Fantastic. I have last year bought a BMW K75 and it pulled evenly from side to side in lower speeds. I have been riding for 48 years and never experienced any thing like this. Been looking "all over Internett" to find the solution, and then watching this video you come up with the answer. Made my day. Thanks a lot. You have a new fan. By the way: well made tutorial. Great with a camera "man" 🙂
Hey, Del. I just wanted to let you know that this video was immensely helpful in guiding me through installing the steering stem bearings on my GS750 last night. I replaced the notchy standard ball bearings with a set of fresh tapered bearings and the steering is silly smooth now! I want to thank you and Penny for all the incredibly informative videos you've made and hope there are many more to come!
+chris ordanez Hi Chris, thanks buddy, that's really kind of you to say... we love it when people can use the videos for the greater good, and it's awesome to learn new skills aye?? You didn't just do this the once, you can now do this any time you need to, and that means it's a skill for life! Nobody owns knowledge, so it's important to spread it around as much as we all can aye?? Thanks for getting in touch, ride safe and enjoy your bike! Del & Penny!
Just did my top set on a bandit with very little problem even though it was pretty daunting taking so much off, especially without a garage! Unfortunately the bottom race is in a sort of flared collar so impossible to get out like you do in the video. It actually looked fine anyway, top one was the issue but for future reference any advice on how it could be done without a puller? Brilliant informative video as ever btw, love the satisfaction of doing this stuff myself!
The best channel on the internet. Anyone else would have shown this with thousands invested in specialty tools that only a factory shop could hope to have. Thanks to you and your excellent camera gal.
Well done, thanks. I can appreciate the utility of showing how to do this without special tools but a freezer isnt special, and the contraction of frozen parts can make a huge difference in ease of assembly. In some cases where was also able to heat the part that the frozen one was going into, I have literally been able to place the part by hand without any pounding at all. Very safe! I would have played that up a bit, and also covered that beautiful red tank with a heavy shop towel just in case. Thanks again for a free education.
I know this is an old vid but just wanted to say thanks for these videos. I am a complete novice when it comes to bike mechanics but with you videos, I've changed both front and rear wheel bearings on my old Hornet; rebuilt brake reservoirs and even tackled the timing on the hornet; changed oil, seals and springs on the forks of a 125 Varedero and I'm about to tackle the headrace bearings on my ST1100 which means I'll be there a week just taking of the fairings lol!! Great info and well detailed mate, thank you very much.
My word, thank you Phil, that's really very kind of and am so glad the video could help you - it's an honour to be able to reach out and help your fellow riders.. good luck with the job, and drop us a line if you need, always happy to pass on a second opinion if you need it... all the best, D&Px
Del, you're the man. Been watching your videos for years. What you're doing--spreading passion and knowledge, encouraging safety and good habits, empowering riders and home mechanics, and providing us all with resources to give it a go with confidence--is so special. My new project for my Dyna: new triple clamps, which means new stearing bearings, etc. which leads me to this video in your collection of wonderful content. I have learned so much from you. My sincerest gratitude to you and Penny for what you add to the world's motorcycle community. -Love from Adam in Los Angeles, California, USA.
45 years of maintenance and repairs without ever taking any of my bikes to the shops. Nevertheless just subscribed to honour the good work and love to detail of this dilligent and hands-on gentleman expert
Thanks for sour very kind words Andreas, certainly no expert, just a basic mechanic and keen to share what knowledge i have. Take care and keep safe mate. Del.
Another excellent video that focusses on a job that many peeps will be worried about tackling. Simple straightforward approach, no special tools just a matter-of-fact style of working. Very confidence-inspiring guys - well done.
This video is gold dust and will save me a fortune. My son crashed his Yamaha scooter and bent the front Yoke at the bottom dust seal. We need a new yoke but I foolishly thought I could re-use the bearings. Your video definitely confirms that it isn't possible so I've saved major delays waiting for the missing parts I wouldn't have ordered. Thanks a bunch Del !
Good one Delboy. There are other ways to get the lower bearing race off: - notch it with an angle grinder and then give it a smart cuff with a cold chisel(need to take care to not hurt the steering stem); - warm it up with a propane torch while inverting the stem - the bearing race will often simply drop right off (need to take care if the lower triple is aluminium). Each method has its ups and downs unfortunately.
Nothing better than a straight to the point informative technical guide. Utube should have 2 versions. Your concise no mucking around type then the um ah um painful to watch style. Many thanks mate !!
I was cleaning some carburetor pieces awhile back. Backsplash happened and I caught the fluid with my eye. Sweet mother of pearls that burned something fierce. Lesson learned? I use eye protection a lot more often now! But we all take calculated risks; use it if you like. Thanks for another great video!!
+Rob Pratten lol I reckon that's got to be the most common eye injury, catches almost everyone out, but you only ever used pressurised carb cleaner to clean your float bowls once lol... but it does make a great story down the pub
All your videos have been super useful . I get all the information required to diagnose and try fixing the issue. Thanks a lot . Helps in building DIY skills.
Truly a god amongst men. I've always come to your videos for guidance and i've no doubt you've saved me thousands over the past nearly 10 years of fixing my shitty bikes. Really appreciate it!
Dell maaaate, what were you thinking? Never strike a hardened bearing with a hardened hammer or drift. It can cause a hairline fracture in the bearing. Best method would be to put the clamp in the freezer for a few hours until it reaches -10 deg c and put the bearing in the oven at 80 degrees until it reaches the 80 deg c. It would drop on without needing force and no risk of damage to the bearing or stem. This is the standard method of shrink fitting bearings used in the mechanical engineering trades. Depending on the bearing size the temperature can be raised higher. In heavy industrial fitting we use a heated oil bath to heat the bearings, but the method using the oven at up to 100 deg c is perfectly safe with no risk of damage to the bearing as they are designed to operate at much higher temperatures. If preferring to knock the bearing on a drift would be better made from copper or brass or a piece of mild steel pipe the right size.
Could we use the fork seal driver type like tool to drive this bearing onto the steering stem and possibly a ball bearing press tool with same circumference & diameter to achieve the result of putting it on ?
Pam Cheney lol, you are offended and triggered by someone giving qualified experienced advice? Says a lot for ability for learning pal!!! Have a nice day👍😂🍻
I like how you always say "this is just a quick video" but it always ends up being around 40 minutes. but all jokes apart; you always have the best mechanical's tips & it makes it worth watching the whole thing through. Keep up the good job mate. :)
I don't think anyone has ever done these on my dirt bike. It was made in 1982. I've had the thing 14 years myself and I know for damn sure I've never done them. The symptoms on it are very bad; when the bike is on a stand it takes real force to move the bars, and then they go over to the next notch almost but not quite like a turn signal stalk in your car. The first half-hour of riding always makes me feel like it has a flat tire because of the wandering. It's amazing it still rides as good as it does. New bearings are on their way and it's getting replaced soon! Thanks for the extremely informative video!
Good call buddy, wandering is definitely a symptom of a notchy head bearing as it stops you making those minute adjustments that keep the bike straight... good luck with it and I hope it goes well!
The best & the most sincere teacher ever. So direct & to the point, perfectly explained and demonstrated. It really cant get any better than this. . Thank you so very much for producing such a wonderful useful Vid. I will be covering the fuel tank on my Harley during this operation, as I'm bound to hit the tank with something for sure. We are lucky to have you.
Right. I'll never work on a motorcyle, but I do see lots of bearings on the lawnmowers I service at my shop. This video was fantastic, particularly the obiter dicta (the addtiional comments and observations he made while doing his work). He's a natural-born teacher.
Yes , I achieved to replace the bearings with success because of this video ..It was way easier than I thought because of the perfect explanation how to do it ! Thanks
I am done it to a Handa goldWing didn't have to move a lot of those parts. Granite the front wheel has to come off, Slide out the forks , But What you have to pay attention To Is how they fit and a rack And assembly And their FlashTo the Bearing The roller bearing top gasket Keeps the grease in Only if it fits properly And the race is the right one. I change wheel Bearings On car wheels That did not lineup. Or had a lot of play . I used 2 do this as a kid Back alley mechanic. But I always paid attention To what ever I moved
Had a bad wheel bearing on my Chevy pickup truck inside the drivers side. No problem charging. Did a wheel alignment old school stick and string. No problem truck go 95 miles and she be just purring. Miss that truck sorry got carried away.
Hi Delboy and Penny! I am so glad I found you. Your videos are the most thorough, educational, and fun to watch, on the entire World Wide Web. We are working on 2 new-to-us sportsters. You always show the bit that's missing in other videos. Your tips and tricks always work for me. Thank you. Keep up the good work. I hope you enjoy as much success as you care to have. I will continue to enjoy learning all you have to teach.
