Author Topic: 1400 steering bearings with no grease. Interesting GT thread  (Read 2188 times)

Offline lucian

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1400 steering bearings with no grease. Interesting GT thread
« on: October 14, 2018, 07:14:50 PM »
No grease on the head bearings? go figure. I liked his addition of a grease zerk on the stem. Another winter guzzi project.




http://www.guzzitech.com/forums/threads/steering-headstock-bearings-look-bad.18803/
« Last Edit: October 14, 2018, 07:15:43 PM by lucian »

Offline Ncdan

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Re: 1400 steering bearings with no grease. Interesting GT thread
« Reply #1 on: October 14, 2018, 08:27:55 PM »
No grease on the head bearings? go figure. I liked his addition of a grease zerk on the stem. Another winter guzzi project.




http://www.guzzitech.com/forums/threads/steering-headstock-bearings-look-bad.18803/
Is that a big project getting to those bearings to grease, I ain't even got to the dry swing arm bearing issue and that Pete made us aware of yet:(

Offline lucian

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Re: 1400 steering bearings with no grease. Interesting GT thread
« Reply #2 on: October 14, 2018, 08:42:19 PM »
Not really a huge job Dan, but certainly shouldn't be necessary at 25,000 miles.  Grease from the factory seems hit or miss on these bikes. Only way to know for sure is to have a look at some point. I will probably take a peek at mine this winter as I would like to change the fork oil as well. I like the idea of adding the grease nipple on the stem so you can grease it without having to go through pulling the forks.

pete roper

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Re: 1400 steering bearings with no grease. Interesting GT thread
« Reply #3 on: October 14, 2018, 08:44:01 PM »
In my experience the head stem bearings in CARC bikes which are the same as those in Cali 14's I believe tend to under greased but unlike swingarm bearings not totally bereft.

On a Cali they'll probably be a right shit of a thing because of the shrouds and munt attatched to the yokes.

Pete

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Re: 1400 steering bearings with no grease. Interesting GT thread
« Reply #3 on: October 14, 2018, 08:44:01 PM »

Offline lucian

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Re: 1400 steering bearings with no grease. Interesting GT thread
« Reply #4 on: October 14, 2018, 08:54:54 PM »
Maybe the easiest approach would be just drill the stem for a grease zerk and give it to her. :grin:

pete roper

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Re: 1400 steering bearings with no grease. Interesting GT thread
« Reply #5 on: October 14, 2018, 09:01:46 PM »
When you say the stem do you mean the neck of the frame? You'd have to pumpma fuque-tonne of grease into it to fill it up so it got to the bearings. I certainly wouldn't want to cross drill the stem as the risk of starting a dress raiser in such a vital component would give me the willies and what would be the oint? The bearings are outboard of the stem??? I can't see the logic of a grease nipple? Far better just pack 'em properly.

Pete

Offline Mr Revhead

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Re: 1400 steering bearings with no grease. Interesting GT thread
« Reply #6 on: October 15, 2018, 04:13:56 AM »
When you say the stem do you mean the neck of the frame? You'd have to pumpma fuque-tonne of grease into it to fill it up so it got to the bearings. I certainly wouldn't want to cross drill the stem as the risk of starting a dress raiser in such a vital component would give me the willies and what would be the oint? The bearings are outboard of the stem??? I can't see the logic of a grease nipple? Far better just pack 'em properly.

Pete

Looking at the pics, he's drilled in the side of the head stock.  :shocked: :huh:

pete roper

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Re: 1400 steering bearings with no grease. Interesting GT thread
« Reply #7 on: October 15, 2018, 04:47:28 AM »
(Gwerp.........)

Offline Kev m

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Re: 1400 steering bearings with no grease. Interesting GT thread
« Reply #8 on: October 15, 2018, 05:41:57 AM »
Some Harleys (the FL's at least, I don't remember on the old Sportys) used to come with zerk fittings in the neck. You added grease until you saw a little at the top and bottom.
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Offline lucian

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Re: 1400 steering bearings with no grease. Interesting GT thread
« Reply #9 on: October 15, 2018, 06:23:00 AM »
When you say the stem do you mean the neck of the frame? You'd have to pumpma fuque-tonne of grease into it to fill it up so it got to the bearings. I certainly wouldn't want to cross drill the stem as the risk of starting a dress raiser in such a vital component would give me the willies and what would be the oint? The bearings are outboard of the stem??? I can't see the logic of a grease nipple? Far better just pack 'em properly.
Pete

Point taken Pete, Hadn't thought about the possibility of developing a crack at the drilling point.  Wouldn't that suck! Plus ,once properly packed I'll likely never have to go there again in my lifetime.  Thank's for chiming in !

