Topic: do all steering bearings kits include spacers? WHICH ONES DO??

[Vasil]

I'm looking into ordering stering head bearings for my 550K.

Are all bearing kits sold by vendors the same? Do they all come with the required spacers/washers? If I get the kit from partsnmore.com will it come with the spacers?

Comparison:
https://www.partsnmore.com/cat_index.php?model=cb550&category=chassis
vs
http://www.z1enterprises.com/detail.aspx?ID=2778

I dont want to buy a bearing kit only to discover that its incomplete and I that have to hunt for spacers.... 

[736cc]

It looks complete. Have you ever replaced steering stem bearings?

[Vasil]

736cc,

No I haven't but I've been reading posts on how to do it....

[mrbreeze]

I noticed that Z1 sells 2 different kits....KL and All Balls. All Balls has everything....KL has everything but seals. I'm gonna get the All Balls kit .

[Cursed1]

I have the All Balls kit.  Does anyone now if you need to use the spacers? If so where do they go top or bottom of the neck, and above or below the bearing?  I have a 74K Honda 750.   Thanks in advance!!!!

[mrbreeze]

The spacer is supposed to go below the bottom bearing but you have to measure the old bearing stack heighth to determine which spacer to use (sounds kinda goofy to me but I guess I will cross that bridge when I get to it).

[Cursed1]

The spacer is supposed to go below the bottom bearing but you have to measure the old bearing stack heighth to determine which spacer to use (sounds kinda goofy to me but I guess I will cross that bridge when I get to it).

I was wondering if someone has already done it.  I have tossed out all of the parts that made up the neck bearing assembly.  Those ball bearings scatter as soon as you move the neck a half an inch.  If anyone has some insight that would be great!

[super pasty white guy]

I replaced mine with an All Balls and don't think that I needed any spacers at all...  but it's been awhile.  If you don't get any more definite responses, I'll go out and brave the cold to take a look.

dave

[Vasil]

Could someone please chime in where they got their bearing kits and did the kit include the spacers...

Example:

Pro-Flo Bearing kit = spacers / NO spacers??

CRC2 Bearing kit = spacers / NO spacers??

Z1 Bearing kit = spacers / NO spacers??

Denis Kirk Bearing kit = spacers / NO spacers??

Parts n More Bearing kit = spacers / NO spacers??


--this would be a great database for future reference--

[spitfire]

Got my kit from David Silver Spares and it included a spacer, for a CB750F1 though, see photos.

Cheers

Dennis

[Cursed1]

Could someone please chime in where they got their bearing kits and did the kit include the spacers...

Example:

Pro-Flo Bearing kit = spacers / NO spacers??

CRC2 Bearing kit = spacers / NO spacers??

Z1 Bearing kit = spacers / NO spacers??

Denis Kirk Bearing kit = spacers / NO spacers??

Parts n More Bearing kit = spacers / NO spacers??


--this would be a great database for future reference--

I bought mine off of Ebay from Cyclexchange.  They were brand new All Balls 45.95 shipped to my door.  He is selling them all of the time.  I would do a search.  The All Balls set comes with spacers.   


Anybody know if you need the spacers? 

[SWEETPEAUK]

Can anyone measure the spacer's thickness and bearing numbers. My bearing supplier has taper bearings with a dust shield built into the bottom of the bearing, this stops road crap getting into the bottom race.
They are made by Koyo and have fitted them to my GS1000, there is more drag when moving the bars because off the shield in the bearing. Also cheaper than buying a kit. will post picture later

[RRRToolSolutions]

I've done it on several different bike makes. The roller bearing is a straightforward install, but as Mr. Breeze said - you need to have the old, lower bearing assembly so youcan compare stack-height. You simply remove the upper and lower races from the steering head of the frame, remove the race from the tree, apply grease to the bottom race, lay the 18 or 19 1/4" ball bearings (I forget how many) adnd you measure the lower ball bearing assembly height. You go to the "new" tapered bearings box and you lay the rubber/seal (dust) washer down first, then the bottom race down 2nd, then the tapered bearing narow side up, and then the upper-bottom race (cup side down of course) and take a measurement. This difference is your shim/washer requirement. The washer will go on the stem first so your rubber dust washer is always up next to you tapered bearing's bottom end. All you are doing is making sure the steering stem is in the same height posiition as it's designer meant for it to be. You must have the right amount of threads att he top to hold the nut, they don't want to change geometry, and it's really a straight forward thing - no magic tools needed.

