From: Ray Thornton Subject: Re: Vmax tightening steering bearings Brian, I use a modified 1 3/16" socket. It is a specialty tool for GM vehicles that I found at a local auto parts store (Checker). It's just a deep socket. It was around $5. You can modify it to leave 2 tabs 180 degrees apart that fit in the notches on the steering head nut. A bit crude looking, but it works well. Yamaha, of course, makes a special tool to do this, but I haven't seen one. Ray Thornton VMOA #132 '96 V-Max brian doody wrote: > I just got done greasing the steering bearings, and I don't know how to > torque the nut down to 36 lbs? Is there a special tool that fits the > nut? Can I use something else instead? Maybe I can make something up. > What do you use for this job? I want to do the furber fix but I have to > torque down the nut first. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance. BRIAN > DOODY VMOA # 375. -------- Yamaha (distributed by Kent-Moore, available @ Yama-dealers) makes a special spanner wrench for the steering stem nuts (also works on a lot of other motorcycles). It is made to accept a 3/8" drive torqe wrench. - -- Justin Lassy mailto:Vmaxtuner@earthlink.net ------- From: Justin Lassy Subject: Re: Vmax Wobble Fix Dom Ochoa wrote: > >> jdupuis@scouts.ca wrote: > > I realize that this must be an old topic with most of you but > > something is bothering me about it. If I have it right, you have > > from the bottom up, nut plus nut plus rubber washer and then the clip > > washer to line up the nuts, then of course the top triple tree and > > main nut. The problem I'm having with this is that your now going > > to apply 80 lbs of torque on a rubber washer. Does this not sound a > > little odd to any one else or am I just missing something. I've also > >Yes, that is a little odd. > > > read that the rubber washer can be replaced by a metal washer. This > > makes sense to me. I'd appreciate hearing from those who have done > > it and it works for them.>> > >The metal washer is a better solution. > I think the best solution of all is to torque the bottom nut correctly, > install the rubber washer where it belongs, crank down on the upper > nut so it squishes the rubber washer, then install upper triple clamp > and top nut, torqued properly. This is how I run my Vmaxes and my other > bikes, and none of them wag their head at any speed.> > > Justin, are you saying leave the order of the nuts and washers unchanged, and just torque the nuts "properly"? That's what the service manager at Bobbie J's Yamaha in Albuquerque told me. (Please define "crank down" and "properly." Thanks) 1) The steering stem bearings (timpken) need to be completely greased. 2) With the front end assembled (and greased) and the upper triple clamp off, the bottom lock nut should be torqued to 36 ft-lbs. This is the initial torque and is meant to set the bearings (just like you would for wheel bearings on some cars). This initial torque should be set with the front wheel on the ground. 3) With the front wheel still on the ground, loosen the bottom nut you just torqued. Then tighten to 2.2 ft-lbs. This second torque (in my opinion is simply a starting point, and is not necessarily the best "running" torque for the steering stem bearings. 4) Jack up the front of the vmax so the front wheel is off the ground. With the front end centered, tap on the tire to the left and then the right with one or two fingers. This is difficult to describe, but the fron end should fall to either the left or the right stop slowly, but should end up at the stop under its own weight. If you have to tap it to the stop with your fingers, the bottom nut is too tight. If the front end falls quickly to the stops, the bottom nut is too loose. Its kind of a feel thing. I find that the best torque setting will yield a front end that does not bounce off the stops. 5) Return the front wheel to the ground under the vmax's own weight. 6) Install rubber washer. 7) Install upper nut. What I mean by "crank down" for the upper nut is that you should try and get it as tight as you can w/ out completely distorting the rubber washer and without moving the bottom nut. Two spanner wrenches can really help in this endeavor. (one to hold the bottom nut, one to torque the upper nut). The yamaha manual says the upper nut should be finger tight.....try to get it tighter. 8) Assemble and torque the upper triple clamp. Lightly seat the pinch bolts for the forks, to help get the triple clamp aligned, then torque the top nut for the triple clamp (80 ft-lbs), then torque the pinch bolts to spec. 9) Re-check the front end by elevating the front end (tire off ground), and do the finger tapping test. Hopefully you are still right on. If not, chances are you are too tight and will need to loosen the bottomost nut a little bit, in which case you will need to start the process over. Sometimes it can be frustrating, but the results are worth it. My theory is that the rubber washer acts as kind of a dampner, and absorbs some of the front end shock and reduces the wear on the timpken bearings. Keep in mind that under hard braking you may still feel a very slight "clunk" in the front end, VERY SLIGHT. This is because timpken bearings are designed to have a little bit of play in them. If you've ever had to pack and torque wheel bearings on cars, you may have noticed that even after you've done the process correctly, the wheel assy may still have some play in it, this is because of the timpken bearing commonly used on wheel bearing assys. If you've experimented and tightened the bearing to the point there is no play, you may have found that the wheel won't spin freely. Same thing applies to the steering stem bearings on your vmax. Wobbling caused by steering stem bearing problems can be a function of bearings that are too loose and too tight. Do some experimenting, making sure that your tires have the correct air pressures in them, the swingarm is torqued properly, front end is tracking straight, and the axles aren't loose (yes, I've seen this). - -- Justin Lassy mailto:Vmaxtuner@earthlink.net -------- Subject: Re: steering/swingarm bearings Message-ID: <5553-364B3585-7086@mailtod-111.iap.bryant.webtv.net> --WebTV-Mail-1551237177-4282 Content-Type: Text/Plain; Charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7Bit Its more envolved with the steering bearings you need to take the front wheel off,drop the stem down,you will also need a syringe to grease the bearings with. It is alot easier to fill it full of grease and then inject it inbetween the rollers.Then you don't need to press the bottom bearing off to do it.With the swingarm bearings, the rear wheel comes off, the rear end is unbolted, remove the shocks. Now you loosen the right side first, that is also where you adjust the preload, 4 ft. lb's., and then remove the left. Reassembly is reversed. Takes about 30 min's. for each, a whole day if you don't eat your wheaties. Don "Old Man" Smith --------------------- Subject: Re: Bearings Message-ID: <199905051740.NAA11740@cnode4.cebaf.gov> > Paulo, I just did these on mine, if its the part number you'r looking for it's > 933320007900 for the top (I think this number has been superseded, maybee to > 93332-00001-00) and 93332-00008-00 on the lower. Brian ------------------- BOSS BEARING 1915 West Front Street Statesville, NC 28677 1-888-400-2677 or fax at (704) 881-0650