How To Repair The Steering Head On My Motorcycle?

I would first try to get ahold of a factory service manual and see what it recommends for the repair.
 
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I am looking for a quality repair - the problem is that the bearing seat is either worn or stretched, or maybe the bearings being made are a little under size - BUT the end result is that the bearing race is not a press fit into the frame. Does anyone have a quality repair strategy for such a situation.

Is it possible to shrink the bearing mount? If so how?

Yes I know there is locktite products - but I feel this is a last resort, not a first resort.

Any good ideas?????

Mal

PS the bike is a 1962 BMW R69s - for those who are interested.

I realize the post is getting old, but here is my two cents. Make a collar out of plate or a short length of heavy wall tubing. Bore the i.d. to the smaller outside diameter of the steering neck and then file or grind it to an oval so that it just fits over the neck. The using a lever arm of some type turn the collar until the neck is round again. This assumes that the outside of the neck is also out-of-round, like the inside diameter. If that is the case, then pressing the side with the larger i.d. in (using curves blocks against the neck) may work.
 
First thing you should do is to look up the bearing manufacturer's specs for the correct housing fit... they all publish tables of fits. Then and only then will you know what you have to work with.

I had a propeller reduction drive bearing bore on a paramotor that somehow was .002" oversize. I cut a strip of .001" brass shim stock (length equal to the bearing circumference, wider than the bearing) and put it into the housing bore, pressed the bearing into it, then trimmed the excess shim stock with an Xacto knife. Even with the vibration and overturning loads on the propeller, it never came loose.
 
Yes good idea to start with the designed tolerance/fit.

My situation is actually taper in the bearing mount - the bearing has not turned and worn the mount - I suspect the steering head has had one or more impacts which has bell mouthed the housing to some extent. I know this thread is old but I still have not been able to shuffle this project to the top of the list. I want too BUT.....
While I have had several passing thoughts - I really need time to think it through from scratch - remeasure - and the make a specific plan.

I have purchased some stock to work with - but I need a clear bit of time to muscle down to this one.
Thank you to everyone who has contributed.

Mal
 
I am familiar with this problem, having owned a R69S for nearly 30 years. I successfully used the Loctite solution. But today, I would bring to the problem to the Vintage BMW Motorcycle Owners group. Google them. There is a wealth of knowledge among this group of enthusiasts.

And someone commented about Reg Pridmore. He won the first AMA Superbike championship in 1976 on an R90S, not R69S.

John Gallagher
Danville, CA
 
I am familiar with this problem, having owned a R69S for nearly 30 years. I successfully used the Loctite solution. But today, I would bring to the problem to the Vintage BMW Motorcycle Owners group. Google them. There is a wealth of knowledge among this group of enthusiasts.

And someone commented about Reg Pridmore. He won the first AMA Superbike championship in 1976 on an R90S, not R69S.

John Gallagher
Danville, CA

Hi John

You know I am actually a member of the Vintage BMW Motorcycle Owners.

I have asked them and lots of ideas. I still havent tackled the issue but recently gave some thought to TIG welding around the top edge of the steering head to shrink the diameter. I am going to experiment with some pipe to see how much a bead of weld will reduce the diameter. I can then set the frame up in the milling machine and machine the specs I need for the bearings to be a tight fit.

That might give me a sound solution.


Mal
 
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