AndrewElvisFan Posted August 2, 2014 Author Posted August 2, 2014 Oh poop! All of this - That'll teach me to have a weekend off work Best I go get some grease and balls then. Hopefully the rain will stop soon!
Moderator Cynic Posted August 2, 2014 Moderator Posted August 2, 2014 Just to hold the party here. Andy is it a drum front brake. Could be the antirotation lug clunking back into place. Even a couple of mm of movement after corrosion was disturbed will be felt as a clunk. 1
AndrewElvisFan Posted August 2, 2014 Author Posted August 2, 2014 No it's a disc front. Best let the wife know she's on her own for a day lol
Moderator DirtyDT Posted August 2, 2014 Moderator Posted August 2, 2014 Andrew. If you are sure it it the bearings, I would buy some new ones and some grease and do it once, properly. You can normally change just the balls without a full strip down but you need to make sure the cups are OK. You can't replace the cups without a proper strip. The cups, if you leave them in place, need to be cleaned of grease and grit etc with a rag.
AndrewElvisFan Posted August 2, 2014 Author Posted August 2, 2014 Garage didn't have the right size balls Got grease though. Not 100% sure, but everything else in above posts checked so time to at least have a look! Not easy with wife at work and kids wanting to do things.
AndrewElvisFan Posted August 2, 2014 Author Posted August 2, 2014 The knock wouldn't be the suspension as a second issue?
Moderator DirtyDT Posted August 2, 2014 Moderator Posted August 2, 2014 Can you wheel the bike and apply the brake to hear the knock? On the RD, the MOT had "slightly notchy bearings" as an advisory. I couldn't feel it but when I lifted the front wheel and turned the steering is was worse than I thought. Unless they are loose or something has crushed, you normally get a clicky feel on left and right turning of the handlebars.
AndrewElvisFan Posted August 2, 2014 Author Posted August 2, 2014 No I can only get the knock by braking over a bump. The notchy bearings can be felt on full lock when off the ground
dt502001 Posted August 2, 2014 Posted August 2, 2014 Is it possible the forks are bottoming out or topping out? Under braking you use up a fair bit of the travel so hitting a deeper hole might possibly bottom the fork out, or after the hole /bump brake off and the fork rizes to it full length, weeks springs low oil level wrong oil weight. You need to do the steering bearings so while you have the forks off drain the fluid and put new in and measure the free lenght of the springs.If the springs have saged/shortened a old trick was to cut down a valve spring from a car to beef up the spring.
Moderator Cynic Posted August 2, 2014 Moderator Posted August 2, 2014 I still dont think its the steering head. My TDR has a knock on small bumps. Its the front mudguard rattling/flexing on the fork brace under it. Took me weeks to figure.
AndrewElvisFan Posted August 2, 2014 Author Posted August 2, 2014 It's not bottoming out - going 5-10mph at most while going over a dropped curb of about 3/4" . I suspected that as well to start with on the pot hole, but I can't manage to bottom it out by holding front brake and bouncing it down
AndrewElvisFan Posted August 2, 2014 Author Posted August 2, 2014 Not had chance to even look at it in detail today - 2 young boys to entertain etc.
AndrewElvisFan Posted August 3, 2014 Author Posted August 3, 2014 Still not done anything! Had a great day at Felixstowe beach with the family though I checked it when I got home and the notchiness had subsided????? Quick run up the road and could not get it to knock and steering not stiff at all. God knows how! Let the air out of the tyre, knocked it around a bit and now it is seated correctly Tomorrow night I'll get the yolk off and check the balls
Tommy xs Posted August 3, 2014 Posted August 3, 2014 you didn't have too much air in the tyre did you! maybe change the fork oil Andy a lot easier than the steering head bearings, if it only happens when you brake hitting pot hole's & bumps, then avoid the f#cking things 1
AndrewElvisFan Posted August 3, 2014 Author Posted August 3, 2014 Easier said than done!! Checked the pressure with a digital sensor - didn't trust the foot pump. I'll do the fork first but still think it'd be an idea to at least check the bearings as well. Fairly sure the previous owner knew as much about maintenance as I did this time last year!
Moderator DirtyDT Posted August 4, 2014 Moderator Posted August 4, 2014 Andrew. Don't just take things off for the sake of it. Changing head ball bearings is a royal pain. Checking the oil or seeing if a fork spring has broken is easier. Just use a stick to measure the distance from the top of the fork to the oil level. I am not sure how your fork caps fit but often you need to slacken the top yolk bolt as it claps around the area the cap screws into. If it is not knocking, and feels ok, I would leave well alone. 1
KevtheRev Posted August 10, 2014 Posted August 10, 2014 Hi there , if you are changing the steering head bearings I'd recommend tapered needle bearings , a bit more expensive , but harder wearing and much less fiddly to fit .
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