PonyRide
XS650 Member
I've searched on here and have read that people have done this but found little on how to do it. Here is how I did it on the cheap. I put a 78 xs650 steer stem into the triple trees from a 74 dt250 to be able to use the 21" front Takasago rim with a drum brake and make the front end narrower.
You will need a dremel with a tungsten steel bit to grind the weld, a shop press to remove and replace the steer stem and a welder to weld back into place. I bought the bit from ACE and it was about $18 and the brand is Fornay. The press is a 12 ton shop press from good ol' Harbor Freight.
http://www.xs650.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=33963&stc=1&d=1377476947
Remove the bearing race and seal from the triple tree. You can do this by just tapping lightly with a punch alternating side to side until it comes off. Put the tree in a vise. Start grinding the weld away with the tungsten bit. You are going to be making a groove right in the center of the weld. I also made a line with a sharpie where the steer stem meets the bearing seat as a reference.
http://www.xs650.com/forum/attachme...ent.php?attachmentid=33965&stc=1&d=1377476947
You have to go pretty deep with this to get through. put it in the press and apply some pressure to see if you have gotten through the weld. You wont be able to see when you have. If you have to put quite a bit of pressure on it you haven't gotten through it.
I fabbed these plates to be able to set the trees flat on the press and clear the fork stop tabs.http://www.xs650.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=33967&stc=1&d=1377477624
Press out the stem and press back into the new one.
http://www.xs650.com/forum/attachme...ent.php?attachmentid=33968&stc=1&d=1377477624
http://www.xs650.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=33969&stc=1&d=1377477624
Xs650 and dt250 have the same diameter steer stem. At least the 74 and 78 do. I used a caliper to measure this before I started anything. I also ruined the first tree by pressing it out with the weld not grinded through completely. It bent the press and shot out like a rocket when the weld broke. It ruined the bearing seat. Found another on eBay for $30. Significantly cheaper than xs trees.
I switched to All Balls tapered bearings. Put the front end back together on the bike and make sure everything is straight and the stem is pressed in the right depth. While still assembled make four tack welds in a criss cross pattern to set the stem in place. Remove and finish the weld.
You will need a dremel with a tungsten steel bit to grind the weld, a shop press to remove and replace the steer stem and a welder to weld back into place. I bought the bit from ACE and it was about $18 and the brand is Fornay. The press is a 12 ton shop press from good ol' Harbor Freight.
http://www.xs650.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=33963&stc=1&d=1377476947
Remove the bearing race and seal from the triple tree. You can do this by just tapping lightly with a punch alternating side to side until it comes off. Put the tree in a vise. Start grinding the weld away with the tungsten bit. You are going to be making a groove right in the center of the weld. I also made a line with a sharpie where the steer stem meets the bearing seat as a reference.
http://www.xs650.com/forum/attachme...ent.php?attachmentid=33965&stc=1&d=1377476947
You have to go pretty deep with this to get through. put it in the press and apply some pressure to see if you have gotten through the weld. You wont be able to see when you have. If you have to put quite a bit of pressure on it you haven't gotten through it.
I fabbed these plates to be able to set the trees flat on the press and clear the fork stop tabs.http://www.xs650.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=33967&stc=1&d=1377477624
Press out the stem and press back into the new one.
http://www.xs650.com/forum/attachme...ent.php?attachmentid=33968&stc=1&d=1377477624
http://www.xs650.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=33969&stc=1&d=1377477624
Xs650 and dt250 have the same diameter steer stem. At least the 74 and 78 do. I used a caliper to measure this before I started anything. I also ruined the first tree by pressing it out with the weld not grinded through completely. It bent the press and shot out like a rocket when the weld broke. It ruined the bearing seat. Found another on eBay for $30. Significantly cheaper than xs trees.
I switched to All Balls tapered bearings. Put the front end back together on the bike and make sure everything is straight and the stem is pressed in the right depth. While still assembled make four tack welds in a criss cross pattern to set the stem in place. Remove and finish the weld.
