots of descriptions of how it has been done. Heat the neck and run an ice cube around on the race; cut very carefully w/ dremel, etc. Same with bottom bearing on the head tube. Heat and cold will do wonders.

I think if you put in new bearings/races and lots of thick sticky grease your problems of tight/loose will go away.

[MotoKaw]

Originally Posted by bpeckm

*** not hard to do once you are there (the hardest part is getting the old races out)... lots of descriptions of how it has been done. Heat ***

Easy tool -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tC0HpJch1Ec

Slightly less simple, but not by much -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBdC8IkwfL4

Either way well worth your time and, as Bpeckm said, temperature can be an ally if the races are stubborn.

Bob

[hardwaregrrl]

Yeah, im with Bob. Get rid of the races. If you've got access to a welder, run a bead around the race to make it expand and contract. Weld in the middle of the race as not to weld it to the frame. Remember to stick the triple in the freezer for a bit to get it smaller. A small group of us may be getting together on the 2nd, so keep your eyes peeled

[Sutherngintelmen]

Originally Posted by bpeckm

That photo of the lower bearing race makes it look VERY (what's the proper word?) dimpled....

I think if you put in new bearings/races and lots of thick sticky grease your problems of tight/loose will go away.

The photo makes the race look bad indeed - and it will be replaced as new bearings come with. It is mostly optical though. Both top and bottom look the same but I'm unable to detect deformation by feel - perfectly smooth to the touch. Coming out though - shmancy pants race puller came in the mail yesterday - guess I should list it in ATL area tool loaner thread.

Speaking of tools - got to use my new 36mm socket 3 times yesterday - woot!

Going to pile on the wheel bearing grease - I believe the root of bad feel steering was lube lacking and all will be perfect soon - assuming I can reasemble the beast that is.

Fork oil drip drained overnight and I've captured 8ozs in each leg so that's what's going in.

[Sutherngintelmen]

Originally Posted by MotoKaw

Easy tool -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tC0HpJch1Ec

Slightly less simple, but not by much -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBdC8IkwfL4

Either way well worth your time and, as Bpeckm said, temperature can be an ally if the races are stubborn.

Bob

Thanks for the vids - will be pulling races shortly. Been using heat to free things up - needed it on left fork nut.

[Sutherngintelmen]

Originally Posted by hardwaregrrl

Yeah, im with Bob. Get rid of the races. If you've got access to a welder, run a bead around the race to make it expand and contract. Weld in the middle of the race as not to weld it to the frame. Remember to stick the triple in the freezer for a bit to get it smaller. A small group of us may be getting together on the 2nd, so keep your eyes peeled

I read about the welding method but don't trust myself - perfect chance for me to really f things up. Will do on the tree and thanks for heads up on 2/2 - will keep open.

[Airhead Wrangler]

I really like the the puller that cycleworks makes for steering head bearings and it's relatively cheap.

[Sutherngintelmen]

This look seated and proper?

[Sutherngintelmen]

Originally Posted by Airhead Wrangler

I really like the the puller that cycleworks makes for steering head bearings and it's relatively cheap.

Trip tree bearing puller was very nice. I've received a 'new improved' version of the steering head race puller and believe the CAD needs a bit of reboot. Sent a note to Dan who has been helpful along the way - completely possible I was doing something wrong too.

I solved the 'height issue' for races by repurposing an appropriately sized eye screw with a hack saw. This gave the tension nut the required clearance over the space tube to extract the race.

In a fantastic demonstration of slow thinking confusion, the first race took 90 minutes to extract with the second taking 9.

EZ pleazy



Factory version locked itself up before the job was done - bottomed out against the too tall two nut stack (or space tube to short)



The washer is split and must be squeezed with pressure to splay out and grab the race. Custom

[bpeckm]

Dayuummmm... you work fast, and do good work!

[Beemerboff]

If you have G/S and the forks are getting worn, and most will be by now, do yourself a favor and get a Billet top triple.

The $120- ? SJBMW one fits with a bit hacking, and makes a big difference on worn forks.

Add their tubular lower brace and full synthetic 7 1/2 wt suspension fluid and the forks will be much better - mine are better than the F 650 Funduro forks.

But sorting them is one of my next projects-----.