In this video, we'll demonstrate how to properly remove worn out steering stem bearings.
We'll also show you how to pack your new bearings with grease and install them onto your bike.
These steps can be used to help you replace the steering stem bearings on just about any bike.
Keep in mind the process will slightly vary with each bike.
We'll be demonstrating the use of a few different specialty tools
including the tusk bearing slide hammer and collet,
the tusk steering stem bearing installer, tusk steering stem bearing press,
tusk steering stem spanner wrench,
Park Tool U.S.A. lower steering stem bearing puller
and the Park Tool U.S.A. steering race remover.
We'll also need a good bearing grease to pack our new bearings
and a few standard tools to allow us to get to the steering stem.
But most importantly we'll need our service manual for the torque settings and specifications.
Rocky Mountain ATV/MC carries a variety of steering stem bearing kits
including the O.E. parts for your bike.
The first step of the install is to remove the front wheel.
Next, pull both bolts holding the caliper to the fork.
Then we'll remove the clamp holding the brake line to the fork guard.
Now remove the front number plate.
Then we'll loosen the fork pinch bolts, allowing us to pull the forks from the triple clamp.
Pull both forks being careful not to let the fork fall as you loosen the pinch bolts.
Next, we'll loosen and remove the handle bar clamps so we can
move the handle bars and controls out of the way.
After that, we need to loosen and remove the top steering stem nut.
Once you have it loose, go ahead and thread it off and remove the washer as well.
Now you should be able to pull the upper triple clamp up and off the steering stem.
Sometimes there will be a washer underneath it, so check for that.
We're going to go ahead and pull the front fender to get it out of the way
and then remove the brake line guide that's bolted to the lower triple clamp.
We're going to once again move the handle bars out of the way.
Then we'll spray a little lube onto the spanner nut and using our tusk steering stem spanner wrench,
loosen and remove that nut.
Check for any other washers and then remove that top dust shield.
Now you should be able to pull the lower triple clamp and steering stem out of the frame.
Be careful as some will just fall out right after that spanner nut is removed.
You can see how dirty this top bearing is and also how dry and worn out the bottom bearing is.
You can go ahead and pull up that top bearing from the frame.
You'll see this is a tapered roller bearing with the inner race here, and the outer race
is pressed into the frame.
If you look at each worn out race, you'll see that they have pitting, grooving, and bruising
which is caused from moisture and debris getting into the bearing -
often times the result of not carefully pressure-washing your bike.
It's never a good idea to install a new bearing with an old race. It will cause premature wear.
You need to install each new bearing with a matched race it was packaged with.
There's a few different ways to remove these races.
You can use a long punch to work them out
but using the Park Tool race remover keeps it really quick and easy.
We'll insert it up to the frame until the bottom lip of the tool is resting on the top lip of the race.
Now just hit it with a hammer and it'll push the race out the bottom.
Here's a better look at the wear on this bottom race.
So the other way to remove a race is with the Tusk bearing slide hammer and collet.
It's important that you use the correct size collet for your application.
Just position the collet down into place and then tighten it until it's sitting firmly against the race.
You want the larger end of the collet just on the other side of the race so that it catches on it.
Then just thread the slide hammer down into the end of the collet and give it a few pulls.
You'll see it pulls the race right out.
Now we can move on to the lower steering stem bearing.
You'll see that this steering stem is not welded to the lower triple clamp.
Some people will use a press to push the steering stem down and out of the lower triple clamp,
therefore pushing the old bearing up and off at the same time.
If you don't have a press and you don't want to take it to a shop and pay for them to do the work,
we found that just using a chisel set is an easy and effective way to get around this.
We'll take our smallest wedge and we're going to use it between the lower triple clamp
and the dust shield to force the bearing up and off the steering stem.
You need to be extremely careful when doing this not to damage the triple clamp
or the steering stem shaft.
You also want to make sure to work the bearing off evenly
by turning the triple clamp over every few hits.
As we work it up, we'll increase the chisel size and continue until we get the bearing free.
Go ahead and remove the old bearing and dust shield from the steering stem.
As you can see, we didn't ding up the stem at all.
We can clean that up a little bit so it's ready for the new parts.
The other way to remove your bottom steering stem bearing
is with the Park Tool lower steering stem puller.
To use this tool, it's simple -
just slide it over your steering stem and position the three clamps around your bottom bearing.
Go ahead and snug each of those down into place
and then tighten each set screw to lock each clamp into place.
