Notching head bearings at 30k klms

[~TABASCO~]

Just recently cleaned, lubed, and torqued mine for the 4th time. 82kmi - still original and operating smooth.

@~TABASCO~ , I don't see Loctite called out in the manual. You use it on the top cap nut? It is a little tough to get the 130 nm torque with handlebars removed. I had to get out the air impact driver to remove the cap this last go around, without Loctite.

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Thats what I do for 10 years... I have a big SNAP-ON that I TQ that down with .. I believe it's 94.

 

[~TABASCO~]

I had a dealer tell me not to bother with having the valves checked. Their reasoning was "don't worry, the valves will make noise when they need to be adjusted". Evidently they were laboring under the impression that my old V-Strom was being powered by a 350 V8 from my old 1970 LeMans.

Some of these dealers are CRAZY ! LOL

 

[WJBertrand]

My ‘15 ES developed a prominent center notch at about 75,000 miles. I replaced them with new OEM ones. There was plenty of grease in there. I think most notching is due to too loose adjustment, allowing enough movement for them to hammer away at the races. In my case I could not detect any looseness before I disassembled it however.

I just attributed it to a big heavy bike being hammered off road.


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[holligl]

Thats what I do for 10 years... I have a big SNAP-ON that I TQ that down with .. I believe it's 94.

94 ft lbs ~ 130Nm

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[Boris]

I replaced my head bearings at 39059 miles, although I’d noticed the centered notch a couple of thousand miles prior to replacing them. Greasing and re torquing would have been pointless as the lower race had a clear pit in it.

Changing them is a straightforward process, although getting the bearing off the stem was beyond me, so I passed that to a mate.

Rough guide - Bars off and moved out of the way, top yoke off, Front wheel, mudguard and forks off, brakes bungeed out of the way, I moved the brake line union slightly and removed the hooter. Undo steering stem nut and washers etc, pull bottom yoke through. There are notches in the headstock where the races can be tapped out, mine came out very easily. Bearing needs to be removed from the steering stem and new one pressed on. Reverse process for refitting.

Required torque values are here - https://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?threads/useful-torque-figures.30959/ Note - handlebar clamp torque is for a Gen1 bike.

Note 2 - A special tool is required in order to tighten the bearings back down. I got mine from eBay for about £15.

Note 3 - Use a good quality grease.

Lastly, IMO, just get the factory bearings, they’re about £85 for a full set.

 

[Boris]

how do you service them then, my bikes a 2013 32000 miles they have not been looked at to be honest, my swing arm etc has been,

do the forks need removing i guess yes, would like to know whats involved with servicing the head bearings please

rob

As per my post above, but just regrease instead of replacing. I reckon 2-3 hours is doable without rushing any part of the process.

 

[ThaiXT]

Hi all I removed the bearings today, the lower bearing has lines/ grooves in the cup part, ;-( looks like they have been lubricated as plenty of grease but maybe over tightened

 

[WJBertrand]

As per my post above, but just regrease instead of replacing. I reckon 2-3 hours is doable without rushing any part of the process.

That’s a good way to prevent notching, but once a notch has developed, replacement is the only solution.


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[tart]

Hi all I removed the bearings today, the lower bearing has lines/ grooves in the cup part, ;-( looks like they have been lubricated as plenty of grease but maybe over tightened

So did I. Had a big center notch at 50.000klms. The outer rings looked exactly like yours. Never seen nothing like that. I've torqued the bearings regularly but seems that didnt' help. Obviously the lower bearing won't last because of the steep steering angle and front weight of the bike. Our bumpy gravel roads over here in the middle of nowhere are part of the problem, too.

For comparison my Moto Guzzi California, I never had any problems with steering bearings. Now, when the bike is in transformation process as a bobber, I finally changed the bearings after 200 000 klms. On the other hand, I rode seldom gravel roads with Guzzi.

 

[Jlq1969]

Nunca he visto nada de eso

It is the normal wear of a roller bearing, whose main function "is not to rotate"... 90% of the time of use of each roller, the roller works vertically... the other 10% the roller works rotating... If the roller worked rotating constantly (like a tire hub)….wear would exist, but it would not be in the form of vertical stripes

 

[Jlq1969]

Never seen nothing like that

It is the normal wear of a roller bearing, whose main function "is not to rotate"... 90% of the time of use of each roller, the roller works vertically... the other 10% the roller works rotating... If the roller worked rotating constantly (like a tire hub)….wear would exist, but it would not be in the form of vertical stripes

 

[whisperquiet]

I just completed the steering head bearing service at 20000 miles on my 2021 S10. It was done while having the front wheel off for a new tire install. My bearings had a decent amount of grease and were snug from the factory. My bike also has risers and it was easy to remove the top nut with a low profile 36 mm socket. It is easier to torque down the top nut if you have one of the fork legs installed and only the lower bolts snugged up.