Steering stem gap.

[sharpeyie]

Hi all.

Back at the well in need of more help/advice. Z1B; just refitting front end and have all assembled, but I have a suspicion all is not well.

I have the forks and both yokes in place but as I am tightening the main steering stem nut the yokes are starting to press VERY hard indeed onto the headlight brackets (they can barely be moved) yet there is a gap between the top of the stem lock nut and the underside of the top yoke of about 4mm. I can’t imagine that gap is supposed to be so but if I tighten it out I am almost certain something elsewhere will suffer as a consequence.

My only thoughts are that I have missed a spacer somewhere in the bearing department as the bike had a fairly new taper bearing when I got it (In place of the original) which I retained as it was in decent nick. What would the normal order of things in the taper bearing department be that I could have missed (not in manual of course) and which could account for my 4mm gap?

Any help very welcome.

Thanks guys.

Rgds,
Stewart.

[steve452]

I guess you have all the bits described in the pic in the right order?

It wouldn't be something stupid like an old race being left in the steering head when the new one was installed, would it? I believe it's been done before.

[sharpeyie]

I guess you have all the bits described in the pic in the right order?

It wouldn't be something stupid like an old race being left in the steering head when the new one was installed, would it? I believe it's been done before.

I’m pretty happy that what I have is all in the right order. If you think about; that gap at 4mm means that the ‘stack’ of items in the ‘yoke, bearing, frame/head, bearing, cap, nut, yoke’ setup, is actually slightly shorter than it appears it should be (if the size of the headlight brackets is any indication.) It’s like something is missing. A bit bemused really - I am wondering if there are oils seals either side of the taper baring that have been missed or something similar.

Thanks for the response anyway.

[zed1015]

It may be the height of the new taper roller bearings you have fitted.
Depending on make some are taller or shorter than others.
It wouldn't show up if the headlight brackets weren't the limiting factor on how far the top yoke can move.
You may have to make up a spacer washer to sit under the castle nut or dust cover.

[Mathh]

Zed1015 is correct, I have had the same but saw it earlier when I compared the old next to the new one.

[sharpeyie]

Yep fair points. I’ll check there are no seals or anything that I have overlooked and, in the absence of that, a spacer it is!

Thanks all.