Hello Scott, thank you so much for your kind words, we're glad to hear the videos can help you out.. congratulations on your new Sportsters, we wish you both many happy and safe miles! All the very best, D&Px
Recently buyed a 2nd hand ducati monster. Allready changed alot of things myself. But with your how to's Mr. Del I can do so much more for less money. Thanks alot and greetz from Belgium.
Hi friend i have done a lot of bearing changing on my work also in my bike, and i would recomend not to put any grease on any of the surface were the bearing should be holded, i have seen many bearing rotate where they shouldnt, and if you grease the parts were they get seated. i know they are tight there, but in the case they get totally stuck they would start spining on the side they should be completely still, and by that completely damaging the holder side... (btw sorry my bad english typing) correct me if im wrong, but it is what i have learned by changing about maybe 5000 bearings... always lovely reviews!
Good tip. Bearings designed for interference fit, should interfere. Outer races should be the last to fail, and should not slip around. I think Delboy changes his bearings at specified intervals. We don't all do that... I think his goal is to protect the casing for as many bearing changes as possible.
I dont disagree with you but these kawasakis in particular have aluminium frames and it is reccomended in the kawasaki service manual to apply grease to the mating surfaces of the races, i imagine it is to avoid damaging the frame like you mentioned. I personally prefer to use a thin oil rarther than grease incase any gets trapped behind the race and creates a hydraulic pressure when compressed stopping it from fully seating.
Keep coming back to these videos as a good step by step guide when trying new jobs on my motorcycles. Big thank you to Delboy and of course the person behind the camera for producing such good quality content
Thank you so much for those kind words, it's really appreciated, we just try to capture the jobs step by step, and it's great to know that they have helped you out! Keep safe and well there, we both appreciate your support!
@@Moonfleet41 You can tell a lot of thought has gone into it so well done. It's videos like yours that take the fear out of servicing and even restoring motorcycles
Found this video because I heard the "dunk" when my front tyre was changed. I'm glad you were working on a similar bike to mine (1999 ZX6-R). It all went remarkably well considering I have neither a garage/workshop nor an auxiliary stand. Until I got to trying to remove the lower bearings from the stem. I pryed open the cage, removed the bearing and that's all she wrote. I cannot get that sucker off, no matter how many different wedges I try and use. I don't want to trash the stem so I either invest in a bearing puller tool, build one myself or just give up and never ride my bike again (joke). By the way, the upper race was also a bitch to get off and tapping the new race down with the old one did get the old one stuck but I managed to fiddle it back out. Anyway, I will have to find a solution but I am still grateful for your video. It made this a lot less scary and I have learned a lot. :) I don't know if you have one for disassembling a similar bike to mine to check valve clearances, that would be cool:)
Hi Patricia, good to hear from you.. this is a common woe im afraid, and never simple without a puller... but i have seen a guy use an air chisel to chisel it off while mounted in a vise! but the common solution to a really stuck one is to use a dremel tool to carefully cut a slot in the bearing ring..doesn't need to go all the way through, just a grove about 3mm deep.. and then tap a chisel in the slot and it should fracture the ring open.. then it'll just pull off..! a little direct heat can also expand it so make it looser too... hope that helps in some way, good luck with it.. Del.
Thank you so much for your response. Not something I was expecting on a comment to a video from 2016. I was very pleasantly surprised. In my desperation I took the stem to a local tyre place and a very nice mechanic did exactly what you recommended and put it in a vice (which I don't have) and chiselled away at it with a lot more force than I trusted myself to use. He did nick it a bit but kindly filed it out. Now I can get on with the job of getting the new bearing on there after a bit of filing and a clean up. By the way, I have started watching quite a few of your videos and I feel inspired to do a lot more now. It just sucks on days like today when it's wet and miserable. I am very envious of your dry, warm workshop. :) Anyway, really really good job and I will be signing up to your patron thingie. You deserve a medal for all that good common sense advice you are giving. Best wishes to your excellent camerawoman by the way. I love her giggles. :)
Great walk through mate, I've never done this job and as ever you've equipped me with the information in the best way possible. Watching something being done with good clear explanations throughout cannot be valued too highly.
+pgod1960 Thanks Peter, like anything, its easy of you know how, and the kind of job that scares most people.. but once you see it done through step by step, its not so bad,... good to hear from you sir.. hope you're enjoying the Harley..... take care, D&P.
It's been quite a few months since I've watched your show, sorry to say. But this episode was so well done, and enjoyable to watch, I had to drop in and comment. Thank you and the Mrs. for all you do for those who watch. You're one of the Last V8's mate. Cheers
Making it up as you go along, beating a chisel between the hard bearing and soft aluminium yoke was painful to watch especially on a motorcycle!! turn upside down and use the flame from a windproof lighter or gas soldering iron concentrated on the bearing surface and it will drop off and nothing is damaged. failing that buy a puller
like your vids! What works even better(than a lighter), is carefully "touching" the bearing with a dremel tool with a grinding disk! This generates a lot more heat than a lighter! Never bothered buying a puller!
Del you made it look easy! I did mine a few months back, and had original ball bearings so it was much harder to get a purchase on the bottom ring. In the end I used a Dremel to cut a slit into it and then use that lip as my edge to drive out with a chisel. Great video for those who've never done this before, shame I never had this to work from! Trev.
+2WheelTrev Hi Trev...good to hear from you mate.. its a simple task, but still catches us out now and again, so many people cut the bottom rin off now, thank goodness for Dremel aye..lol
+2WheelTrev makes you wonder why all bikes don't use the same design, my top bearing cup was the same as yours, no lip and someone had used Loctite on it... helpful. Once you drop the yoke, everyone's experience of getting those cups out and the bearing of the lower yoke differs.
Thanks Del, I followed your video and changed my headstock bearings on my Aprilia. It was the first time I’ve ever tried this and your instructions were spot on, thank you so much 👍🏼😎
Nice and clear again with loads of explanations. It really comes across that you have a good understanding of what you are doing and are not just bodging it to make a video as so many seem to do, so we know that we can have confidence in your counsels. Thank you both again.
+dstaffx Yeah must try harder, told ya I was an idiot - it's actually a 1999 bike which does make it 16 yrs old -- Penny does the maths, I do the spanners lol (don't tell her that ha ha)
I'm probably the only bloke with a Street Triple who doesn't wheelie so my head stock bearings are OK but its good to see how easy it is to change them. Nice one Del.
I guess in the deepest Sibiria are better mechanics. This video shoes how not to do. Even not a rusty push bike I will bring in such a hillbilly garage.
I was lucky that the lower bearing came off really easy , I used a couple of tyre levers. I took loads of pics on my mobile phone , I used a brass billet with a hole in it to use like a slide hammer . Like any job once done you learn a lot for the next time. I think a sequence of very short instructions from my workshop manual gave me confidence to complete the job, a Great video del , the improvement on the bike has made this job well worth doing. Great video
I'd like to add my thanks. This video gave me the confidence to tackle this job - my bike was indeed different and I needed some other tools and techniques but the principles were the same. Thanks again.
That's great news mate, we're so glad to hear that the video helped you in some way and you got the job done! Thanks for the feedback, much appreciated, ride safe!
As usual, very well explained. I've had this saved in a playlist for ages and today I changed my headstock bearings on my Honda VFR 800. Plain sailing and no hidden surprises, thanks guys! 😁
Doing this on a bit older bike, but seeing how to seat the bearings and races by just taking my time and tapping (relatively) lightly made all the difference. Thanks a million!
Excellent tutorial. By the end of this build you will have demystified many of the jobs that most owners are not confident enough to try themselves. Even if I have to pay a shop to do the job, at the very least, I will have an understanding of what is entailed. Thanks Del
How I wish to have this video available two weeks ago when my front was down for fork seals. However I have decided that I don't need to change them right now - it seemed not so easy job... After I have watched this I may just drop the front again and install new bearings I have bought... Thank you mr. Delboy - I have learned so much from your videos!
+Ludmil Stamboliyski Hi Ludmil, It is a long job in time, but not complexed, why not change them and be happy that they are now done... you will have peace of mind that it is all safe. Good luck with it sir, and if you get stuck, please drop me a line, i am happy to help... cheers, Del.
+Moonfleet41 Unfortunately I have low sided last Monday, so besides the plastics, my headstock bearings took a hit and were badly damaged - they catched badly while turning, so today I have changed them with some help from your video. I am really, really thankful for your vids - your dedication and hard work really means a lot!
+Ludmil Stamboliyski HI Ludmil,.. so sorry to hear about your lowside, what a shame, i do hope you weren't hurt. Im glad the video could help you with repairs, and im glad also that you can take these things on yourself and save some money too.. take care on the road sir, and ride safe.. Del.
+Moonfleet41 fortunately riding in full gear saved me from nasty consequences - I get away with only an ankle with all shades of green, blue and black - my boot kept it from breaking under the weight of my motorcycle... Keep safe and good luck with the street fighter!
