Slow speed shimmy/change of direction

[SlowOldGuy]

If I remember the factory instructions correctly, they say to torque the "adjuster" nut to 36 ft-lb then back it off and torque to 2 ft-lb.

The top "locking nut" actually sits on a rubber washer so you wouldn't want to tighten that too much.  110 ft-lb on the stem nut sounds like way too much, that's more than the rear axle (108)!

I could never get the "flop" test to work for me.  Too much stiffness in the throttle cables, brake/clutch lines and electrical harnesses to allow the steering to flop readily to either side.  Also, too lazy to remove all that stuff. 

I snug the lower nut untill all the play is out, snug the upper nut against the rubber washer then tighten the stem nut (but not to 110 ft-lb!).  I then elevate the front end and check for any play in the triple clamps while pulling and pushing on the fork assembly.

DavidR.

[RichBaker]

Yeah, it's been a while since I did the SH bearings...  It might be 70 ft/lbs. I remember it being a fairly high value.  Things like that I use the book specs and don't go with what "feels right".
One of the owners (and shop foreman) at my now-closed LBS told me to use the method I related previously. The man's been in bike repair longer than I'd been riding, at the time, now retired. I've been riding 43 years, doing my own repairs for most of that time.
He's probably forgotten more about bikes than anyone on this board still knows.... And I mean all of us!

[ribbert]

Yeah, it's been a while since I did the SH bearings...  It might be 70 ft/lbs. I remember it being a fairly high value.  Things like that I use the book specs and don't go with what "feels right".
One of the owners (and shop foreman) at my now-closed LBS told me to use the method I related previously. The man's been in bike repair longer than I'd been riding, at the time, now retired. I've been riding 43 years, doing my own repairs for most of that time.
He's probably forgotten more about bikes than anyone on this board still knows.... And I mean all of us!

It's the same as doing front wheel bearings on a car. Tighten it up to seat everything, not too tight, back it off until it's loose then snick it up with a whisker of load, the 2 ft/lb mentioned sounds about right.

The REAL important bit a lot of people muck up is, make sure when you tighten the lock nut that the bottom nut does not turn with it, even a little bit.

Noel