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Yamaha Tech Originally the Yamaha XT600 Tech Forum, due to demand it now includes all Yamaha's technical / mechanical / repair / preparation questions.
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  #1  
Old 9 Jun 2011
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steering bearing
When pumping the front shocks while locking the frontwheel with the frontbreak a strange "thump"/"cloink" sound emits from somewhere. Is this normal if the bearing needs to be replaced? Is it hard to do and how do you know if its the bearing on the upper or lower clamp?
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Old 9 Jun 2011
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Is normal that the lower bearing is gone before the upper, all the weight is there. Usually is better to change both at the same time as the work to get there is the same and for the value of the bearing you make the job just ones. Hard to do or not is in depends your mechanical skills and the right tools also you didn’t mention which bike we are talking... I will suggest to read the Service Manual where for sure that job is described and then decide if you fill confident to do that..
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Old 9 Jun 2011
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It sounds like the steering head bearings just need tightening a touch. Not a difficult job, just don't go mental when you tighten them or you'll push the bearings into the races and they are a pain to replace.
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Old 9 Jun 2011
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Try tightening the bearings first... They could be fine.

Get the front end off the ground so that you can turn the wheel from lock to lock.

Loosen the nut on the yoke (about 22mm A/F - maybe 24mm?).

Tighten the castellated nut just below the yoke using the correct C-spanner (LOL - who has one of those?) If you do not have the correct spanner use a screwdriver and hammer.

Gently tap the nut round while turning the handlebars. Stop when you get a small increase in stiffness. Just a little more than when it was loose - no more.

Tighten the 22/24mm night back up and check the stiffness again. If it has got stiffer then loosen the nut off and back up the castellated nut a bit. Keep adjusting until you get the slight increase in stiffness with the top nut done up.

Once you have done that right, swing the steering through full travel. If it is smooth with no stiff lumps your bearings are good. If it has stiff lumps, you need new bearings. Take it for a spin - you should have fixed the 'clunking'.

I would suggest that you post a new thread on how to replace the headstock bearings if you need to do that job. Removing the bottom shell from the headstock can be very difficult, as I found out last weekend.
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