Hi all

I was finally finishing dismantling my XS400 last night and was a removing the front end from the frame. I removed the headset and top yoke with no problems but the bottom yoke with the steering stem will only withdraw about halfway when it seems to get stuck. It feels like there is something on the steering stem that is hitting the inside of the bottom aperture of the neck.

Should there be something on the steering stem that would prevent its removal? Is there a cup for the bearings that needs removing?

Any help with this would be much appreciated.

Caddy

Hi all

I was finally finishing dismantling my XS400 last night and was a removing the front end from the frame. I removed the headset and top yoke with no problems but the bottom yoke with the steering stem will only withdraw about halfway when it seems to get stuck. It feels like there is something on the steering stem that is hitting the inside of the bottom aperture of the neck.

Should there be something on the steering stem that would prevent its removal? Is there a cup for the bearings that needs removing?

Any help with this would be much appreciated.

Caddy

AYE, Its no "Yoke" this problem

I would say it was the steering head lock. its called a neuman lock, check it hasnt been inadvertantly been activated. The yoke should easily by pass the mechanism!!

the bearing have cups on the stem and the headstock and need to be drifted out if renewing.

drewps

AYE, Its no "Yoke" this problem

I would say it was the steering head lock. its called a neuman lock, check it hasnt been inadvertantly been activated. The yoke should easily by pass the mechanism!!

the bearing have cups on the stem and the headstock and need to be drifted out if renewing.

drewps

Thanks for the reply Drewpy, it did involve the steering head lock inadvertently. The steering head lock is missing after it got broken when somebody tried to steal the bike. In trying to break the lock the area around the hole in the steering stem the lock barrel enters must have been deformed. This was stopping the stem passing through the bearing cups. A bit of grinding with a Dremel down the lock aperture has sorted it finally!!!

Caddy

After having to grind part of the steering stem away to dismantle the front end as mentioned in the post above, I bought a replacement bottom yoke from the same type and year bike from evil bay. When I've tried to fit it there seems to be about 1/8 of an inch difference in size. The old yoke fits over the fork tubes really easily and slides into position with hardly any resistance. With the "new" one I have to pull on the fork legs to make it fit and it seems to bind tightly.

Are there any differences in the measurement between the fork legs for the different model bikes or from year to year?

Caddy

After having to grind part of the steering stem away to dismantle the front end as mentioned in the post above, I bought a replacement bottom yoke from the same type and year bike from evil bay. When I've tried to fit it there seems to be about 1/8 of an inch difference in size. The old yoke fits over the fork tubes really easily and slides into position with hardly any resistance. With the "new" one I have to pull on the fork legs to make it fit and it seems to bind tightly.

Are there any differences in the measurement between the fork legs for the different model bikes or from year to year?

Caddy

just need to put a flat screwdiver in the "split" to open up and it should just push in. all sohc xs400 are 34mm as far as I am aware!!

just need to put a flat screwdiver in the "split" to open up and it should just push in. all sohc xs400 are 34mm as far as I am aware!!

Thanks for the reply Drewpy. The problem doesn't seem to be the individual openings for the fork legs but the distance between them. When I align the 2 yokes (bottom) face to face they don't quite match up and there is about an 1/8 of an inch difference. Maybe I will just use the original one and just not have the steering lock fitted, I don't want to damage the fork tubes by forcing on the yoke.

Caddy

Thanks for the reply Drewpy. The problem doesn't seem to be the individual openings for the fork legs but the distance between them. When I align the 2 yokes (bottom) face to face they don't quite match up and there is about an 1/8 of an inch difference. Maybe I will just use the original one and just not have the steering lock fitted, I don't want to damage the fork tubes by forcing on the yoke.

Caddy

see what you mean now, strange one that.

All i can think of is the original setup had a front end collision sending both yolks out so will align with themselves. A new part would change that!! just an idea