Steering reluctant to turn

[zunkus]

Coming from work I've noticed the steering reluctant to turn from the straight centre position. Makes the bike somewhat notchy in long bends. It sort of has a slight click into centre position.
I've read somewhere that this is the sign of head bearing trouble. Malta is pothole country so I'm not being inspector Morse to guess how this fault emerged.
So should I order the whole lot, top, bottom bearings and races. Are there improved items over stock OEM, roller bearings maybe?
Out of curiosity, if you've had this experience what normally gets nackered the bottom or upper bearing?

[chazzyb]

Do the lot. Taper rollers are *probably* cheaper than OEM cups, cones and balls.

[admin]

Hi Steven. Sounds like head bearings to me. Had my fair share of these over the years. The SV has balls as apposed to roller bearings which surprised me as my old 1989 GSX had taper rollers as standard. Does it feel like the back tyre is a bit flat when you corner?

Get the front of the bike into the air and take off the front wheel and then turn the steering. Without the weight of the wheel to dampen things the notchiness will be really apparent.

I'd replace the whole lot with tapers, although I'm not sure of their availability for the SV.


Don't over tighten the new head bearings, give them a few hundred miles to bed in and then check for play.

John

[chazzyb]

I'd replace the whole lot with tapers, although I'm not sure of their availability for the SV.


Taper rollers are standard sizes from memory, I just can't remember what. Once you know what they are, a bearing merchant will be able to supply. A bike-type supplier will know what they are and sell you a set for *more* money. I seem to recall that the lower race had a seal on it (1RS designation?). The OEM lower race dust shield *will* get destroyed during the operation.

[zunkus]

Yes John, did the front elevated thing and also inflated the front tyre before that to see if it had anything to do with that as well but sorry for me to say that the bearings have to go. The thing is that I don't know of anyone who has replaced to tapered so don't know what I'd be getting into. You know me John if I could improve things I'd do it, I just want to be sure its the right thing to do.

[sinbad]

Make sure the steering head bearing nut isn't over tight first.

[zunkus]

I have found these taper bearings:
http://www.gear4bikes.com/cgi-bin/sh000001.pl?REFPAGE=http%3a%2f%2fwww%2egear4bikes% 2ecom%2facatalog%2fsearch%2ehtml&WD=sv650&PN=Suzuki_Taper_Roller_Bearings1%2ehtml%23a7670#a7 670
but they don't offer any information about their seating cups. Since the bearings are different (being taper bearings) won't you need new cups for them to seat into?

If you're reading this and have done the mod please give me details of the tapered bearings, part number and make? I'd like to buy the bearings first so that I'd already have them before I dismantle so as to maximise riding time as much as possible.

[Lozzo]

Ow Zunkus, kifinti?

You can buy taper roller steering head bearings as a complete set for the bike, this includes the inner and outer parts of both the top and bottom bearings. It's always adviseable to replace the lot when you do them.

Try here: http://www.mandp.co.uk/productInfo.aspx?catRef=508447

Wave to my family on Rue D'Argens, Msida when you next ride up there.

Chow jbien

[zunkus]

Thanks Lozzo. I see that the kit includes the cups to be inserted into the frame tube. Nice. So have you done the conversion to yur bike? Thanks for the Maltese talk by the way. So are you Maltese? Maybe we'll get to meet on the road. I'll be coming next month to tour the place for 12 days. I'll be opening a topic to say where I'll be when I start the tour.

[Lozzo]

I'm 3/4 Maltese, but brought up over here and you've just experienced my total knowledge of the Maltese language, so don't go talking it to me.

I haven't fitted taper roller bearings to my SV yet, but I no doubt will eventually. I have fitted them to many many bikes in the past, for myself and friends. It's not the easiest job, but with time and patience it can go smoothly. You'll need some long pin punches and a method of sitting your bike upright and secure when the wheel and forks are out. I have this stand,similar ones are available from a company called Abba:

74

It's strong enough for my old GSXR1000 to sit on with no wheels in for three weeks.

Good luck

[zunkus]

The stand is no problem as I've managed to design and contruct something similar to what you've got. Not as nice but practical and solid. I've done loads on bikes but as yet have never tackled this bearing thing yet. Always a first time I suppose. When you say that I'll need long pin punches do you think I could use thick wooden hardwood rods so as to minimise damage? Northwind, a friend from this here forum has suggested that I should freeze the components prior to removing/installing since the metal contracts somewhat and makes fitment or removal easier. I have a can of freeze which I use on electronic components at work which should do the trick nicely. The new bearings I'll put in the freezer prior installation. Any idea what type of greese best suits the bearings. Graphite greese comes to mind. Any suggestions?

I've scanned the net on he subject of replacing the stock roller bearings with tapered ones. The guys who work in bike shops suggest to fully tighten things with roller bearings and then going back half a turn. Thought I'd put as much info on the subject here in case there's some other guy who'd be doing this mod in the future.

Also found cheaper bearings on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Suzuki-SV650-SV-650-99-2000-Steering-Stem-Bearings-Kit_W0QQitemZ270115556844QQihZ017QQcategoryZ10534Q QrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

[walkaboutandy]

Damn!

Just finished replacing the head bearings on my SV yesterday. I wish I would have known about those roller bearings cos I bought standard ones from a dealer and they were over 70 quid including the bottom seal. :smt103

To tap the outer bearings from the frame was easy using a bar or chisel. There are a couple of cut outs so its easy to get on a good surface. The inner bearing on the steerer was a shocker as it took loads of tapping with a small chisel under the side to get it to move and the bottom seal is defo worth replacing as it got well mashed by the end.

Installation was easy as I put the inner steerer bearing in an oven for a bit and the steerer in the freezer and used a metal pipe to tap it on. The outer bearings in the frame I left in the freezer and tapped them in using a drift that I quickly machined up at work.

I used bearing grease that I had previously acquired to fit a new headset on my mountain bike, but in the Haynes manual it says that standard automotive grease will do.

The steering was really notchy before (only realised this when it failed its MOT) and now its lovely and smooth. :cool:

[toonyank]

I have found these taper bearings:
http://www.gear4bikes.com/cgi-bin/sh000001.pl?REFPAGE=http%3a%2f%2fwww%2egear4bikes% 2ecom%2facatalog%2fsearch%2ehtml&WD=sv650&PN=Suzuki_Taper_Roller_Bearings1%2ehtml%23a7670#a7 670
but they don't offer any information about their seating cups.

I am new to the SV world myself and this come as a complete shock and I'm quite disappointed that the they do not come with tapers :(

I have always dealt with Wemoto myself for pattern parts. Good bunch they are. The bearings they offer for a pointy 04/05 are:

http://shop.wemoto.com/pictures.dyn?u=5835675qqq25618

[toonyank]

The bearings they offer for a pointy 04/05 are:

http://shop.wemoto.com/pictures.dyn?u=5835675qqq25618

Having said that, I'm not sure anyone said it was a pointy. Anyway they are probably the same for curvies as well. You can choose any bike on the website AND you get a nice Wemoto keyring with every order, I'm a wash with keyrings :)