Replaced balls with Taper steering head bearings can't fit lock nut under top triple

[rude]

I've replaced the bearings in my 78 XS650E steering head upper and lower with taper bearings. Both bearing races were removed from the frame and the lower taper bearing pressed onto the steering stem by the local motor mac, the rubber dust seal remained.

I now find on assembly with the new taper bearings that I cannot get the locking nut on the top of the steering stem (not enough thread) as the taper bearings appear to be thicker than the original roller bearings.
I have tightened the head nut as tight as possible and then loosened back the nut approx 1/4 turn to get some pre load on the steering head using a spacer washer where the locking nut should be to make up the correct height for the top triple pinch clamp and bolt.
The taper bearings are marked for my bike model and they were not separated out of the packet until being installed.
Is it normal when fitting taper bearings to loose the top locking nut? if not any suggestions would be appreciated
Many Thanks
Rod

 

[inxs]

- have you got them the right way...there is an upper and a lower bearing set, you can have this problem if you mix and match the bearings and races

upper 25 x 48 x 15.2
lower 30 x 48 x 15

 

[rude]

Thanks for your reply inxs, I had the lower bearing pressed on by the local bloke who knows these bikes I hope so anyway. If they were reversed the lower would be sloppy on the stem not a tight fit which it is? So I think that's ok. Could I have reversed the caps? Couldn't surely ......
I'm out to the shed now with to do some measuring I did confirm the widths (48mm) prior to rebuilding the stem so I'll compare with old races and report back
If everything is right it should all go back the way it came apart?
Cheers

 

[jay760]

Stem size is the same top and bottom, so it would still be tight on the stem, it's the depth of the bearing which is differant, easy mistake to make, I've done it, that was before the wonders of the internet, took me ages to work out what was going on

 

[rude]

Geez looks like it gets pulled apart! I had a time getting the forks into the top clamp, had toi use a big wedge ! Thanks for the help
Cheers

 

[rude]

Just to close the loop pulled it down to find the bottom bearing seat not sitting true, it was hooked in a groove probably caused by the old bearings. Trick for young and us old players Put it back together and all is good.
BTW I can't see how you could reverse the upper and lowers as they are different OD's, anyway glad I checked as it could have been nasty! Just goes to show, check then check again

 

[inxs]

- reversing is easy, OD for both is 48mm, ID has 0.2mm difference, ....glad you got it sorted

 

[rude]

Thanks inxs, you are right, lucky I had the motor mac do the lower bearing or I could have mucked that up to! Getting late and cold in the shed now and Bear Grills is on tomorrow I'll put it all back together again
Any solution for spreading the top fork pinch clamps apart from the biggest screwdriver you can find?
Cheers

 

[inxs]

- shouldnt really need to spread them, they can get an oxidation build up on the inside surfaces-a little wet n dry will sort that - could use a little graphite or Cu paste as lubricant - check the tubes are straight, mostly though, insert the forks before tightening everything down...these really needed fork braces from new