Advice for replacing steering head bearings?

Hi
i have a 98 VFR800 with 60k on it.
my steering head bearings have a flat spot and need replacing.
i have been quoted 4 hrs labour plus $80 for tapered roller replacements.
i intend to purchase the taper roller bearings and fit them myself.
does anyone have any suggestions or advice on best way to go about this replacement?
i have heli bars and oxford heated grips (not sure if this makes any difference to this job)
Cheers

 

Thanks Jason,

ps - nice video clip

Cheers.

 

follow your haynes manual! it's not that bad, but i do think that you will have to get with someone to remove the lower race from the steering stem- it takes a special tool and press to seat the new one. outside of that I think your first hurdle would be to find a way to prop the front end up off the ground, securely. your haynes manual will take you the rest of the way.

 

All Balls Racing sells the tapered bearings, I believe they should be well under $40. $80 is getting hosed. You should be able to order them through most any bike dealer too.

I've never replaced the stem bearings before (I have a shop do it). I've heard that you should always push the race or bearing out straight...you shouldn't tap one side then the other because it can make the opening slightly out of round. So don't take it to a ham-fisted mechanic.

I found this article for bearing replacement on a VFR. I did see that the author uses the "tap one side then the other" to get the race out...not something I would do. But there is some other good info in the article like using the old race as a driver for the new one, which I have heard of before.

VFR Stem Bearing Link

 

I have used All Balls bearing kits on 4 different bikes all kits are under 40 bones it really is a piece of cake to do it is better to have a race puller of some kind but it is not required worst part is stripping all the body work off just take your time tapered bearings also make the bike feel lighter by increasing bearing contact

 

I had a similar "flat spot" around centre on my 99 at around 46,000km
All I did was pull the steering head, clean, rotate and regrease the bearings and assemble. Had to buy a big socket for the top nut and a replacement lock washer. The bike has been perfect ever since. Getting the tension right is tricky but not impossible. My bike steers like a new one now. I could see/feel no wear on the race surfaces.
Of course yours may have a more serious fault but I would try this first.

 

this seems the way to do it, however heres a couple of tips that may help. 1/ using a fixed anchor point pull the rear of the bike down rather than propping the front up. 2/ if possible suspend from the garage / workshop roof rafters a couple of light ropes this will help to support the h bars / calipers when removing the forks hope this helps

 

remove front wheel before anything else.
take your time and be very sure not to change routing of wires or cables.

take the triple tree to a proper shop for removal of lower bearing race. They will usually damage the lower dust seal, so be sure you have a new one in hand.

cool new lower bearing race in freezer before installing on steering stem.
grease new bearings and races using approved packing technique and use good quality grease.

if new bearings are over-tightened the bike will wander in a continual s-curve.

 

The new races can be easily installed by sitting them on some dry ice for about 10 minutes, then install them while cold (USE GLOVES). Stick a piece of the dry ice in the steering neck, on the old race for a few minutes, then tap it out with a BRASS punch and a "DEAD BLOW" hammer. But for only a 4 hour charge, I'd let the dealer do it unless you just want to do a project. It is a lot of work removing the whole front end, especially if you don't have a lift table. I use a engine crane and a large block of wood under the engine of the bike to support it on the lift table.