Now just slowly turn the handle and the tool will start to pull the bottom bearing
up and off your steering stem.
Once you have it up far enough, you can pull the tool up and off and your bearing will come along with it.
We can't install our new bearings without packing them with grease first.
To do that, take a dab of grease in our hand and kind of just push the bearing down into it.
We're trying to force the grease up and in around the rollers of the bearing.
You'll want to slowly roll the bearing as you pack it so the grease gets forced up inside the cage of the bearing.
Once you have this bearing filled with grease, go ahead and pack the other one using these same steps.
Now we're ready to install the lower bearing onto our steering stem.
First, install the dust shield with the lip facing upwards.
Then we can install the bearing with the smaller diameter end facing up.
We're going to use the tusk steering stem bearing installer to force the bearing down
onto the shaft the rest of the way.
It's important to choose the correct diameter collet and
make sure you're putting all the pressure on the inner race of the bearing.
You don't want to put any pressure on the cage of the bearing.
As you can see, this red collet fits the inner race perfect, so this is the one we'll use.
We're also going to find a suitable socket to place underneath this steering stem to
make sure we don't force it out of the lower triple clamp while we install the bearing.
Go ahead and slide the installer down into place over the steering stem.
Then use a hammer to tap the bearing down into place.
You'll be able to tell when it's seated down all the way by the solid sound that it makes
Remove the tool and the collet and now our lower bearing is installed.
The next step is to clean up inside the neck of the frame, so we can install the outer races.
It's a good idea to slap a little grease in there to help the races slide into place.
We'll install the top one first.
Make sure the thicker end of the race goes down.
We're going to use the tusk steering stem bearing press to install both these races.
Choose the correct size bearing driver and sit it down on top of the race,
and then slide the tool up from the bottom.
Go ahead and install the handle.
Now just make sure everything is lined correctly,
and press the race down into the frame by turning the handle.
You'll be able to feel when the race bottom's out and
it's important to make sure it seats all the way.
Once you get to that point, you can push the quick release on the bottom of the press
and quickly remove the tool and driver.
Now that this top race is installed, we can repeat these steps to install the bottom race.
Install that bottom race with the thicker section up.
Next comes the bearing driver and then we'll install the bottom part of the tool.
Pull the race up into the frame by turning the handle.
When you've got it seated, pull the bottom and remove the tool.
Now both our new races are installed into the frame.
We're going to put a little more grease onto the bottom bearing and also the top race.
Then install the steering stem back into the frame.
Slide the top bearing down into place and we'll install a new dust shield
and thread the spanner nut back on to the steering stem.
Again, using the tusk steering stem spanner wrench, we're going to tighten the nut down
just as tight as we can get it.
Now move it around a little bit to make sure the bearings are seated in the races.
Then we'll just loosen it back up.
Now when you get it loose, you want it just barely snug it down.
Reinstall the top triple clamp with the washer and the nut.
Then next we'll reinstall the handlebars and top clamps.
Go ahead and tighten those down.
You also want to install both forks and just loosely snug the pinch bolts down.
This is to ensure the top and bottom triples are aligned before we tighten anything down.
We're also going to reattach the brake line guide and then install the front wheel.
Tighten the right pinch bolts and then torque the axle nut to factory torque specs.
Loosen those pinch bolts back up to make sure the fork is sitting where it wants to on the axle.
When it is, tighten all four pinch bolts to factory specifications.
Reinstall the caliper and then the brake line clamp.
Now we're ready to make our adjustments up top.
Tighten down the top steering stem nut just about as tight as you can get it.
Then we'll check the resistance of the steering.
You want to be sure and refer to your service manual for further instructions and specifications.
With our bike on the stand, we like the bars to fall with very little help from our finger.
As you can see, this might be a hair tight.
So loosen the stem nut back up.
Using a flat blade screw driver, just barely loosen the spanner nut on the stem.
Now just re-tighten the top nut and check the bars again.
As you can see, these are falling with barely any help now.
Adjust it to your preference and then torque the top steering nut to factory specs.
Now you can reinstall the front fender
and then torque your triple clamp pinch bolts to factory torque specifications.
Reinstall your front number plate and then you're done.
If you have any questions about replacing your steering stem bearings,
feel free to give us a call at 1-800-336-5437
or visit us online at www.rockymountainatvmc.com.
Rocky Mountain ATV/MC carries all the parts and tools
needed to replace the steering stem bearings on your bike.
Thanks for watching!