Sandy/Grinding feel when steering

Ducbert

Active Member
I would like to take apart the steering to inspect the "sandy", "grinding" feel in the steering stem.......

OK, I have never taken apart the steering stem on a bike. I have a K7 GSXR -750, it calls for a steering stem tool to be able to take it apart. Will I need this tool? I am worried sand/dirt got into the bearings etc and has eroded the internals.

Any experts want to chime in on what to look for?
 

jetfixer15

Active Member
Without the steering damper on, the handle bars should be able to be moved lock to lock fairly easily. If you feel stiction, or resistance then the steering head bearing races may be too tight or the steering head bearings are worn. I don't know the exact setup on the GSXR but removing the steering head bearing races should be a matter of removing the top triple calmp and then loosening the securing nut and then bearing race. Inspect the bearings for wear and make sure there is enough grease in them (can be difficult with sealed bearing units). Sometimes the bearing races are over torqued which can contribute to an increased amount of resistance in steering movement. Ensure they are torqued to the factory specified values. If you still feel the same feeling and suspect your steering head bearing are compromised, then change them out.
 

JDS

Active Member
U should be able to Macgyver something for a tool. I will assume its a notched ring nut holding the stem in place. Hammer & chisel should work. Now, if it was your 20 + G Duc U were working on,, id say buy the special wrench. But its only a Susy (girls bike) ;) :)
 

YZF1000jon

Well-Known Member
Seals should keep most anything out, so it sounds like over tightened bearings as mentioned aboved. You did pull the damper to make sure that wasn't it right.
 

Ducbert

Active Member
Thank for all your input.

Steering damper is off, bike is raised off the ground with no weight on the front end and it feels like a manual coffee grinder! LOL

Time to strip it down and see what kind of mess is there. :confused:
 

Ducbert

Active Member
I tried using the hammer/chisel, for the retaining nut but the steering stem wouldn't give. So I had resort to a "polish" socket remover (18" Pipe Wrench). Yes I can say that, I'm polish.... :)

Stripped it down, god what a mess inside, cleaned it up, blew it all out with the compressor, greased it up and slapped it all back together!

Smooth as "peanut butter"! :D
 

Ducbert

Active Member
LOL

The seals were tight, when I pulled the nuts off, nothing moved. However, when I looked inside the neck, it was full of dirt, right into the holes leading down into the frame......

I guess the frame got filled up and packed with dirt, it must have pushed it's way into the neck, via the frame holes/tunnels from the back side, which leaves you with dirt behind the seals, ending up in the bearings.....

The seals did a good job keeping everything in and letting nothing out!
Big +++ :p

Once I blew everything out of the frame/neck, washed/wiped everything down with micro fibre, looked over the seals, checked the bearings for any scoring or pitting etc. It came together.....

Lesson learned, if you buy a bike laying in the dirt, expect dirt, everywhere!

I had to blew sand and dirt out of the entire top of the bike/engine area, air box was covered, stuff all over under the tank, just dirt packed in all over.......Lots of fun! ;)

Needless to say, it's about to stripped down to frame and motor.......
 
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