Topic: Steering head bearings: CB750K -edited 10/09

[Donzon]

I'm gearing up to order some new steering head bearings and wondered if anyone had come up with a solution/part numbers for fitting Timkens?

Ditto here, anyone come up with the final numbers??

Don

[HondaMan]

Someone here found a company that was selling some 50.05mm bottom races, custom-ground like I eventually will get around to... 
They were selling whole kits. Search for the steering head bearings again. I think they were KME brand, or something like that.

The problem is with the bottom bearing's ID. I have some for the top bearings, several sets, but haven't got the bottom ones done yet.
Mine are Timken, but not finished.   

[eldar]

So do we have any final numbers on the bearings and all?  I would like to replace mine just cause, standard or tapered does not matter to me really.

[HondaMan]

I probably won't have a grinder setup finished until this summer. I've got 2 boxes of Timken lower bearings sitting, waiting, in my room. 

[FunJimmy]

I’m “NEW” as most of you already know. I recently purchased a 1977 CB550F and quickly learned that the steering bearings where pooched! Having lurked on this site for a while now, I found a recommendation to order “All Balls” tapered roller bearing kit for my bike.

I say do it! This is such an easy and well executed kit, you won’t be disappointed. I fit really well and included all the seals and spacers you will need.

I measured all the bearings and even took the “All Balls” bearings to a local industrial bearing supplier, and they claim that this unique size must be custom!

If anyone wants me to post (both metric and imperial) measurements, just ask.

Save yourself huge time and money, purchase All Balls kit.

Cheers
FunJimmy

[HondaMan]

I’m “NEW” as most of you already know. I recently purchased a 1977 CB550F and quickly learned that the steering bearings where pooched! Having lurked on this site for a while now, I found a recommendation to order “All Balls” tapered roller bearing kit for my bike.

I say do it! This is such an easy and well executed kit, you won’t be disappointed. I fit really well and included all the seals and spacers you will need.

I measured all the bearings and even took the “All Balls” bearings to a local industrial bearing supplier, and they claim that this unique size must be custom!

If anyone wants me to post (both metric and imperial) measurements, just ask.

Save yourself huge time and money, purchase All Balls kit.

Cheers
FunJimmy

It's OK in the short term, Jimmy. In about 10,000 miles, you'll have to do them again. That's the drawback to the "balls" design, which was why Honda willingly stocked them for so many years.

The tapered head bearings have 2 primary advantages: long life (over 60,000 miles typical) and far greater rigidity, which will be apparent the first high-speed sweeper you dive through after installing them. 

That's why the tapered ones become worth the tough work. 

[super pasty white guy]

I'm confused.  The "all balls" kit is a roller bearing.  What am I missing?

dave

[HondaMan]

I'm confused.  The "all balls" kit is a roller bearing.  What am I missing?

dave

Then I'm missing something: the All Balls kits I saw were races and balls, like stock ones.   
I didn't realize they made roller, so much the better!

[FunJimmy]

It's confusing when the brand is "All Balls" but the product is taper rollers.
The other benifit with this kit is that is comes with new seals and spacers to make it a one stop solution.

I purchased them from Z1 and the delivery was very fast.

Cheers
FunJimmy

[stresssolutions]

So...with your Timkens, what are you using for a dust seal?

[HondaMan]

So...with your Timkens, what are you using for a dust seal?

I take the original seal and install it onto the thin seal plate (it has grooves on both side, can slip over and stay). Then I lay it on top of the spacer washer, then the bearing on the lower tree. When the assembly is tightened, the inside edge of the rubber seal squeezes out from under the bearing, and the outer edge slides downward, making an inverted seal. I had to grease everything well first, then wipe off the excess later, to make it ooze into place like that. But, it ran for 20 years that way, keeping water and dust out, not bad for free!.

[stresssolutions]

Since I managed to destroy the orig seal and I bought the green box bearing set, I went to TEC industrial INC here in my hometown.  www.tecindustrialinc.com and bought a seal. 30x50x7TC is the item number.  Dichtomatik TCM oil seal on the box.  It is a nice hard rubber material with a spring looking thing in the center that goes around the shaft.

with the lower race driven up into the neck, there is room for the seal, much like on a front wheel hub on an old car.  Or a wagon.

Nice thing about this purchase?  the feller that helped me has ridden a Hondamatic.