Hey man you did a great job here. Thanks for the time you invest to help others. You are essential on this planet, and thanks to TH-cam too. Without TH-cam and guys like you the planet would not be the same. Gros merci du Québec mon ami!
Hi Serge, thank you for your kind comments, it's humbling to recieve such appreciation... don't know how we got in to this ha ha but it's gone beyond a hobby a long time ago and become a lifestyle... glad the videos can help you and apprecaite you watching, great to know we have viewers so far away !
Nice one Del, that was refreshing. This is how home mechanicing should be :) I came to this video fresh from one which advocated four different, very expensive, special tools!! It turns out I have all I need to tackle the head bearings in my 1990 XJ900F and my wife's XV535 Virago. Both of these on original factory fitted sets. The Virago definitely has a straight ahead "notch" Should make a huge difference to that one, and, very possibly, the XJ also. Thanks for your honest and well presented video. James
Hi James, thanks mate and gld to help.. it's nice to have specific tools for certain jobs.. but those tools have invariably been developed by tool companies when a regular tool will do, if maybe a little less conveniently !! Good luck with both bikes mate, feel free to drop us a line if you need to, happy to help if i can mate !
Ducati wanted £260 to replace the steering head bearings on my Scrambler which im miffed about because its only done 5000 miles !! So i decided to to it myself.Checking eBAY i found the part for £21 and that's needle roller rather than the stock ball bearing. Dellboy does an excellent job of explaining how to avoid the pit fulls (the job is tricky in places) with that in mind i took my time and i was able to complete the job start to finish in 6 hours. Im now confident i will always be able to do this work on any bike i own because the work is largely repetitive. Im also chuffed i got a little one over on Greedy Thieving motorcycles. So thanks Dellboy,knowledge is power!!
Awesome video I was quoted close to £300 for headstock bearings to be changed on my Zx6r I watched this 2 times and managed to do the job in a few hours.
Fantastic, thank you! Very practical, avoiding expensive specialized tools which just don’t make sense for a one time DIY job. The videography is also great, getting close up whenever it matters to see the details.
Thanks so much for this video, you helped me get my Suzuki back on the road without having to spend a fair amount on specialty tools to get this job done.
Hi Del, thanks for your great tutorials for DIY guys like myself , rebuilding my R6 & going down the streetfighter route and your tutorials have been awesome , saved me £££'s whilst educating , so a big thanks from me , oh and your new garage is looking great best regards
Thanks Bill, im glad the videos can help you, and good choice on taking the Fighter route... they are all but gone from fashion now, everyone wants "street Trackers", Bobbers" or god forbid.."Cafaaaay Racers"... which is kinda good really as it means that Streetfighters are returning back from where they came... built by bikers, hard core and fringe....
agreed , naked is the way to go !! i'll send you a wee pic when it's done , should be ready to test ride sunday hopefully, doing the fork oil & seals as we speak referencing your Tut ;)), did the head bearing yesterday , got an Akrapovic system to fit and it'll be ready to test ride , cannot wait , been off the road for 8 months , me bad cheers buddy
Fantastic video to save or the future. Well, the future is now for me. I just pulled the tree off my Tiger, and was only going to repack with grease... Until I found corrosion in the bearings. And that’s how I came to be here... Now waiting on new bearings to arrive, and then I will get on with the job. Thank you so much.
What a brilliant video, I do all my own maintenance but have never needed to do this specific job before and I'm not going to lie I was nervous about it until I watched this video, thank you. I've subscribed and saved this video and your channel will be my first stop for any future jobs that I'm unsure on. :) Thanks Jake
Thank you Jake, thats very kind feedback, and im glad the video has inspired a little confidence... its just the fear of the unknown like you say.. Thank you for your sub and support, good luck with yours, and feel free to drop me a line if you get stuck. im online most days... take care.. Del.
I'll be doing this job on my SV race bike, and this video is EXACTLY what I needed. I was confused about how to remove/install the races, but your tutorial is concise, telling me what I need to know without trudging through irrelevant details. Thank you.
Del, great video and instruction! Props to you and your "camera man" - I'm finishing up a Busa front fork swap on my 2004 Bandit 1200S today and this helped me out quite a bit(bearing replacement). By the way, anyone who says the swap is "just a steering stem swap" on the Busa lower triple tree obviously never did it themselves. It's doable, but the journey to way more involved - 32 Newcastle and a 12 pack of Stella for starters..the list goes on.
Hi Matt.. I hear that a lot (how this or that swap, is "just a simple stem change" ) and it so isn't, all the little details is what takes the time and patience aye.. Good luck with yours, let us know how it handles once you get out for a play..?
That was a great how to tutorial! I am glad you emphasized the proper way to pack the bearing with grease. I've seen others on youtube that just wipe the grease on and not pack it in. The entire job was professional and I have no hesitation to do the same job on my bike. Thanks again...from the colonies. :-)
Really helped give me the confidence to give it a go and this afternoon my bikes gone from yucky rusty horrible bearing to looking like new! Thanks del boy!
Great vid. Two tips for cyclists who do all their own bike maintenance. - You can use a headset press to pull the cups into headstock instead of tapping the cups in. Best to do the lower cup first. - To starts the removal of the lower bearing race you can use a crown race removal tool.
+G. Bell Special tools.....most riders will never do this job, maybe once in their riding life, even i have maybe only done ten sets in 35 years.....so special tools are often fine for commercial guys doing it for customers, but regular owners just have regular tools to hand..
+Moonfleet41 Motorcycle duty tools yeah, but for pedal cycles not so much. For frequent use you’d kill the pedal cycle duty items in double quick time but knowing they can be used on a very occasional/one off basis may help people out. It’s my experience at lot of high milage cyclists are also bikers. High milage cyclists also tend to do all their own maintenance and will likely have a fairly complete tool kit.
Best video on youtube .. And I searched many videos and in all of them they are using tools the average biker does not have .I get it tools make the job easier and safer but they are expensive and it just not worth it if you are not doing this regularly . Thank you , subscribed !!
True word there Chris, if you only ever do a given job once every few years, then buying the tools can be an expensive exercise, Glad you enjoyed the video, take care and have a good week.. Del.
My gsxf750 just failed its mot on notchy head bearings . I stripped it all down and nothing wrong but changed them anyway following your vid. Cheers pal you just saved me well over 200 squid 👍
Hey Delboy, chur from New Zealand bro! Just changed the head stem bearings on my '07 VTR1000, after watching this video. Without which I would never have had the confidence to attempt myself! So thanks! I'll be doing a lot more of my own maintenance with the help of your videos in the future!
Nice one mate, good to hear from you, it always makes us happy when we know the videos have found a use out there, and someone can actually benefit from what we've done, especially if that person is the other side of the world... how awesome is You Tube ! Plenty more in the Playlists, and always feel free to dro us a line if you need a second opinion on anything, always happy to help! All the best, D&P!
In watching your videos I often see that the most recent comments are 2 years old. Perhaps that's because most of the ones I watch involve bikes that are getting up in age, or perhaps it's because of a societal trend towards pay-someone-to-do-it rather than do-it-yourself. In any case this video and the others I've commented on are immensely relevant and helpful to me because I DO have an older bike and I much prefer to do my own stuff whenever possible. Once again you and Penny have hit the nail on the head... or should I say, tapped the bearing off the taper. :)
Hi John.. if you check the comments stream at the top, often what you see as the "last comment" is a selected one from the "top comments" you can hit the option to check comments in "most recent", and often they will be in the last month of two.. Thanks for your kind words my friend, its good to hear the videos have helped you out..
Same bearings I use too, I always thought I over greased them but it seems a normal amount after watching your video. Pretty much identical method I use to get mine replaced. I did however buy a puller for the bottom one now rather than using chisels to edge it out. Thanks for the video!
Super instruction video! I learn a ton from your teaching! Now I'm not intimidated with this kind of job. Knowledge is everything. Thank you so much for taking your time to create this video!
as always another awesome vid bud, I've just finished replacing the fork oil and fitted new seals, changed the front wheel bearings, resprayed the front mudguard and the front wheel plus got all the bolts & fittings for the front end wire brushed & cleaned off and now looking all shiny & new again with a few coats of lacquer ready to go back on my own little Yammy cafe racer dirt bike so I may as well check the headstock steering bearings when I'm at it... it looks like these days your my main GO TO youtube channel for a heads up on do it yourself mechanics & bike maintenance !! a bootneck HOOYAH to ya & Bestest to you both.
Just watched this and changed my stem bearings and races today. I did buy some tools before watching which made life easier but weren't really necessary (maybe except the adjustable stem nut spanner), but following this vid made the job far easier. Thanks.
