Hey folks,
I'm doing up the steering bearings on my 88 (89 for those in the US). I'd like to get a bearing set from Randy at RPM, but I live in Ottawa, Canada and the postage costs more than the whole set is worth. So I want to source them from a local bearing shop. I know the size for the top bearing, but not the bottom. I was wondering if anyone could help me out with the size or number for the bottom bearing?
Thanks
Kevin
http://www.bikebandit.com/1989-yamaha-fj1200-steering-stems-bearings/c/a714244?mg=2217&t=1 (http://www.bikebandit.com/1989-yamaha-fj1200-steering-stems-bearings/c/a714244?mg=2217&t=1)
Quote from: DB Cooper on May 02, 2011, 08:35:05 PM
...the postage costs more than the whole set is worth.
Kevin, Did you choose the first class postage for your shipping? Usually that is very affordable.
Let me know, Randy
randy@rpmracingca.com
Hi Randy.
I did a quick check, and it looks like $11.35 to ship a small package from you to me. Then I get to cough up another $5.00 fee to Canada Post for them to handle the package, plus another duty fee ( $2 or 3 dollars ) on the bearings, then I get to pay 13% tax on ALL of the above! I can get SKF bearings here for about $28.00 each (but no seal). Other than that I would definitely get them from you.
Hi rktmanfj.
As far as the bottom bearing sizing, I need the physical dimensions in mm, or the bearing number. The top is a Koyo 32005J, I.D 25 mm X O.D 47 mm X 15 mm.
Thanks
Kevin
Kevin.
I just recently received my steering head bearings from Randy and they arrived by Canada post. There were no other charges when I picked them up at the local postal outlet.
All I paid was what Randy charged.(taking into account the exchange rate)
I don't even bother pricing stuff from the local Yamaha dealers here as its usually the same money or even cheaper from Randy. Besides Randy knows what he's talking about, rather than the young kids at the dealer who don't even know what an FJ is.
Cheers..Jake
The part numbers/ bearing numbers listed in this post.
http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=2758.msg22212#msg22212 (http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=2758.msg22212#msg22212)
Cheers..Jake
Quote from: DB Cooper on May 03, 2011, 07:16:15 AM
...then I get to pay 13% tax on ALL of the above!
Kevin
I also adjust the invoice accordingly to help with the VAT on all parts send internationally,
Randy
whatever you do. be sure to get the bearing properly pressed in on the triple. i tried walking it in with a brass piece and a hammer, DONT do this. i totally fucked it up and will have to take it all apart and redo.
Well, as it turns out, after taking apart my triple tree last night, the bearings are in real good shape. There wasn't any play in them to begin with, but I'm having a hard time tracking down a clunk I get when hitting bumps. I just finished putting in emulators, bushings and seals hoping it would solve my problem (which it didn't). So then I thought it might be the steering bearings. So for now, I've greased and re-adjusted them, but I have my doubts that this will solve my problem as everything looked good. I will finish bolting everything up tonight and try it out if ever it STOPS raining.
Hi Jake.
I guess I'm unlucky - I just ordered a set of Racetech emulators from One Stop Moto in California. The valves were on special for 139.95, the shipping was 31.00, then Canada Post nailed me for another 22.50!
Hi Randy.
I will probably still order a set of bearings from you anyways as mine are original. But, I think I will wait and save on the shipping as there are a few other things you have that I might want. I am wondering about the urethane motor mounts you've mentioned in a previous post. If they work out, will they fit the 89? Also, the oil cooler looks really interesting too. I will get back to you after I try out my latest attempt at solving this really annoying clunk.
Kevin
Hey Kevin. I just redid my steering head bearings because they where 25 years old and was not sure when they were done. I am trying to eliminate a vibration in the front end which I think is tires. I too have the clunk that I thought might go away with new head bearings, but not so. After the first test ride it is still there. Others have reported the same symptoms. I am starting to think it might have something to do with the damper rod system hydro locking. I have 1.0 racetech springs, cartridge emulators and 15wt fork oil, new bushings, new head bearings. I am gonna start playing with oil wts and levels next to see if that does anything to eliminate the clunk. All in all though it handles quite well.
Quote from: DB Cooper on May 03, 2011, 05:57:59 PM
I guess I'm unlucky - I just ordered a set of Racetech emulators from One Stop Moto in California. The valves were on special for 139.95, the shipping was 31.00, then Canada Post nailed me for another 22.50!
I have had to pay the Canada Post fee as well from other retailers along with the taxes, but never had to pay any extra when receiving parts from Randy.
