Steering head bearing coming loose again

[Max Preload]

Stupid question- What do you mean by drift it in? Will something long and hard do? Is the objective to get the bearing so the small rollers are not just sitting but rather pushed in and compressed so the bearing won't move about? I don't have a press. Manual makes it out to be so simple... put bearing in, do up collar but not tightly, put the lock nut on, put the lock washer on, put the top yoke on.

If there are two nuts under the top clamp you don't REALLY need the lock tab washer - you just set the steering head bearing preload and hold the lower nut and tighten the upper nut against it and it's locked. Then the top clamp is tightened against the top nut using the nut above the clamp.

'Drifting in' is a term for using a hammer and a intermediate tools such as a punch to move an item into place with steady repeated blows. You don't want to touch the rollers or the cage with a blow though - only the race. If you hit the cage or rollers you'll probably need to replace the bearing.

[Max Preload]

Thank you... I think I may have tightened the pinch bolts before doing the top yoke centre nut up. Hopefully it will hold.

Wrong attitude. Start over.

[racefactory]

I think it might pay to get someone to show me how to do this the first time. Not 100% sure on how the bearing should be seated. Maybe it will make sense when I get it apart again.

[bogan]

I think it might pay to get someone to show me how to do this the first time. Not 100% sure on how the bearing should be seated. Maybe it will make sense when I get it apart again.

may be a youtube how-to for it.... think MCN or similar has done some good ones for things like this.

[racefactory]

Wrong attitude. Start over.

Oh, no what I meant was that's what I did before, this time I'll do it the right way and hopefully it will be good.

[racefactory]

Wrong attitude. Start over.

This guy did just what I did... @ 1.35 he simply places the bearing down and pushes it with hands into the race- no press or drift? Only difference is I'm doing with the wheel on the ground and bike on side stand.Hope this is ok.

Maybe all I did wrong was accidentally do the pinch bolts up before the yoke bolt.

[Katman]

Max is talking about pressing the lower bearing onto the stem.

You're talking about the upper bearing. It fits easily onto the stem.

[Spearfish]

at least 10 characters.

[racefactory]

thanks guys.

[Katman]

thanks guys.

If i'm doing it with the bike on side stand and weight on front wheel, generally will the bottom pinch bolts by themselves be sufficient to hold the bike from sliding down on forks?

I'm just a little worried the bike will fall down the forks and cause a potentially expensive headache after I've loosened the top pinch bolts and clip on holders.

Did they never teach you to read?

[racefactory]

I know man but it just seems like a tonne of weight for 2 bolts to be holding, that's all. Stupid question but good to be hesitant sometimes I guess.