Hi Del & Penny, this is far better than any workshop manual. Re: Swindon, we had our first Group ride out to the 'H' Café at Berinsfields on the A4074 today.Keep up the Good work :)Martin / Wiltshire
+Martin Hodgson Hi Martin, Thats great news, i hope you all had a good time, and it looked like a great day for it too.. maybe spring is on the way at last aye... thanks for your kind comments fellah.. all the best.. D&P.
Greetings from Germany and a huuuge huge "Dankeschön" for your video. It was a tremendous help!!! I changed the bearings today and everything worked like you described! All the best for you.
Thanks Delboy I have built and restored a few bikes and found your videos extremely helpful You definitely have a talent for getting the message across
Great energy and even the method to pack the grease was neat.. thanks for all your content, it’s given me the confidence to tackle so many jobs on my bike.. if ever you need a golf lessons there on me..!
Del have dremeled/filed appropriate notches in the gpz frame there is around 2mm of steel frame left i also have bought round punch set to make the notches smaller in diameter and safer. the o weld around the bearing race was not pernament solution. Thankyou you are an inspiration. Furthermore you probably saved me from injury as i have 2 bikes 1 restoration gpz500 other meanstreak 1600. i have always ocd cared for the meanie but i took time to check brakes as per your video and turns out all seals are already poped(dust ones). if i havent seen the vids i wouldnt do it. Now caliper rebuild time:). Thank you again. Live long and prosper.
Thanks Michal, that is really good to hear from you, and amazing that you caught your brakes just in time! Good luck with the re-builds, let us know how you get on - Cheers, Del
Just a suggestion for setting that bottom steering head bearing all the way down. I used your method of using the old inner bearing race, inverted, then a 10" piece of black 1.5" PVC sprinkler pipe with a solid cap pressed on topside. I had cut to that 10" length with a cheap miter box for a clean, square cut. I set the lower triple clamp up on my bench vise with a block of 2 x 4 wood underneath. With everything well greased, it took only three whacks of my rubber hammer (heavy) to set that lower tapered bearing home. That home-made PVC bearing driver tool exerted 360° equal pressure to seat the bearing, and cost maybe a $1.50.
Jeff... that is genius mate... why didn't i think of that.. perfect solution for a perfect price..!! Thanks for the heads up buddy, ill be making one of those the very next headstock bearings i do... cheers mate. Del.
Thanks for the instructions Jason Statham, or Michael Caine, or Simon Pegg, or whoever you are. (all British men look the same to me) My bearing installation went much smoother with your instructions to reference. I hope you recover soon from your unhealthy attraction to Hardly Ablesons. Good Luck!
Thanks Delboy, your tutorials rock! I will be doing this soonish on my Honda NX650 Dominator 1988. Our MOT-equivalent in Sweden had objections to the notch felt this morning at the checkup. I also appreciate your explanation about the "feeling" when driving straight ahead and the small tweaks you have to do when the bearings are worn. TIll now, I've attributed those small waverings on straights to the knobbly motocross-tires...
Hi buddy, yeah, knobblies can be mis-leading, do the old head stock swivel test, get the bike off the ground, front wheel lifted, and crouch in front of the bike facing it, grab the bottom of the fork legs and turn it through it's full sweep of steering, you will soon feel the 'knock' if it's there!
Thanks Del+Penny, that girl's a gymnast! Not something I've ever done before, it's more involved than I thought. The old Bandit needs it done though as it's not tracking straight on the road. Thanks again.
+James McCreadie Hi James, its not hard mate, and if the bike needs it, then why not get stuck in and get them done... you'll be chuffed once its all back to normal aye.!
Another great video Delboy - thx. One suggestion I would like to make though (a an older mechanic), which I hope people may find helpful, is to put the bearing cups in the freezer for 15-20 minutes (or for an hour or so) before installing them into the head stock. This will cause them to shrink slightly and will significantly reduce the effort needed to tap them into the head stock. However, after taking them out of the freezer, MAKE SURE you remove any ice build up or moisture on them (you don't want them rusting in the head stock). I always put a small amount of clean oil on the outer surfaces of the bearing cups and in the head stock where they fit. Don't waste too much time handling them though as it doesn't take a long time for them to expand back to normal size as they return to room temperature.
Ha' just watched Mike play that riff on his latest dot studio vid..he's a bloomin talented craftsman / luthier.. Great stuff again you two these videos are so valuable to the biking community ... c spanner spot on !!!! pulled a drive shaft out of the jeep so is now a THREE wheel drive!!! (bastard mare of repair) started with a simple brake job ended up changing half the running gear!! you know how these jobs grow and grow cant bare to leave anything iffy untouched..any way the good outcome is i need to use the bike until its fixed !! i know , i should be on the bike anyway.. kwacka parts can be a sod to locate so many parts obsolete , my 84 klr project was like searching for UNOBTAINIUM!!! Recording is slow at present we're doing daft hours again ! keep 'em coming ,take care ..... HUGS!! .xxxxxxx that'll make Tichness(fellow idiot) smile!
+springy 2112 Hi Paul.. good to hear from you mate, and yeah, aint Mike disgustingly talented.... it also a testiment to his humble nature, when i asked him to make us a theme tune and asked "do you play guitar too"...and he just said.. "Well not really, but i can make a tune".... yeah right..lol I know what you mean about jobs rolling on.. the head races were fine and felt like new.... but you know how it is... while the fronts off etc... and im glad i did after looking at them now...lol..
good morning delboy, its morning here.your headstock bearing video was the best repair video I have seen on the net.great camera work very well done.I'm going to send you a few small items which you might find helpful.one item might seem odd to you,its a species of wood I have used in the past for driving against steel ,plastic and so forth.very hard,no grain,and won't split.keep up the good work.
+David Rosell Hi David, thank you for your very kind comments, we really enjoyed making this video, it flowed well and the job was fun.. Penny has a knack of making me look good with all my fumbling too..lol Thank you for the thing you're sending, that is very kind ill look out for it... take care my friend, and ride safe... Del; & Penny..
Very informative . I bought my Yamaha FZR 150(1996, only produced in Taiwan), and the bearing needs some changes. Thank you for showing us the process.👍🏽👍🏽
Del you makes the best videos ever ,so detailed and well explained. I'm glad that we have you . Ride safe mate 👊🏻
Fantastic. I have last year bought a BMW K75 and it pulled evenly from side to side in lower speeds. I have been riding for 48 years and never experienced any thing like this. Been looking "all over Internett" to find the solution, and then watching this video you come up with the answer. Made my day. Thanks a lot. You have a new fan. By the way: well made tutorial. Great with a camera "man" 🙂
Most welcome buddy, glad the video helped you out.. good luck getting the beemer sorted out !
About to do my bearings for the first time. 5 1/2 years later, this video is still relevant and helpful. Thanks for all you've done for the community.
You're most welcome buddy, and thank you for your kind words..
Del gives you the knowledge along with the courage to attempt a job like this that saves you hundreds of dollars. Thank you Del, "your the man".
Hey, Del. I just wanted to let you know that this video was immensely helpful in guiding me through installing the steering stem bearings on my GS750 last night. I replaced the notchy standard ball bearings with a set of fresh tapered bearings and the steering is silly smooth now!
I want to thank you and Penny for all the incredibly informative videos you've made and hope there are many more to come!
+chris ordanez Hi Chris, thanks buddy, that's really kind of you to say... we love it when people can use the videos for the greater good, and it's awesome to learn new skills aye?? You didn't just do this the once, you can now do this any time you need to, and that means it's a skill for life! Nobody owns knowledge, so it's important to spread it around as much as we all can aye?? Thanks for getting in touch, ride safe and enjoy your bike! Del & Penny!
Moonfleet41 so true buddy you have no idea how greatful I am love riding my bike but working is just as pleasurable
Just did my top set on a bandit with very little problem even though it was pretty daunting taking so much off, especially without a garage!
Unfortunately the bottom race is in a sort of flared collar so impossible to get out like you do in the video. It actually looked fine anyway, top one was the issue but for future reference any advice on how it could be done without a puller?
Brilliant informative video as ever btw, love the satisfaction of doing this stuff myself!
The best channel on the internet. Anyone else would have shown this with thousands invested in specialty tools that only a factory shop could hope to have. Thanks to you and your excellent camera gal.
Thank you for such kind words of support..👍. We're glad the videos can help.
Well done, thanks. I can appreciate the utility of showing how to do this without special tools but a freezer isnt special, and the contraction of frozen parts can make a huge difference in ease of assembly. In some cases where was also able to heat the part that the frozen one was going into, I have literally been able to place the part by hand without any pounding at all. Very safe! I would have played that up a bit, and also covered that beautiful red tank with a heavy shop towel just in case. Thanks again for a free education.
I know this is an old vid but just wanted to say thanks for these videos. I am a complete novice when it comes to bike mechanics but with you videos, I've changed both front and rear wheel bearings on my old Hornet; rebuilt brake reservoirs and even tackled the timing on the hornet; changed oil, seals and springs on the forks of a 125 Varedero and I'm about to tackle the headrace bearings on my ST1100 which means I'll be there a week just taking of the fairings lol!! Great info and well detailed mate, thank you very much.
