Topic: Question about All Balls bearings CB500

[Tugboat]

Just want to make sure I'm doing this right. About the uppers - is this the upper race that must be removed? Seems like there's a lip there but I'm not sure.



I didn't take any of this apart - someone else did - so I don't have any reference. Has anyone done this before to a 500? Is it just the upper race pounded in, then the bearing, then the dust seal, then the stock part that screws on?

[MCRider]

That doesn't look like a race from the OEM balls and races set up. Looks more like a race from a tapered bearing setup.  OCICBW

Since you didn't take it apart, is there a chance it had tapers when you got it?

[cr8zy1van]

I agree with MRRider,

I have the original ball races and my headset looks completely different. I attached a couple closeups to show what they look like.

[MCRider]

If that's the case, I would consider polishing up the race that's in there and using it, if your bearing cage fits it.  Otherwise I think they have to be cut/broken out.

[Tugboat]

From what I understand it was a bone stock 1971 cb500. The guy's dad bought it back in '71 and it's been garage-kept this whole time. Unsure of miles but the reason he brought it in in the first place was that it had low compression (~60) on one cylinder. I guess he figured that while we had the motor off he might as well do the rest - and I mean the rest: steering bearings, newly chromed wheels, fork seals.... the works.

So no, I think that whatever that is is OEM. Is it possible that the old race sat on top of this piece? How tall is the OEM race? If I were to press in the All Balls race it would not be flush with the top of the neck... as in, it looks like it's 2x too big.

These damn All Balls kits!!! Great product, sh1t instructions.

[MCRider]

You got me.

[Tugboat]

FWIW there is no taper there. It's almost like a spacer.

I guess the bottom line is: should the new race be flush with the top of the neck? If I put the new tapered race in directly with no other modification it will stick out ~5mm

[Trav-i]

Hey Josh

The races from the all balls kits DO stick up some, 5MM sounds about right.  It also causes a fit problem with stock fork ears, as it spaces the triple tress to far.  Someone here found a way around that problem, but I don't remember what thread it was in.

Travis

[Tugboat]

Thanks Travis - good to know. Glad I didn't try to cut that thing out! That's why this forum is SO invaluable

Will see if I can track down the thread about the fork ears - thanks for the heads-up!

[Scott S]

Hey Josh

The races from the all balls kits DO stick up some, 5MM sounds about right.  It also causes a fit problem with stock fork ears, as it spaces the triple tress to far. 

 I got lucky and mine fit without causing interference but, yeah, it's caused other people problems.

[haill]

with my 71 cb500 used the dust seal then the  thinner washer and then the lower bearing on the bottom steering tube, with the remaining dust seal on the top section/with bearing and they fit the stock ears and help the handling immensely.
when you stack up the old bearing races, for equal height, this is the correct application of parts for our bikes, they're just so many bikes that this kit is made for that they ship the two washers to cover themselves.

[Tree]

I did the tapered bearing conversion recently on my '77 550K.  My guess is that you are showing the upper bearing seat 'ledge' after the race has already been removed.  There is a really good thread I used for reference when I did mine.  Link below.  It has a picture showing the ledge after the race was removed and it looks like your post.  The thread also talks at the end about making the fork ears fit by not using one of the new dust covers.  Good luck.


http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=1516.msg291278#msg291278