Help with Steering Head Bearings

[jay cohen]

I'm putting new races and balls in the steering head on my 72 CMF Six Days and need some help. Does the O-ring sit on top of the balls when you tighten the stem or does it go around the bearings?  It seems like it should sit on top of the bearings, if you stretch it over the balls it pulls them out of the race. Do I need to worry about using too much grease or too little? thank you for any help.

[chuck]

Jay,

They go on the outside of the bearings. I dealt with the same dilema when I rebuilt by 72 six day.  It's a bit unusual but works effective.

Wait until you get to the swingarm bushings...they're alot of fun.


Good Luck,

Chuck

[chuck]

Jay,

Oh! put them on once you get the stem back in the frame. I don't think you can use enough grease. Any excees after you put together just wipe off.

Chuck

[jay cohen]

Thanks for the help.  The swingarm bushings are ok.  Jay

[jay cohen]

Chuck, Are you saying to put them in without the o-ring and then put the o-ring on after you get it into the steering head, before tightening?

[Merlin]

............good question Jay,grease both inner and outer races with enough grease to "fill" the concave raceway the balls ride in,install the lower bearings on the lower clamp race and the uppers in the frame race,then your o-ring should be a whisker smaller than the outside of the frame where the races are,when assembled the steering should swing smoothly from stop to stop...........to set the pre load,by hand tighten the upper race until you fell a slight drag,back off until just a most tiny resistance is felt.................

[chuck]

Jay,

That's right. You put the o-ring on after you get the stem in the frame. The 0-ring is their to keep dust out...or at least that's my impression.

Chuck

[jay cohen]

Thanks again for the help Chuck.  It's actually quite easy like that, slipping the o-ring on after you put it together before tightening. Jay

[john durrill]

Jay,
 You do put the O rings in place after the the stem is back in the frame and tightened down like Merlin said. The O rings seal the gap between the top and bottom races to keep dirt and water out.
 But you need to put the O Rings ( top one stretch around the top of the frame where the stem comes through , Bottom one stretch around the out side of the bottom race on the triple clamp) before you put the stem in the frame. They would be very hard to get on any other way once the forks are on the bike chuckle chuckle.
 John D.

[Ron]

Hi Guys,
I certainly don't mean to challange the expertease of the group.
When I just put mine together last week, I put a bunch of grease on the lower race, put the balls into the grease and laid the o-ring over balls.
I had already done the top race set the same way.
I slid the stem up through the head and screwed the nut on. Easy as could be.
I work at McMaster-Carr so I get the o-rings and balls cheap, but I still had to buy packs of a 100 each.
Plenty to spare if anyone needs some.
RonW

[Ron]

Hi Guys,
I certainly don't mean to challange the expertease of the group.
When I just put mine together last week, I put a bunch of grease on the lower race, put the balls into the grease and laid the o-ring over balls.
I had already done the top race set the same way.
I slid the stem up through the head and screwed the nut on. Easy as could be.
I work at McMaster-Carr so I get the o-rings and balls cheap, but I still had to buy packs of a 100 each.
Plenty to spare if anyone needs some.
RonW