He looks after us... :good2:
Cheers...Jake
No question that handling is much improved! I don't have any vibration, just the clunk. It only seems to occur at city speeds, on fairly sharp bumps like the lip at the edge of a driveway, or a really rough road. It rarely ever happens at highway speeds. I still have the progressive springs, but I used 15wt like you. Let me know if you make any headway. I am going to play around with a couple of different settings as well.
Kevin.
Quote from: DB Cooper on May 03, 2011, 06:51:37 PM
No question that handling is much improved! I don't have any vibration, just the clunk. It only seems to occur at city speeds, on fairly sharp bumps like the lip at the edge of a driveway, or a really rough road. It rarely ever happens at highway speeds. I still have the progressive springs, but I used 15wt like you. Let me know if you make any headway. I am going to play around with a couple of different settings as well.
Kevin.
This has happened before - and after chasing all sorts of things in the front end - it turned out to be the centerstand. You might need a new spring - something to checkout anyway.
Quote from: DB Cooper on May 03, 2011, 05:57:59 PM
Well, as it turns out, after taking apart my triple tree last night, the bearings are in real good shape. There wasn't any play in them to begin with, but I'm having a hard time tracking down a clunk I get when hitting bumps. I just finished putting in emulators, bushings and seals hoping it would solve my problem (which it didn't). So then I thought it might be the steering bearings. So for now, I've greased and re-adjusted them, but I have my doubts that this will solve my problem as everything looked good. I will finish bolting everything up tonight and try it out if ever it STOPS raining.
Kevin
I had a clunk in the front end, when hitting bumps..... it went away after the back 1/2 of the front fender fell off...... :dash1:
Could be the springs bowing in the fork tubes during compression.
I occasionally get a clunk when the fork is compressing. Nothing is loose or damaged. Have never been able to locate it.
DavidR.
Quote from: DB Cooper on May 03, 2011, 05:57:59 PM
but I'm having a hard time tracking down a clunk I get when hitting bumps.
Are you certain this is not the weak-sprung kick stand bouncing against the chassis?
Would not be the first time someone though this was something else.
Just a thought.
Dan
i replaced my steering bearings , thought that would get rid of the clunk. mine also, under compression does the clunk, like a sharp knock if you will, am running 15 weight front fork oil might go up another notch, it is annoying, at low speed or grabbing the front brakes hard! it randomly goes clunk, also going over the curb of my front driveway....
Quote from: SlowOldGuy on May 03, 2011, 07:39:29 PM
Could be the springs bowing in the fork tubes during compression.
I occasionally get a clunk when the fork is compressing. Nothing is loose or damaged. Have never been able to locate it.
DavidR.
My money's with DavidR on this one. Of course I can't prove it. I get the same occasional clunk--exactly how DB Cooper describes it. When it happened the other day I was thinking that the next time I change my oil, I'm going to check for play in the stem bearings
again. After reading the posts, I'm thinking Kevin and Jake saved me some time and aggravation. Dan, good point, the center stand and kick stand rattle, but on mine at least, I'm almost positive it's in the forks. I'm working (not very quickly though) on being able to secure both the kickstand and center stand when not in use to eliminate those rattles and consequently that source of noise.
For what it's worth, I have 1.0 Sonic springs, Jake's got 1.0 Racetec springs, and Kevin's got progressive springs. I guess we can rule out a specific spring as the culprit. Some day I'm going to shorten the spacer a little for a tad less pre-load on the springs in hope that it helps.
Question: Kevin, do the progressive springs have a spacer that sits on top of the spring?
I will for sake of argument, check the kickstand spring. But, it's like Kopfjaeger says, just grabbing a hand full of front brake will produce the clunk, which means it it doesn't need a bump, just some quick compression. I know after taking the front forks completely apart and rebuilding them and adding emulators, nothing is loose or broken, and nothing has changed. I am wondering if it is the front springs bowing during compression. As I write this, it just occurred to me that when I rebuilt the forks, I set the base preload at 15mm. I am wondering, that if it is the springs that are bowing out, could I ramp up the preload way high to compress the springs and pre bow them? It would really throw off the handling, but it would be worth it to see if the clunk goes away, or at least changes it.
Just before posting this I see Mark posted as well. there was no spacer when I took the forks apart, and adding the emulators gave me exactly 15 mm of preload.
Thanks by the way for the great article / how to on the front forks, it was a big help!!
Kevin.
Quote from: DB Cooper on May 03, 2011, 09:36:05 PM
I will for sake of argument, check the kickstand spring.
Dude - did you see MY post? Centerstand - check the centerstand man! Ignore the kickstand. The kickstand can bang around for years and you would never notice it - I can assure you that it is irrelevant in this discussion.
