Head bearing - XBR500

[askoulding]

Hi peeps,

How difficult is it to either:

1) Adjust head bearing
2) Replace head bearing

My trusty XBR500 has failed the MOT and the test station claims that the bearings are NOTCHY. I'm not wholly convinced as they wanted to charge £180 to replace them which i'm not sure is necessary.

Thanks,

Andrew.

[john g]

They are taking the p**s, the job can be done quite easily by yourself in a couple of hours & for around £25 parts......just follow your manual if you have one!

[guest18]

Agreed! If you are new to spannering then set aside an afternoon and take your time, it's not that difficult and there are loads of people on here who can help you out if you get stuck.
Personally if a workshop quoted me £180 to change the head bearings on an XBR I'd laugh, turn sharply round and walk quickly away never to return!!
Good Luck

[Steve H]

As long as it doesnt have taper rollers already fitted its easy. If it has got taper rollers and the SRX and DR is anything to go by, then removing the bottom outer race from the frame can be trying as there is nothing to allow you to drift them out. I welded a bit of bar to mine and drove them out that way.
I'd also agree that £180 is steep

[guest7]

It's an easy job as long as you are prepared to take your time.

You will need some sort of sharp edged drift to tap out the races with. Getting the bottom race off the yoke might be a laugh (ho bloody ho) but none of it is impossible or out of the reach of a home mechanic.

If you want to give it a go let us know and we can talk you through it.

£180 is about right for a 'proper' bike dealership, but a bit cheeky for a small bike shop and/or independant mechanic.

One thing - mudguard bolts. If you can drop the forks as a pair still clamped in the bottom yoke then you will avoid having to disturb these bolts, which often shear off when you attempt to shift them.

Cheers
GC

[GB500nz]

The GB (and therefore probably the XBR) has pushbike-type bearings: loose balls in fixed races. These can and should be checked and re-greased occasionally. But if the races have got brinelled they'll need replacing. It's best to replace them with taper rollers, the races for which should properly be pressed in with the appropriate tool. I had mine done by a real mechanic and the whole thing came to well under 100 pounds. Find a real mechanic and get him to check whether the steering really is 'notchy'. And don't go to that MOTer again.
    Terry

[Steve H]

the races for which should properly be pressed in with the appropriate tool.

Got one of those it weighs about 5lbs, and has numerous other uses as well, such as breaking bricks, aligning floor boards, door stop etc etc etc

[askoulding]

Well, judging by your extremely helpful responses i'll never take a bike to them again!!!!

I do have a copy of the honda workshop manual so i'll have a look at that tonight. Anyone know the best place to get the bearings?

Thanks to everyone!

[guest18]

Off the top of my head dunno, I'd normally try my local (decent) bike shop or "David Silver" online/by phone.
Google for David Silver and Honda and you should get their details.

Unless anyone else has a better supplier for taper rollers....?

[SteveC#222]

Well, judging by your extremely helpful responses i'll never take a bike to them again!!!!

I do have a copy of the honda workshop manual so i'll have a look at that tonight. Anyone know the best place to get the bearings?

Thanks to everyone!

Try Worlds End Mcycles - www.wemoto.com

[squirrelciv]

Just fitted a set of taper roller bearings to Abigail which I bought from David Silver 20(ish) quid I think. If your close to Cardiff I have a perfect piece of pipe to drive the bottom race onto the bottom yolk. Message me if you want to borrow it :-)

[john g]

A trick I've used over the years (quite a number of times) is to use the old races over the top of the new ones (perfect fit!) & tap them into place gently but firmly until you get a solid (clink!) when the new races hit home....Always works for me.......Last bike I did (my mono racer/zxr 250 frame took approx 45mins start to finish, but I have to agree, take your time with your first ones.

[guest27]

The races need to be pressed in square.  I have done loads and do nto think I have ever made a mess of it. A bit of soft metal or hard wood laid across the top of them stops you damaging them and thencarefull - but with conviction - knock them in - stopping regulaly to see that they are still square - they should be a tight but not difficult job to drift in.  Altenativly I have also been luck to get the frame sat next to a drill press in the past and used that to press them in.  If you have a spare vice and you keep all things square you can use this as a press too.  All of the above will give the proper mechanics out there kittens but the way I see it is it takes loads less pressure to run the race in than it does to damage the race, so if you are careful and are aware that if you are having to use a lot of force, there is probably something wrong, you will not damage anything.

All the usual riders about everything I say being wrong and all ideas are taken on at your own expence and responsibility stand.....

Oh - if they are not taper rollers already I would recommend putting them in.

R

[peterj]

As above the trickiest bit is usually getting off the old bottom yoke race. If it doesn't want to come off by usual simple methods, I have successfully used an angle grinder in the past. Use a grinding disc and VERY carefully thin the race. It will usually spilt before you grind it all away, and then will come off easily.