Small clunking feeling in handlebars over some bumps and when hard braking

[MoldTheClay]

I recently changed out my steering head bearings at motoguild with the help of one of their techs as they were rather notched. Changed out the oem ball bearings for some roller bearings.

Since then, however, I feel a bit of a clicking or clunking in the handlebars when going over some bumps and when letting go of my front break after some decent front braking. The tech said that the races might wear in a bit and I could need to tighten them again after riding a bit so I tried to check for looseness. Put the bike up on a rear stand and jacked up the front a bit but coun't tell if I felt any looseness. When riding the bike also feels quite right, no shake in the bars and it holds steady when my hands are off the bars while rolling. Everything feels tight when riding, clicking/clunking over bumps and front braking aside.

Still, I tightened the adjuster about 1/16 of a turn to see if it helped. No drag seems to have been added and I still can't seem to feel anything when pushing and pulling on the forks and there isn't any drag either. Everything feels tight, but I still notice a tapping feeling in the handlebars when going over bumps and letting go of hard front braking.

I also noticed that the feeling when going over bumps is much worse if I am applying light front braking.

Any tips? I am thinking of going to motoguild so I can securely clamp my rear wheel and see if a more secure set up lets me feel any play in the steering bearings but other than that I am stumped.

My bike is a 2012 Ninja 1000

 

[295566]

Yup, it's the front head bearings 100%. Tighten in small increments, go for a test ride. Too loose is better than too tight. Hard brakes and bumps to recreate the "clunk." Once it's gone, it'll be gone. With practice and experience, you'll be able to find the sweet spot much easier next time. Took me 5 times to get it right on my GPZ, and 1st try on the SV.

 

[MoldTheClay]

Even if I can't feel it by pushing/pulling the forks when they are suspened? Interesting...

 

[dravnx]

floating calipers?
You actually feel them now that the steering head is tightened up.

 

[MoldTheClay]

floating calipers?
You actually feel them now that the steering head is tightened up.

That could make sense too...

 

[MoldTheClay]

How do you tell when the bearings are too tight? "Feeling drag" feels really subjective. It is obvious when it is way too much it feels but that "just right" feels harder to pinpoint.

 

[bobl]

To check looseness ,sit on the bike and hold your fingers on the lower triple clamp at the frame junction. Hold on the front brake and rock the bike back and forth. You should feel and free play that way. Even if play is zero, tapered bearings need a slight pre-load.

 

[MoldTheClay]

To check looseness ,sit on the bike and hold your fingers on the lower triple clamp at the frame junction. Hold on the front brake and rock the bike back and forth. You should feel and free play that way. Even if play is zero, tapered bearings need a slight pre-load.

What do you mean by them needing a slight preload.

 

[MoldTheClay]

I put my fingers at the bottom of the triple tree where it meets the frame and I do not feel any wiggle or movement that I can readily notice. Kinda hard because I am moving with the bike, but feels more or less steady.

Edit:

So i tightened it as much as I felt I could before I started noticing any drag at all. Any tighter on the adjuster and I started noticing a slight bit of drag. Not a TON but I hear it is better to err on the side of loose over tight.

I still notice some tapping on the handlebars when I brake or go over some bigger bumps but it doesn't feel hugely significant.

Chalk it up to new bearings letting me feel movement in my floating disk rotors I guess?

 

[MoldTheClay]

https://www.bayarearidersforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=515080

Just found this thread and it makes me feel better about this being super frustrating! Seems that frustrating is the normal deal with getting steering head bearings just right. Well I guess I'll try adjusting it more tomorrow.

 

[Busy Little Shop]

STEERING HEAD BEARINGS 101
If your steering head bearings are too tight the bike will weave and
not seek it own center... if you're steering head bearings are loose
you'll notice a pronounce clunk during braking...

I don't use a torque wrench because it lacks feel rather I raise the
front wheel off the ground and tighten the steering head bearings
until the bars lock then I back off the nut until the bars free wheel
with a slight drag... with this method you'll find that sweat spot and
avoid over tightening and under tightening even if you upgrade to
taper roller bearings...

 

[MoldTheClay]

STEERING HEAD BEARINGS 101
If your steering head bearings are too tight the bike will weave and
not seek it own center... if you're steering head bearings are loose
you'll notice a pronounce clunk during braking... I don't use torque
figures rather I raise the front wheel off the ground and tighten the
steering head bearings until the bars lock then I back off the nut
until the bars free wheel with a slight drag... with this method you
find that sweat spot and avoid over tightening and under tightening
even if you upgrade to taper roller bearings...

Trying that with the adjustment nut without the top nut overtightening it the last bit seems to be the trick. Haven't quite found that sweet spot yet.

Worth asking: Is that slight clunk bad, beyond being annoying? The bike steers great otherwise.

 

[Busy Little Shop]

Trying that with the adjustment nut without the top nut overtightening it the last bit seems to be the trick. Haven't quite found that sweet spot yet.

Worth asking: Is that slight clunk bad, beyond being annoying? The bike steers great otherwise.

As you noted the top nut adds to adjustment nut and together set torque...

Loose bearings clunk is not harmful when corrected within minimum miles...

 

[motomania2007]

That slight clunk will eventually cause notches in the bearing races and you will need to replace the bearings again.

 

[ST Guy]

I have what I think is a good technique for adjusting tapered roller bearings.

First off, you should always use special tools to press the races into the head tube. You can really crank on them to assure that they are fully seated without fear of damaging the races. (The tool doesn't contact the races.) This is the first thing. If you don't have the races fully seated, any adjustment you make will end up loosening up.

To make the adjustment (and this is done without the wheel on the bike), slowly snug up on the adjusting nut until there is enough drag on the bearings when you try turning the triple clamp one way or another that you know it's too tight. Don't go overboard and do work up slowly to this point.

Once you're at that just barely too much point, clean off the adjusting nut and also a spot on the head tube next to where you cleaned off the nut and using something like a permanent marker, mark the nut and then put a mark right next to that mark on the head tube. This tells you where you're just a hair too tight.

Now, back off on the nut until there is obvious play in the bearings and slow tighten the nut again as you check for any play by grabbing the end of the forks and moving them forward and back. Find the point where you've taken all the play out and maybe a just a bit more. Then grab your marker again and make another mark on the head tube next to the mark on the nut.

The final adjustment is now easy. Simply tighten the nut until it's half way between the two marks on the head tube. Tighten down the lock nut and you're good to go.

 

[RightCoastBias]

Just changed out my steering head head bearings this weekend, had the same issues. Mine ended up being due to the upper race not being seated fully, allowing for the bearing to move.

I had to disassemble everything, and put it all back together.

However, up on the center stand I could pull on the wheel or forks and see that movement. It took a bit of force, but it was quite obvious.

 

[ST Guy]

Not sure, but Motion Pro might make and sell a tool for seating the bearing races. I made my own and to this day it's making the rounds in the ST1100 community where it's been used to help install dozens of tapered roller bearing sets. If you have access to a big lathe, you can make your own.

 

[295566]

I've always just cut a slit in the old race with an angle grinder, then use that on top of the new race to pound the it home. Works every time and is free!

 

[MoldTheClay]

Is a small amount of drag acceptable? I know too tight can lead to slow speed weaving but will a little tight also damage tapered roller bearings?

 

[afm199]

Is a small amount of drag acceptable? I know too tight can lead to slow speed weaving but will a little tight also damage tapered roller bearings?

Yes, or rather, it's an art, not a science. You want a tiny bit of pressure, but it's truly small. It's almost as if:" If you can feel it, it's too much."