My word, thank you Phil, that's really very kind of and am so glad the video could help you - it's an honour to be able to reach out and help your fellow riders.. good luck with the job, and drop us a line if you need, always happy to pass on a second opinion if you need it... all the best, D&Px
Del, you're the man. Been watching your videos for years. What you're doing--spreading passion and knowledge, encouraging safety and good habits, empowering riders and home mechanics, and providing us all with resources to give it a go with confidence--is so special. My new project for my Dyna: new triple clamps, which means new stearing bearings, etc. which leads me to this video in your collection of wonderful content. I have learned so much from you. My sincerest gratitude to you and Penny for what you add to the world's motorcycle community.
-Love from Adam in Los Angeles, California, USA.
45 years of maintenance and repairs without ever taking any of my bikes to the shops. Nevertheless just subscribed to honour the good work and love to detail of this dilligent and hands-on gentleman expert
Thanks for sour very kind words Andreas, certainly no expert, just a basic mechanic and keen to share what knowledge i have. Take care and keep safe mate. Del.
Another excellent video that focusses on a job that many peeps will be worried about tackling. Simple straightforward approach, no special tools just a matter-of-fact style of working. Very confidence-inspiring guys - well done.
+David Jebson (thebiglad) Thanks David, good to hear from you as ever my friend... keep safe.. D&P.
This video is gold dust and will save me a fortune. My son crashed his Yamaha scooter and bent the front Yoke at the bottom dust seal. We need a new yoke but I foolishly thought I could re-use the bearings. Your video definitely confirms that it isn't possible so I've saved major delays waiting for the missing parts I wouldn't have ordered. Thanks a bunch Del !
Good one Delboy.
There are other ways to get the lower bearing race off:
- notch it with an angle grinder and then give it a smart cuff with a cold chisel(need to take care to not hurt the steering stem);
- warm it up with a propane torch while inverting the stem - the bearing race will often simply drop right off (need to take care if the lower triple is aluminium).
Each method has its ups and downs unfortunately.
Nothing better than a straight to the point informative technical guide.
Utube should have 2 versions. Your concise no mucking around type then the um ah um painful to watch style.
Many thanks mate !!
This is just too awesome. Glad to know I'm not the only one having to make due with bare minimum tools!
I was cleaning some carburetor pieces awhile back. Backsplash happened and I caught the fluid with my eye. Sweet mother of pearls that burned something fierce. Lesson learned? I use eye protection a lot more often now! But we all take calculated risks; use it if you like. Thanks for another great video!!
lol...I leant the hard way too
+Rob Pratten Thats nasty aye Rob, any garage is a dangerous place, its all about risk assessment...
+Rob Pratten lol I reckon that's got to be the most common eye injury, catches almost everyone out, but you only ever used pressurised carb cleaner to clean your float bowls once lol... but it does make a great story down the pub
All your videos have been super useful . I get all the information required to diagnose and try fixing the issue. Thanks a lot . Helps in building DIY skills.
If you like doing your own maintenance this channels is gold.
Thanks Delboy after watching your vid I went and replaced my headstock bearings on my Beta 300RR with no problems.
Truly a god amongst men. I've always come to your videos for guidance and i've no doubt you've saved me thousands over the past nearly 10 years of fixing my shitty bikes. Really appreciate it!
Most welcome mate, glad to help.
Dell maaaate, what were you thinking? Never strike a hardened bearing with a hardened hammer or drift. It can cause a hairline fracture in the bearing. Best method would be to put the clamp in the freezer for a few hours until it reaches -10 deg c and put the bearing in the oven at 80 degrees until it reaches the 80 deg c. It would drop on without needing force and no risk of damage to the bearing or stem. This is the standard method of shrink fitting bearings used in the mechanical engineering trades. Depending on the bearing size the temperature can be raised higher. In heavy industrial fitting we use a heated oil bath to heat the bearings, but the method using the oven at up to 100 deg c is perfectly safe with no risk of damage to the bearing as they are designed to operate at much higher temperatures. If preferring to knock the bearing on a drift would be better made from copper or brass or a piece of mild steel pipe the right size.
Could we use the fork seal driver type like tool to drive this bearing onto the steering stem and possibly a ball bearing press tool with same circumference & diameter to achieve the result of putting it on ?
Always a know it all. Do it my way or its wrong.
Pam Cheney lol, you are offended and triggered by someone giving qualified experienced advice? Says a lot for ability for learning pal!!!
Have a nice day👍😂🍻
@@pamcheney3239 He was literally just offering a better way.... lol
His tapping managers are less impactful than riding the scooter
Best video. I'm a woman and this was a great video for me to learn how to do my own repairs thank you.
I like how you always say "this is just a quick video" but it always ends up being around 40 minutes.
but all jokes apart; you always have the best mechanical's tips & it makes it worth watching the whole thing through. Keep up the good job mate. :)
Thanks Danny, glad you enjoy the videos..
I don't think anyone has ever done these on my dirt bike. It was made in 1982. I've had the thing 14 years myself and I know for damn sure I've never done them. The symptoms on it are very bad; when the bike is on a stand it takes real force to move the bars, and then they go over to the next notch almost but not quite like a turn signal stalk in your car. The first half-hour of riding always makes me feel like it has a flat tire because of the wandering. It's amazing it still rides as good as it does. New bearings are on their way and it's getting replaced soon! Thanks for the extremely informative video!
Good call buddy, wandering is definitely a symptom of a notchy head bearing as it stops you making those minute adjustments that keep the bike straight... good luck with it and I hope it goes well!
Best maintenance series on YT.
The best & the most sincere teacher ever. So direct & to the point, perfectly explained and demonstrated.
It really cant get any better than this. . Thank you so very much for producing such a wonderful useful Vid.
I will be covering the fuel tank on my Harley during this operation, as I'm bound to hit the tank with something for sure.
We are lucky to have you.
Thank you for your kind words my friend, good luck with your projects.
What a massively useful video. So helpful.
Thanks Sully, glad it helped you mate... thanks for watching.. Del.
Right. I'll never work on a motorcyle, but I do see lots of bearings on the lawnmowers I service at my shop. This video was fantastic, particularly the obiter dicta (the addtiional comments and observations he made while doing his work). He's a natural-born teacher.
Yes , I achieved to replace the bearings with success because of this video ..It was way easier than I thought because of the perfect explanation how to do it ! Thanks
I am done it to a Handa goldWing didn't have to move a lot of those parts. Granite the front wheel has to come off, Slide out the forks , But What you have to pay attention To Is how they fit and a rack And assembly And their FlashTo the Bearing The roller bearing top gasket Keeps the grease in Only if it fits properly And the race is the right one. I change wheel Bearings On car wheels That did not lineup. Or had a lot of play . I used 2 do this as a kid Back alley mechanic. But I always paid attention To what ever I moved
Had a bad wheel bearing on my Chevy pickup truck inside the drivers side. No problem charging. Did a wheel alignment old school stick and string. No problem truck go 95 miles and she be just purring. Miss that truck sorry got carried away.
Hi Delboy and Penny! I am so glad I found you. Your videos are the most thorough, educational, and fun to watch, on the entire World Wide Web. We are working on 2 new-to-us sportsters. You always show the bit that's missing in other videos. Your tips and tricks always work for me. Thank you. Keep up the good work. I hope you enjoy as much success as you care to have. I will continue to enjoy learning all you have to teach.
Hello Scott, thank you so much for your kind words, we're glad to hear the videos can help you out.. congratulations on your new Sportsters, we wish you both many happy and safe miles! All the very best, D&Px
Great video as usually. I like this "garage" style without many special tools. I work in same way.
Good man me too .
Recently buyed a 2nd hand ducati monster. Allready changed alot of things myself. But with your how to's Mr. Del I can do so much more for less money. Thanks alot and greetz from Belgium.
Thanks Kevin, glad it could help... enjoy your project, great bike, have loads of fun mate!
Hi friend i have done a lot of bearing changing on my work also in my bike, and i would recomend not to put any grease on any of the surface were the bearing should be holded, i have seen many bearing rotate where they shouldnt, and if you grease the parts were they get seated. i know they are tight there, but in the case they get totally stuck they would start spining on the side they should be completely still, and by that completely damaging the holder side... (btw sorry my bad english typing) correct me if im wrong, but it is what i have learned by changing about maybe 5000 bearings... always lovely reviews!
Good tip. Bearings designed for interference fit, should interfere. Outer races should be the last to fail, and should not slip around. I think Delboy changes his bearings at specified intervals. We don't all do that... I think his goal is to protect the casing for as many bearing changes as possible.
