Neck bearing questions

[Gcraay]

So I got a set of roller bearing for my build. I was mocking them up to preassemble the bike and the cup on the bottom is really loose. The top seems to fit nice and tight, but not the bottom. And I like my bottoms tight. They came as a set so I'm confused. Am I missing something?

 

[figure8]

Are you talking about the dust seal?

 

[fredintoon]

So I got a set of roller bearing for my build. I was mocking them up to preassemble the bike and the cup on the bottom is really loose. The top seems to fit nice and tight, but not the bottom. And I like my bottoms tight. They came as a set so I'm confused. Am I missing something?

Hi Gcraay,
as this is a family site you must be talking about liking a tight fit between bottom conical outer race and the frame steering head?
All the cones I've installed had to be forced into the steering head with plain washers, 3/4" nuts and a length of 3/4" threaded rod.
But if you are sure the bearing is correctly assembled but it's a loose fit, stick the ring into place with bearing retention grade loktite.
This is NOT a bodge. It's SOP on aircraft landing gear bearing installations.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

We had a similar story here a couple years ago. Fellow had to make up a thin shim, wrapped around the lower race, to fit the neck. Dangit, can't find the thread...

 

[Bob Kelly III]

Sounds like beer can time to me..... beer can because they are real thin and aluminum... it cuts easy with normal sheers ...
I would cut a thin strip of beer can about 1/2" thick by the curcumfrance of the can .... or the width of the piece that slips into the neck
if it's real LOOSE...... other wise just a piece of the can to wedge the cup into the neck.... it will help to bend the lip of the piece of beer can over the bearing cup so it will pull the tin up into the neck when its pulled into place.... using too big a piece of tin could make it too tight
and forcing it in could bend the cup .....
Fredintoon's idea of locktight sounds like the best method over all !
my 2 coppers.
Bob..........

 

[Gcraay]

Ah yes, I was talking about the bearing cup fitting tight. Not...something wonderfully inappropriate.
But, yes based on instructions I fit the cup in first, then the bearing tapered side in. The top fits...snug. the bottom not. You think they would be both snug, and with that need to be different sizes. Bottom bigger. Funny part is, if you install the opposite way they look like a one piece complete bearing. I'll try to research this more.
So would a Pepsi can work? I don't drink.

 

[gggGary]

No it must be the special alloy found only in freshly opened and drained beer cans!!!
Anything else will let that annoying rationality raise it's ugly head to say F this, lets get the RIGHT parts. Hint; a dial caliper is your friend, wouldn't be the first time all balls put the wrong parts in the box.........

 

[gggGary]

There should be markings on the bearings
Upper: 25 x 48 x 15.2
Lower: 30 x 48 x 15

 

[Bob Kelly III]

Sorry, I didn't mean to offend you by mentioning the use of a beer can, yes a pepsi can will work as well.... Obviously.
.....
gggGary: I thought the Beer can makers stopped making the special alloy cans a long time ago when Pepsi sales started giving them competetion .... hehehehhe !.... now all that is available is counterfit Beer cans ! and we just have to make due with poor quality beer cans....
....
..... we wouldn't want that annoying rationality to raise it's ugly head AGAIN ! its contagious after all , last time that happened gggGary found his calipers !
LOL......
Bob........

 

[650Skull]

Gcraay, I.m not a drinker either, so the price of beer would not be obvious to me. An obvious solution is not always the one thought off......so any question has merit. Some have asked how to change the oil and even where the sump plug is..............It wasn't obvious to them either...............keep asking questions, no question is to silly, help will be given although it is obvious some think it is funny to make a big joke about it............

 

[Bob Kelly III]

Making a joke about it releaves tension, something you obviousely missed Skull my joking was not towards him or his question
absoultly he should ask questions, that's what this site is all about, but there is no reason you can't have fun doing it !
lighten up !
.....
Bob.........

 

[Gcraay]

Gcraay, I.m not a drinker either, so the price of beer would not be obvious to me. An obvious solution is not always the one thought off......so any question has merit. Some have asked how to change the oil and even where the sump plug is..............It wasn't obvious to them either...............keep asking questions, no question is to silly, help will be given although it is obvious some think it is funny to make a big joke about it............

Here's a silly question, do fish get thirsty? think a while first.

 

[Gcraay]

Making a joke about it releaves tension, something you obviousely missed Skull my joking was not towards him or his question
absoultly he should ask questions, that's what this site is all about, but there is no reason you can't have fun doing it !
lighten up !
.....
Bob.........

I'm good, I do wonder if I was sent the wrong set. My Biltwell grips were both the same size. no throttle.

 

[Bob Kelly III]

Gcraay : as gggGary mentioned get ahold of a Dial calaper if you don't already have one... he was gracious enough to give ya the dimentions of the bearing cups .....

There should be markings on the bearings
Upper: 25 x 48 x 15.2
Lower: 30 x 48 x 15

..... Most people don't have a dial calaper but they may well be marked !
are they the correct size ?
.......
it's not uncommon to recieve the wrong parts at all ...unfortionately !
you could call them and talk to them about what they sent you ! they may say "Oh gee I guess we sent you the wrong ones, I'm sorry !"
if so then your questions are already answered and no need to hunt up a calaper ! <grin>
keep after it you'll get it figured out !
......
Bob...........

 

[wrenchjohns]

The thread twomany refers to is: http://www.xs650.com/threads/fitting-allballs-top-race.38716/

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Thanx, wrenchjohns, that's one of them. There's another, concerning the bottom race...

 

[5twins]

Come to think of it, the All Balls set I installed for a guy last summer did have a very loose fitting bottom race. It tapped in quite easily, almost fell in. I couldn't pull it back out by hand or spin it in place so I just left it. But I think I'm going to have to get me some of that Loctite bearing stuff. Next time I'm thinking of trying the Pyramid bearings though. Maybe they'll be a better, tighter fit. They can be had for about the same, sometimes even less than the All Balls set.

 

[gggGary]

Used Pyramid on an FJR front rebuild, steering bearings, seals, and slide bushings, this winter everything looked good fit well. Put an all balls steering set in the RSV that was all good also. I really got forked over this year. I do have a nagging feeling that I did a beer can shim on one bike......................

 

[Bob Kelly III]

Stupid question..... but..... I'll do it anyway hehehehhe ...why not take a hammer and peene the edge in a bit to make the race fit tighter ?
a simple soulution !
more than likely the bearing races are at tollarance, but the neck is worbled out a bit..... I see no danger in doing that ....do you ?
.....
Bob......

 

[fredintoon]

Stupid question..... but..... I'll do it anyway hehehehhe ...why not take a hammer and peene the edge in a bit to make the race fit tighter ?
a simple soulution !
more than likely the bearing races are at tollarance, but the neck is worbled out a bit..... I see no danger in doing that ....do you ?
..... Bob......

Hi Bob
whaling away with a ball pein hammer to create a ring of dents whose raised edges will locate a bearing housing's diameter is the last resort of some poor bastard who is stuck up the arse end of nowhere and needs to get home right effin' now.
Using Loctite bearing retention compound to fix the race in position is a far better way to go.
Unlike forcing the bearing ring into a series of raised ridges, a Loctite-supported race is held all round and stays circular.