Offline Ncdan

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Re: 1400 steering bearings with no grease. Interesting GT thread
« Reply #10 on: October 15, 2018, 08:11:24 AM »
Point taken Pete, Hadn't thought about the possibility of developing a crack at the drilling point.  Wouldn't that suck! Plus ,once properly packed I'll likely never have to go there again in my lifetime.  Thank's for chiming in !
Not down playing the possibility of weakening the neck by drilling a 3/8 in. Hole in the hardened still fork neck, personally I feel that's very unlikely. As Kev pointed out Harley has did this for decades with no issues and allowing a simple trouble free method to keep those crucial bearings greased.
 

Offline Kev m

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Re: 1400 steering bearings with no grease. Interesting GT thread
« Reply #11 on: October 15, 2018, 08:19:20 AM »
Not down playing the possibility of weakening the neck by drilling a 3/8 in. Hole in the hardened still fork neck, personally I feel that's very unlikely. As Kev pointed out Harley has did this for decades with no issues and allowing a simple trouble free method to keep those crucial bearings greased.

On the flip side, they have eliminated that from all their bikes these days (and I think for some time now).

Truthfully this should not be an issue, they should be packed (at assembly) and left alone.
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Offline Ncdan

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Re: 1400 steering bearings with no grease. Interesting GT thread
« Reply #12 on: October 15, 2018, 08:38:11 AM »
On the flip side, they have eliminated that from all their bikes these days (and I think for some time now).

Truthfully this should not be an issue, they should be packed (at assembly) and left alone.
I agree Kev if properly packed from the factory there should be no need to ever address the issue for the time most of us own a bike however we are talking about moto Guzzi you know.

Offline Chuck in Indiana

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Re: 1400 steering bearings with no grease. Interesting GT thread
« Reply #13 on: October 16, 2018, 09:47:14 AM »
Quote
by drilling a 3/8 in. Hole in the hardened still fork neck,

If it were truly hardened, you wouldn't be drilling a hole in it..  :smiley:
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Moto

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Re: 1400 steering bearings with no grease. Interesting GT thread
« Reply #14 on: October 16, 2018, 11:19:14 AM »
I hate to play the oracle for our Aussie deity, but I believe Pete is carefully distinguishing the stem from the neck, even as he asks the earlier poster what he had meant. (He asks the poster if he meant the "neck" when he said "stem," and then goes on to use the two terms as he, Pete, believes they should be used -- as do I.)




Pete expresses discomfort with drilling the stem, which is the tube that connects the upper and lower braces of the triple tree (as we call it in the U.S.). The neck is the part of the frame that the stem goes through, supported by its bearings. Drilling through that seems less dicey. It would not be hardened.

The poster on the other board did indicate that he used 20 ounces or more of "expensive" marine grease to fill the gap between the neck and stem. This must be quite a mess to deal with if you ever want to take the fork off again. Seems silly to me.

Moto

Offline Markcarovilli

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Re: 1400 steering bearings with no grease. Interesting GT thread
« Reply #15 on: October 16, 2018, 07:30:45 PM »
Some Harleys (the FL's at least, I don't remember on the old Sportys) used to come with zerk fittings in the neck. You added grease until you saw a little at the top and bottom.
Kev - my old Sporty had it and I was always wiping grease off that was seeping out....

Mark

Offline Kev m

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Re: 1400 steering bearings with no grease. Interesting GT thread
« Reply #16 on: October 16, 2018, 07:42:25 PM »
Kev - my old Sporty had it and I was always wiping grease off that was seeping out....

Mark
Ha ha yeah ok, I'm sure my 93 did too, but been too many years.

That was also back when the wheel bearings weren't sealed. I'd pull them, clean, and repack them every tire change (~10-15k miles).
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