I will add only that if you have your stem powdercoated or painted - that bottom race and tapered bearing "will not" go over the stem. A trick I use is to put the stem in the freezer over night and the race/bearings slip right on.

Go for it.

Regards,
Gordon

[shoemanII]

got my tapered roller set from partsnmore, '78cb750k.  spacer supplied, no install problems.  if i recall the install instructions correctly, if your bike needs a spacer, it will be included in the kit. 
bobp


   

[Jinxracing]

I used an All Balls kit on my '70 CB750 K1. It came with two spacers of different thicknesses, dust seal, and both bearings (of course). The instructions were fairly detailed about how to measure the lower bearing stack to decide which (or both, or neither) of the spacers was needed. My measurements indicated the thick spacer, and it all went together just fine. Much less complicated than it sounds. The hardest part of the whole operation was pressing the bearings onto the tree and the races into the head tube. I put the tree into the freezer overnight to shrink it a little bit.

I had already thrown away my old bearings, races, and balls. I just dug the races out of the trash along with three balls. The three balls were enough to hold the old lower race & cage apart for measurement.

HTH

Jinx

[Cursed1]

I used an All Balls kit on my '70 CB750 K1. It came with two spacers of different thicknesses, dust seal, and both bearings (of course). The instructions were fairly detailed about how to measure the lower bearing stack to decide which (or both, or neither) of the spacers was needed. My measurements indicated the thick spacer, and it all went together just fine. Much less complicated than it sounds. The hardest part of the whole operation was pressing the bearings onto the tree and the races into the head tube. I put the tree into the freezer overnight to shrink it a little bit.

I had already thrown away my old bearings, races, and balls. I just dug the races out of the trash along with three balls. The three balls were enough to hold the old lower race & cage apart for measurement.

HTH

Jinx

So dust shield, larger of the two spacers and then the bearing.  Correct?  Thanks for the response.  Anybody know if there is a difference between the 70' model year that he is describing and the 74' that I currently own?  Thanks!!!

[chung]

It has been a while. But as I recall the bike will tell you if it wants a spacer. And it will tell you whether it wants it on the bottom or not. Look at the top nut dude. Not trying to be an #$%* but I had to figure it out at home with no help. Step up to the plate batter!

[Vasil]

anybody else want to contribute as to where they bought their bearings and if their kits came with spacers? 

[Cursed1]

I will be installing the bearing kit as instructed above.  Dust shield, larger of the two spacers and bearing.  I will write back how it comes out.  Thanks to all that were informative. 

[mrbreeze]

I will be installing the bearing kit as instructed above.  Dust shield, larger of the two spacers and bearing.  I will write back how it comes out.  Thanks to all that were informative. 

Wait a minute.....hold the phone......I believe the order is spacer first....then seal...then bearing. Am I correct???

[Jinxracing]

I will be installing the bearing kit as instructed above.  Dust shield, larger of the two spacers and bearing.  I will write back how it comes out.  Thanks to all that were informative. 

Be careful...you should really measure you're particular bike as per the instructions. It makes sense to think that there are two different thicknesses of spacers because different years/applications may differ. I only bring this up because I don't want to be responsible if your plan goes blooey.

Jinx

[Cursed1]

I will be installing the bearing kit as instructed above.  Dust shield, larger of the two spacers and bearing.  I will write back how it comes out.  Thanks to all that were informative. 

Be careful...you should really measure you're particular bike as per the instructions. It makes sense to think that there are two different thicknesses of spacers because different years/applications may differ. I only bring this up because I don't want to be responsible if your plan goes blooey.

Jinx

Well the problem is that I no longer have any of the bearings or anything that is related to it.  That has seen the trash way sooner than when I received the bearing kit.