notchy bearing blues

[driggs]

So I noticed a very slight notch in the steering head at straight-ahead position....so it looks like there may be a bearing replacement in my future.

Been reading about it and it looks like some folks have some luck with simply cleaning and regreasing the bearings. What about replacing just the cone bearings and leaving the outer races as-is? I know that when you have it all apart its good to just do the whole job, but is the notchy feel typically caused by damage to the bearing itself or by the outer race being notched/damaged?

I'm sure it would be easier, especially if the outer races are completely smooth, to just leave 'em in and do the bearings only. Comments? Experiences? Thanks!

1988 R100RT
105K on the clock

[Deleted User 72]

Collected wisdom seems to favor replacing the whole shootin' match, with welding a bead on the outer race the favored method of removal.

[Major Softie]

Bearings and bearing races are matched sets. Never ever ever ever ever ever ever replace part and leave used parts meshing with new parts. Even if they were all new parts from different bearings it's likely things wouldn't match perfectly. When you mix used and new, you've pretty much wasted your time going through all that work.

[Jean]

+1 to M.S.
Wasting your time and money. Anyhow, you have to buy the whole thing.

[jtoml]

I've done this job a couple of times on my R75/5. Cleaning and re-greasing was all that was necessary, and it's not that hard a job. On the centre stand, remove the top triple clamp and drop the forks a few inches. The top bearing pops out easily, and the bottom bearing can be cleaned in place with a brush and solvent. Messy, but it beats a full dissasembly. Grease and re-assemble. Tighten the ring nut until there is no fork play left. The handle bars should gently fall to one side or the other.

[ME 109]

Mine are notchy again, but perhaps not surprising with riding a lot of rough roads.

Cleaning may well be enough, but with an RS the operation is more of a chore. So it's always new bearings for me.

A tiny notch is not worth worrying about. I've experienced riding with a John Deere sized furrow and it was not that big of a deal.
It did however show me that at highway speeds on not too tight bends, the handlebars really don't move.

[jagarra]

Tapered bearings should always be replaced as matched, you are asking for trouble if not done properly. The trouble with notchy bearings is the notch is formed in the race, true there may be a flat spot in the roller, but mostly I have seen the race affected.