I dont disagree with you but these kawasakis in particular have aluminium frames and it is reccomended in the kawasaki service manual to apply grease to the mating surfaces of the races, i imagine it is to avoid damaging the frame like you mentioned. I personally prefer to use a thin oil rarther than grease incase any gets trapped behind the race and creates a hydraulic pressure when compressed stopping it from fully seating.
Keep coming back to these videos as a good step by step guide when trying new jobs on my motorcycles. Big thank you to Delboy and of course the person behind the camera for producing such good quality content
Thank you so much for those kind words, it's really appreciated, we just try to capture the jobs step by step, and it's great to know that they have helped you out! Keep safe and well there, we both appreciate your support!
@@Moonfleet41 You can tell a lot of thought has gone into it so well done. It's videos like yours that take the fear out of servicing and even restoring motorcycles
Great instructive videos , but can't help thinking you need a rubber mallet sometimes lol
Found this video because I heard the "dunk" when my front tyre was changed. I'm glad you were working on a similar bike to mine (1999 ZX6-R). It all went remarkably well considering I have neither a garage/workshop nor an auxiliary stand. Until I got to trying to remove the lower bearings from the stem. I pryed open the cage, removed the bearing and that's all she wrote. I cannot get that sucker off, no matter how many different wedges I try and use. I don't want to trash the stem so I either invest in a bearing puller tool, build one myself or just give up and never ride my bike again (joke). By the way, the upper race was also a bitch to get off and tapping the new race down with the old one did get the old one stuck but I managed to fiddle it back out.
Anyway, I will have to find a solution but I am still grateful for your video. It made this a lot less scary and I have learned a lot. :) I don't know if you have one for disassembling a similar bike to mine to check valve clearances, that would be cool:)
Hi Patricia, good to hear from you.. this is a common woe im afraid, and never simple without a puller... but i have seen a guy use an air chisel to chisel it off while mounted in a vise! but the common solution to a really stuck one is to use a dremel tool to carefully cut a slot in the bearing ring..doesn't need to go all the way through, just a grove about 3mm deep.. and then tap a chisel in the slot and it should fracture the ring open.. then it'll just pull off..! a little direct heat can also expand it so make it looser too... hope that helps in some way, good luck with it.. Del.
Thank you so much for your response. Not something I was expecting on a comment to a video from 2016. I was very pleasantly surprised. In my desperation I took the stem to a local tyre place and a very nice mechanic did exactly what you recommended and put it in a vice (which I don't have) and chiselled away at it with a lot more force than I trusted myself to use. He did nick it a bit but kindly filed it out. Now I can get on with the job of getting the new bearing on there after a bit of filing and a clean up.
By the way, I have started watching quite a few of your videos and I feel inspired to do a lot more now. It just sucks on days like today when it's wet and miserable. I am very envious of your dry, warm workshop. :) Anyway, really really good job and I will be signing up to your patron thingie. You deserve a medal for all that good common sense advice you are giving. Best wishes to your excellent camerawoman by the way. I love her giggles. :)
"Unless you get your self a puller, you're gonna need to beat it off."
Are ya using any lube n beating it off 😁😜🔨
Great walk through mate, I've never done this job and as ever you've equipped me with the information in the best way possible. Watching something being done with good clear explanations throughout cannot be valued too highly.
+pgod1960 Thanks Peter, like anything, its easy of you know how, and the kind of job that scares most people.. but once you see it done through step by step, its not so bad,... good to hear from you sir.. hope you're enjoying the Harley..... take care, D&P.
The grime on your hand you mentioned, goes into the bearings.
eh its most a pigment than heavy stuff :P dont worry too mutch !
It's been quite a few months since I've watched your show, sorry to say. But this episode was so well done, and enjoyable to watch, I had to drop in and comment. Thank you and the Mrs. for all you do for those who watch. You're one of the Last V8's mate. Cheers
Making it up as you go along, beating a chisel between the hard bearing and soft aluminium yoke was painful to watch especially on a motorcycle!! turn upside down and use the flame from a windproof lighter or gas soldering iron concentrated on the bearing surface and it will drop off and nothing is damaged. failing that buy a puller
Old video.. have a puller set now.. thanks for the lighter tip.!
like your vids! What works even better(than a lighter), is carefully "touching" the bearing with a dremel tool with a grinding disk! This generates a lot more heat than a lighter! Never bothered buying a puller!
Yawn .
Del you made it look easy! I did mine a few months back, and had original ball bearings so it was much harder to get a purchase on the bottom ring. In the end I used a Dremel to cut a slit into it and then use that lip as my edge to drive out with a chisel.
Great video for those who've never done this before, shame I never had this to work from! Trev.
+2WheelTrev Hi Trev...good to hear from you mate.. its a simple task, but still catches us out now and again, so many people cut the bottom rin off now, thank goodness for Dremel aye..lol
+2WheelTrev makes you wonder why all bikes don't use the same design, my top bearing cup was the same as yours, no lip and someone had used Loctite on it... helpful. Once you drop the yoke, everyone's experience of getting those cups out and the bearing of the lower yoke differs.
Answered everything I needed to know - thanks for the video!
Thanks Del, I followed your video and changed my headstock bearings on my Aprilia. It was the first time I’ve ever tried this and your instructions were spot on, thank you so much 👍🏼😎
Most welcome buddy, am glad the videos could help you!
Tip. Never hit two hardened surfaces together with a hammer,.use a copper mallet or aluminium block.
Looks like it is brass claw hammer to me
Nice and clear again with loads of explanations. It really comes across that you have a good understanding of what you are doing and are not just bodging it to make a video as so many seem to do, so we know that we can have confidence in your counsels. Thank you both again.
Thank you for your kind word. Much appreciated!
Great video. but your on the fly maths need work ha ha. 1990 is 26 years ago I'm sorry to say not 16.
+dstaffx Yeah must try harder, told ya I was an idiot - it's actually a 1999 bike which does make it 16 yrs old -- Penny does the maths, I do the spanners lol (don't tell her that ha ha)
I'm probably the only bloke with a Street Triple who doesn't wheelie so my head stock bearings are OK but its good to see how easy it is to change them.
Nice one Del.
I guess in the deepest Sibiria are better mechanics. This video shoes how not to do.
Even not a rusty push bike I will bring in such a hillbilly garage.
I was lucky that the lower bearing came off really easy , I used a couple of tyre levers.
I took loads of pics on my mobile phone , I used a brass billet with a hole in it to use like a slide hammer .
Like any job once done you learn a lot for the next time.
I think a sequence of very short instructions from my workshop manual gave me confidence to complete the job, a Great video del , the improvement on the bike has made this job well worth doing.
Great video
I'd like to add my thanks. This video gave me the confidence to tackle this job - my bike was indeed different and I needed some other tools and techniques but the principles were the same. Thanks again.
That's great news mate, we're so glad to hear that the video helped you in some way and you got the job done! Thanks for the feedback, much appreciated, ride safe!
As usual, very well explained. I've had this saved in a playlist for ages and today I changed my headstock bearings on my Honda VFR 800. Plain sailing and no hidden surprises, thanks guys! 😁
Most welcome Ross, glad it could help you out.. really appreciate the support..
I’ve literally watched this video three times out of the three times I’ve changed neck bearings. Thank you for this video!
Doing this on a bit older bike, but seeing how to seat the bearings and races by just taking my time and tapping (relatively) lightly made all the difference. Thanks a million!
Excellent tutorial. By the end of this build you will have demystified many of the jobs that most owners are not confident enough to try themselves. Even if I have to pay a shop to do the job, at the very least, I will have an understanding of what is entailed. Thanks Del
+trackdog90 Exactly that my friend, even if you don't do it yourself, it's nice to know what's involved - thanks Del
How I wish to have this video available two weeks ago when my front was down for fork seals. However I have decided that I don't need to change them right now - it seemed not so easy job... After I have watched this I may just drop the front again and install new bearings I have bought...
Thank you mr. Delboy - I have learned so much from your videos!
+Ludmil Stamboliyski Hi Ludmil, It is a long job in time, but not complexed, why not change them and be happy that they are now done... you will have peace of mind that it is all safe. Good luck with it sir, and if you get stuck, please drop me a line, i am happy to help... cheers, Del.
+Moonfleet41 Unfortunately I have low sided last Monday, so besides the plastics, my headstock bearings took a hit and were badly damaged - they catched badly while turning, so today I have changed them with some help from your video. I am really, really thankful for your vids - your dedication and hard work really means a lot!
+Ludmil Stamboliyski HI Ludmil,.. so sorry to hear about your lowside, what a shame, i do hope you weren't hurt. Im glad the video could help you with repairs, and im glad also that you can take these things on yourself and save some money too.. take care on the road sir, and ride safe.. Del.