Quote from: Marsh White on May 03, 2011, 11:00:56 PM
Ignore the kickstand. The kickstand can bang around for years and you would never notice it - I can assure you that it is irrelevant in this discussion.
??
Marsh-
Are you paying attention to your own forum?
Quote from: FJDuffer on May 02, 2011, 09:06:01 PM
A magnet secured to the bottom of the footpeg, used to keep the kickstand from rattling when traveling over our pothole filled roads. Works great. I'm investigating a similar mod to the center stand as well. I hate rattles. About $23 with shipping. http://www.amazon.com/Neodymium-Magnet-Countersunk-Hole-Epoxy/dp/B0012DNFTC (http://www.amazon.com/Neodymium-Magnet-Countersunk-Hole-Epoxy/dp/B0012DNFTC) Handle carefully, these magnets are strong little buggers.
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/2/150_26_04_11_7_55_31_1.jpeg)
While I agree that the center stand is more massive, and therefore more likely to produce a bigger clunk, Both are worth checking. I would not go so far as to say that the kickstand is irrelevant, and that you would never notice it.
Besides, this issue has come up at least 3-4 times before, here, and over on the yahoo list, and the group consensus does tend to settle on it being the spring binding.
Dan
Quote from: Dan Filetti on May 03, 2011, 11:27:59 PM
Quote from: Marsh White on May 03, 2011, 11:00:56 PM
Ignore the kickstand. The kickstand can bang around for years and you would never notice it - I can assure you that it is irrelevant in this discussion.
??
Marsh-
Are you paying attention to your own forum?
Quote from: FJDuffer on May 02, 2011, 09:06:01 PM
A magnet secured to the bottom of the footpeg, used to keep the kickstand from rattling when traveling over our pothole filled roads. Works great. I'm investigating a similar mod to the center stand as well. I hate rattles. About $23 with shipping. http://www.amazon.com/Neodymium-Magnet-Countersunk-Hole-Epoxy/dp/B0012DNFTC (http://www.amazon.com/Neodymium-Magnet-Countersunk-Hole-Epoxy/dp/B0012DNFTC) Handle carefully, these magnets are strong little buggers.
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/2/150_26_04_11_7_55_31_1.jpeg)
While I agree that the center stand is more massive and worth checking as well, I would not go so far as to say that the kickstand is irrelevant, and that you would never notice it.
Dan
Might throw off your GPS units.....
Quote from: SlowOldGuy on May 03, 2011, 07:39:29 PM
Could be the springs bowing in the fork tubes during compression.
I occasionally get a clunk when the fork is compressing. Nothing is loose or damaged. Have never been able to locate it.
DavidR.
Probably not related, but I had the same thing after the FZ1 fork install, along with new stem bearings. I couldn't isolate the problem till one day I discovered the nut on the top of the stem was only finger tight....... took it down a half turn - no more clunk from the front end!
Harvy
Quote from: Marsh White on May 03, 2011, 07:16:29 PM
This has happened before - and after chasing all sorts of things in the front end - it turned out to be the centerstand. You might need a new spring - something to checkout anyway.
Not centre stand in my situation cause I ain't got one. Is definitely coming from the front end. I can feel it in the bars.
Harvey you might be onto something. It might be that very fine line between top nut too loose or too tight. I tried tightening mine last year but all that did was make slow speed travel like I was drunk. Couldn't keep it going straight. Definitely was too tight. I'm going to check the torque on the steering nut. The top locking nut is only supposed to be a bit better than finger tight as this is what takes the load when tightening the top nut(acorn nut) with lots of torque.
Quote from: markmartin on May 03, 2011, 09:29:44 PM
For what it's worth, I have 1.0 Sonic springs, Jake's got 1.0 Racetec springs, and Kevin's got progressive springs. I guess we can rule out a specific spring as the culprit. Some day I'm going to shorten the spacer a little for a tad less pre-load on the springs in hope that it helps.
I have made up different size spacers and have swapped them around, but no difference either. We'll figure this out someday. I do know of a cure....some of them trick USD forks..... :good2:
Cheers...Jake
Sorry, my bad. When I referred to the kickstand, I meant the centerstand. I grew up calling the kickstand a side stand, a hard habit to break after so many years.
Thanks for the info Jake. I'll look elsewhere instead of chasing preload settings. Too bad, I thought i might be on to something there.
As far as adjusting the ring nuts, the manual says to to set the initial torque on the bottom nut to 36 ft lbs, then back off and reset to 2 ft lbs. Then, set the top nut so that it makes contact and then tighten (without moving the bottom nut) just enough to line up the notches to accept the lock.
I've done exactly this, but I've also tried a little over tight and neither setting had any difference on the clunk.