+Moonfleet41 fortunately riding in full gear saved me from nasty consequences - I get away with only an ankle with all shades of green, blue and black - my boot kept it from breaking under the weight of my motorcycle... Keep safe and good luck with the street fighter!
Hey man you did a great job here. Thanks for the time you invest to help others. You are essential on this planet, and thanks to TH-cam too. Without TH-cam and guys like you the planet would not be the same. Gros merci du Québec mon ami!
Hi Serge, thank you for your kind comments, it's humbling to recieve such appreciation... don't know how we got in to this ha ha but it's gone beyond a hobby a long time ago and become a lifestyle... glad the videos can help you and apprecaite you watching, great to know we have viewers so far away !
:-)
Nice one Del, that was refreshing. This is how home mechanicing should be :)
I came to this video fresh from one which advocated four different, very expensive, special tools!!
It turns out I have all I need to tackle the head bearings in my 1990 XJ900F and my wife's XV535 Virago. Both of these on original factory fitted sets. The Virago definitely has a straight ahead "notch" Should make a huge difference to that one, and, very possibly, the XJ also.
Thanks for your honest and well presented video.
James
Hi James, thanks mate and gld to help.. it's nice to have specific tools for certain jobs.. but those tools have invariably been developed by tool companies when a regular tool will do, if maybe a little less conveniently !! Good luck with both bikes mate, feel free to drop us a line if you need to, happy to help if i can mate !
Ducati wanted £260 to replace the steering head bearings on my Scrambler which im miffed about because its only done 5000 miles !!
So i decided to to it myself.Checking eBAY i found the part for £21 and that's needle roller rather than the stock ball bearing.
Dellboy does an excellent job of explaining how to avoid the pit fulls (the job is tricky in places) with that in mind i took my time and i was able to complete the job start to finish in 6 hours.
Im now confident i will always be able to do this work on any bike i own because the work is largely repetitive.
Im also chuffed i got a little one over on Greedy Thieving motorcycles.
So thanks Dellboy,knowledge is power!!
Awesome video I was quoted close to £300 for headstock bearings to be changed on my Zx6r I watched this 2 times and managed to do the job in a few hours.
Nice one Chris. glad it could help you mate...
Fantastic, thank you! Very practical, avoiding expensive specialized tools which just don’t make sense for a one time DIY job. The videography is also great, getting close up whenever it matters to see the details.
Most welcome my friend, glad the video could help you.
Thanks so much for this video, you helped me get my Suzuki back on the road without having to spend a fair amount on specialty tools to get this job done.
Glad I could help!
Hi Del, thanks for your great tutorials for DIY guys like myself , rebuilding my R6 & going down the streetfighter route and your tutorials have been awesome , saved me £££'s whilst educating , so a big thanks from me , oh and your new garage is looking great
best regards
Thanks Bill, im glad the videos can help you, and good choice on taking the Fighter route... they are all but gone from fashion now, everyone wants "street Trackers", Bobbers" or god forbid.."Cafaaaay Racers"... which is kinda good really as it means that Streetfighters are returning back from where they came... built by bikers, hard core and fringe....
agreed , naked is the way to go !!
i'll send you a wee pic when it's done , should be ready to test ride sunday hopefully, doing the fork oil & seals as we speak referencing your Tut ;)), did the head bearing yesterday , got an Akrapovic system to fit and it'll be ready to test ride , cannot wait , been off the road for 8 months , me bad
cheers buddy
Fantastic video to save or the future. Well, the future is now for me. I just pulled the tree off my Tiger, and was only going to repack with grease... Until I found corrosion in the bearings. And that’s how I came to be here... Now waiting on new bearings to arrive, and then I will get on with the job. Thank you so much.
Glad it will help you Jason, and good luck with your project!
What a brilliant video, I do all my own maintenance but have never needed to do this specific job before and I'm not going to lie I was nervous about it until I watched this video, thank you.
I've subscribed and saved this video and your channel will be my first stop for any future jobs that I'm unsure on. :)
Thanks
Jake
Thank you Jake, thats very kind feedback, and im glad the video has inspired a little confidence... its just the fear of the unknown like you say.. Thank you for your sub and support, good luck with yours, and feel free to drop me a line if you get stuck. im online most days... take care.. Del.
I'll be doing this job on my SV race bike, and this video is EXACTLY what I needed. I was confused about how to remove/install the races, but your tutorial is concise, telling me what I need to know without trudging through irrelevant details. Thank you.
Hi Jesse, thank you very much for your kind words my friend, am glad to know the video can help you - best of luck with it !
Del, great video and instruction! Props to you and your "camera man" - I'm finishing up a Busa front fork swap on my 2004 Bandit 1200S today and this helped me out quite a bit(bearing replacement). By the way, anyone who says the swap is "just a steering stem swap" on the Busa lower triple tree obviously never did it themselves. It's doable, but the journey to way more involved - 32 Newcastle and a 12 pack of Stella for starters..the list goes on.
Hi Matt.. I hear that a lot (how this or that swap, is "just a simple stem change" ) and it so isn't, all the little details is what takes the time and patience aye.. Good luck with yours, let us know how it handles once you get out for a play..?
Great lesson, saved me money, my garage asked for 150£.I can get a set of bearings for 40£ and change them for myself . Owe you a beer mate, cheers.
Thanks Bartosz, glad it helped...
That was a great how to tutorial! I am glad you emphasized the proper way to pack the bearing with grease. I've seen others on youtube that just wipe the grease on and not pack it in. The entire job was professional and I have no hesitation to do the same job on my bike. Thanks again...from the colonies. :-)
Most welcome mate, glad you enjoyed it and glad it could help you.
Many different vids to choose from. This one is the best in my opinion. Never skips a step and gets straight to the point. Thanks for the help.
I am restoring a Honda Magna vf750c 83 and a few of is Videos did help me a lot. Thank you to Delboy,s Garage.
Really helped give me the confidence to give it a go and this afternoon my bikes gone from yucky rusty horrible bearing to looking like new! Thanks del boy!
Thanks buddy, glad the video could help you... that's what we load them up for !
Great vid. Two tips for cyclists who do all their own bike maintenance.
- You can use a headset press to pull the cups into headstock instead of tapping the cups in. Best to do the lower cup first.
- To starts the removal of the lower bearing race you can use a crown race removal tool.
+G. Bell Special tools.....most riders will never do this job, maybe once in their riding life, even i have maybe only done ten sets in 35 years.....so special tools are often fine for commercial guys doing it for customers, but regular owners just have regular tools to hand..
+Moonfleet41 Motorcycle duty tools yeah, but for pedal cycles not so much. For frequent use you’d kill the pedal cycle duty items in double quick time but knowing they can be used on a very occasional/one off basis may help people out.
It’s my experience at lot of high milage cyclists are also bikers. High milage cyclists also tend to do all their own maintenance and will likely have a fairly complete tool kit.
Best video on youtube .. And I searched many videos and in all of them they are using tools the average biker does not have .I get it tools make the job easier and safer but they are expensive and it just not worth it if you are not doing this regularly .
Thank you , subscribed !!
True word there Chris, if you only ever do a given job once every few years, then buying the tools can be an expensive exercise, Glad you enjoyed the video, take care and have a good week.. Del.
My gsxf750 just failed its mot on notchy head bearings . I stripped it all down and nothing wrong but changed them anyway following your vid. Cheers pal you just saved me well over 200 squid 👍
Thx Del, done loads of these over 40 years but each time it is so worthwhile reminding yourself and that was perfect
Hey Delboy, chur from New Zealand bro! Just changed the head stem bearings on my '07 VTR1000, after watching this video. Without which I would never have had the confidence to attempt myself! So thanks! I'll be doing a lot more of my own maintenance with the help of your videos in the future!
Nice one mate, good to hear from you, it always makes us happy when we know the videos have found a use out there, and someone can actually benefit from what we've done, especially if that person is the other side of the world... how awesome is You Tube ! Plenty more in the Playlists, and always feel free to dro us a line if you need a second opinion on anything, always happy to help! All the best, D&P!
In watching your videos I often see that the most recent comments are 2 years old. Perhaps that's because most of the ones I watch involve bikes that are getting up in age, or perhaps it's because of a societal trend towards pay-someone-to-do-it rather than do-it-yourself. In any case this video and the others I've commented on are immensely relevant and helpful to me because I DO have an older bike and I much prefer to do my own stuff whenever possible.
Once again you and Penny have hit the nail on the head... or should I say, tapped the bearing off the taper. :)
Hi John.. if you check the comments stream at the top, often what you see as the "last comment" is a selected one from the "top comments" you can hit the option to check comments in "most recent", and often they will be in the last month of two.. Thanks for your kind words my friend, its good to hear the videos have helped you out..
Same bearings I use too, I always thought I over greased them but it seems a normal amount after watching your video. Pretty much identical method I use to get mine replaced. I did however buy a puller for the bottom one now rather than using chisels to edge it out. Thanks for the video!
+VlogBiker Yo can never have too much grease in them buddy...keeps the water out, and you saw what that did...!!!!!
Super instruction video! I learn a ton from your teaching! Now I'm not intimidated with this kind of job. Knowledge is everything. Thank you so much for taking your time to create this video!
You are most welcome my friend, im glad it could help you... knowledge is power aye..! Good luck. Del.
You are a legend!! Again just saved myself another $380! Parts ordered and will be doing this when the parts show up. Thank you!
Sounds like you need to subscribe aye... lol
as always another awesome vid bud, I've just finished replacing the fork oil and fitted new seals, changed the front wheel bearings, resprayed the front mudguard and the front wheel plus got all the bolts & fittings for the front end wire brushed & cleaned off and now looking all shiny & new again with a few coats of lacquer ready to go back on my own little Yammy cafe racer dirt bike so I may as well check the headstock steering bearings when I'm at it... it looks like these days your my main GO TO youtube channel for a heads up on do it yourself mechanics & bike maintenance !! a bootneck HOOYAH to ya & Bestest to you both.
I am tackling the head bearings in my KLR 600 next week. This has helped a lot to give me the confidence to go ahead with the tools I have available.
Good to hear it Rabbie, have a good time and drop us a line if you get stuck, always happy to lend a second opinion of you need.... take care. Del.
Just watched this and changed my stem bearings and races today. I did buy some tools before watching which made life easier but weren't really necessary (maybe except the adjustable stem nut spanner), but following this vid made the job far easier. Thanks.
Hi Del & Penny, this is far better than any workshop manual. Re: Swindon, we had our first Group ride out to the 'H' Café at Berinsfields on the A4074 today.Keep up the Good work :)Martin / Wiltshire
+Martin Hodgson Hi Martin, Thats great news, i hope you all had a good time, and it looked like a great day for it too.. maybe spring is on the way at last aye... thanks for your kind comments fellah.. all the best.. D&P.
Greetings from Germany and a huuuge huge "Dankeschön" for your video. It was a tremendous help!!! I changed the bearings today and everything worked like you described! All the best for you.
Thank you for your kind feedback Sir, im glad the videos have helped you. All the best to you.. take care Del.
Thanks Delboy
I have built and restored a few bikes and found your videos extremely helpful
You definitely have a talent for getting the message across
Glad to help Tim, and thank you for your support!
Great energy and even the method to pack the grease was neat.. thanks for all your content, it’s given me the confidence to tackle so many jobs on my bike.. if ever you need a golf lessons there on me..!
Thanks Chris, never played golf so i would certainly need lessons, and of course the time to fit them in.. Really glad the videos can help mate.. !
One of the best repair video I ever saw. He is organized,great details on each section great explanation
Del have dremeled/filed appropriate notches in the gpz frame there is around 2mm of steel frame left i also have bought round punch set to make the notches smaller in diameter and safer. the o weld around the bearing race was not pernament solution. Thankyou you are an inspiration. Furthermore you probably saved me from injury as i have 2 bikes 1 restoration gpz500 other meanstreak 1600. i have always ocd cared for the meanie but i took time to check brakes as per your video and turns out all seals are already poped(dust ones). if i havent seen the vids i wouldnt do it. Now caliper rebuild time:). Thank you again. Live long and prosper.
Thanks Michal, that is really good to hear from you, and amazing that you caught your brakes just in time! Good luck with the re-builds, let us know how you get on - Cheers, Del
Just a suggestion for setting that bottom steering head bearing all the way down. I used your method of using the old inner bearing race, inverted, then a 10" piece of black 1.5" PVC sprinkler pipe with a solid cap pressed on topside. I had cut to that 10" length with a cheap miter box for a clean, square cut. I set the lower triple clamp up on my bench vise with a block of 2 x 4 wood underneath. With everything well greased, it took only three whacks of my rubber hammer (heavy) to set that lower tapered bearing home. That home-made PVC bearing driver tool exerted 360° equal pressure to seat the bearing, and cost maybe a $1.50.
Jeff... that is genius mate... why didn't i think of that.. perfect solution for a perfect price..!! Thanks for the heads up buddy, ill be making one of those the very next headstock bearings i do... cheers mate. Del.
Thanks for the instructions Jason Statham, or Michael Caine, or Simon Pegg, or whoever you are. (all British men look the same to me) My bearing installation went much smoother with your instructions to reference. I hope you recover soon from your unhealthy attraction to Hardly Ablesons. Good Luck!
Thanks Delboy, your tutorials rock!
I will be doing this soonish on my Honda NX650 Dominator 1988.
Our MOT-equivalent in Sweden had objections to the notch felt this morning at the checkup.
I also appreciate your explanation about the "feeling" when driving straight ahead and the small tweaks you have to do when the bearings are worn. TIll now, I've attributed those small waverings on straights to the knobbly motocross-tires...
Hi buddy, yeah, knobblies can be mis-leading, do the old head stock swivel test, get the bike off the ground, front wheel lifted, and crouch in front of the bike facing it, grab the bottom of the fork legs and turn it through it's full sweep of steering, you will soon feel the 'knock' if it's there!
Yupp, the guy at the MOT-station showed me.
It was the only thing I forgot to check before... :-)
Thanks Del+Penny, that girl's a gymnast!
Not something I've ever done before, it's more involved than I thought.
The old Bandit needs it done though as it's not tracking straight on the road.
Thanks again.
+James McCreadie Hi James, its not hard mate, and if the bike needs it, then why not get stuck in and get them done... you'll be chuffed once its all back to normal aye.!
Just started replacing my steering bearings to my cbr600f and found this video brilliant with some top tips. Keep em coming Del Boy 👍
Thanks Andrew, appreciate your support, glad it went well!
Great video, hardest part seems to just be removing all the plastics and crap in the way. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge.
+ghostdog662 Yeah, exactly, and building it all back up with no scratches of screws left over.....lol
Another great video Delboy - thx. One suggestion I would like to make though (a an older mechanic), which I hope people may find helpful, is to put the bearing cups in the freezer for 15-20 minutes (or for an hour or so) before installing them into the head stock. This will cause them to shrink slightly and will significantly reduce the effort needed to tap them into the head stock. However, after taking them out of the freezer, MAKE SURE you remove any ice build up or moisture on them (you don't want them rusting in the head stock). I always put a small amount of clean oil on the outer surfaces of the bearing cups and in the head stock where they fit. Don't waste too much time handling them though as it doesn't take a long time for them to expand back to normal size as they return to room temperature.
I left my bearing cups in the freezer for 24 hours wrapped in kitchen towel so as not to accumulate any ice crystals.
Great video! Pro tip: use the old bottom cup to cover the new bearing when tapping it in, in case your hammer slips!
Ha' just watched Mike play that riff on his latest dot studio vid..he's a bloomin talented craftsman / luthier..
Great stuff again you two
these videos are so valuable to the biking community ...
c spanner spot on !!!!
pulled a drive shaft out of the jeep so is now a THREE wheel drive!!! (bastard mare of repair)
started with a simple brake job ended up changing half the running gear!! you know how these jobs grow and grow cant bare to leave anything iffy untouched..any way the good outcome is i need to use the bike until its fixed !! i know , i should be on the bike anyway..
kwacka parts can be a sod to locate so many parts obsolete , my 84 klr project was like searching for UNOBTAINIUM!!!
Recording is slow at present we're doing daft hours again !
keep 'em coming ,take care .....
HUGS!! .xxxxxxx
that'll make Tichness(fellow idiot) smile!
+springy 2112 Hi Paul.. good to hear from you mate, and yeah, aint Mike disgustingly talented.... it also a testiment to his humble nature, when i asked him to make us a theme tune and asked "do you play guitar too"...and he just said.. "Well not really, but i can make a tune".... yeah right..lol I know what you mean about jobs rolling on.. the head races were fine and felt like new.... but you know how it is... while the fronts off etc... and im glad i did after looking at them now...lol..
good morning delboy, its morning here.your headstock bearing video was the best repair video I have seen on the net.great camera work very well done.I'm going to send you a few small items which you might find helpful.one item might seem odd to you,its a species of wood I have used in the past for driving against steel ,plastic and so forth.very hard,no grain,and won't split.keep up the good work.
+David Rosell Hi David, thank you for your very kind comments, we really enjoyed making this video, it flowed well and the job was fun.. Penny has a knack of making me look good with all my fumbling too..lol Thank you for the thing you're sending, that is very kind ill look out for it... take care my friend, and ride safe... Del; & Penny..
I admire you attention to detail. One of the best mechanics I have seen on TH-cam
Thank you my friend, am glad you appreciate the video...
Very informative .
I bought my Yamaha FZR 150(1996, only produced in Taiwan), and the bearing needs some changes.
Thank you for showing us the process.👍🏽👍🏽