KLR 650 Steering Stem

[shadow0imposter]

to tighten your steering spanner nut, follow your service manual! for example on a yamaha 08 r6s(thats what i have) you first tighten to a torque of 38 ft-lbs(this seats the bearings) then loosen and retighten to 10 ft-lbs as your final torque. always go by your service manual though!!! or ask your dealer!!!! any questions about yamahas just ask. i have access to alot of service manuals

[ghotioutofh2o]

@shadow0imposter For the KLR, that's not the way it's done; don't set the bearing tension just by a torque wrench! Per the Clymer (p. 254 of the 1987 - 2003 version)(paraphrased): to seat the bearings, tighten the the adjusting nut with a spanner, but don't use excessive force. Loosen the adjusting nut, then tighten so that play in any direction is eliminated. [Do some other stuff that isn't directly related to bearing tension.]

[shadow0imposter]

@ghotioutofh2o as i said follow your service manual. what i said was just an example. unless you know exactly what your doing you should always go by the service manual!(and i dont mean specifically you)

[ghotioutofh2o]

@shadow0imposter Ah, point taken. My apologies.

[shadow0imposter]

@ghotioutofh2o its all good i should have specified :)

[ghotioutofh2o]

@shadow0imposter Tighten the stem nut to 29 ft*lbs, tighten the lower pinch bolts just enough to grip the forks. The bearing tension is set correctly when turning lock to lock is smooth and free. If it binds, it's too tight. Loosen it. If there's play or it's floppy, it's too loose, tighten it. Tighten the stem to 29 ft*lbs after adjusting tension and recheck for smoothness or binding. Tighten the lower pinch bolts to 18 ft*lbs when you're satisfied with the bearing tension.

[ghotioutofh2o]

@shadow0imposter Do NOT just set the adjusting nut to some torque and call it good.

[kingdavewoody]

I got a '93 VFR750, the steering is smooth, no grinding and it doesn't settle in a position. However, when braking heavily the handlebars shudder up and down. Do you think that my bearing just needs tightening? Or do I need a new bearing? Or am I just barking up the wrong tree :P

[ghotioutofh2o]

@kingdavewoody I've never had that happen, so my guess, and this is just a shot in the dark without playing with your bike, is it might be a brake issue.

[kingdavewoody]

@ghotioutofh2o Cool, cheers buddy :)

[shadow0imposter]

@kingdavewoody are your handlebars just shuddering or actually moving? sounds like a warped rotor

[AfgantheBlack]

A useful vid. I'm not so sure WD-40 is the best cleaner to use, it's slightly abrasive (although the steering doesn't rotate a great deal I'd still be wary of using it). It's why you should NEVER clean a drive chain with it! I use WD-40 as a cutting compound when I'm drilling steel.  Next time you're drilling something try it dry 1st, and then try it with a squirt of WD (you'll see). I'd use a solvent based spray cleaner, and ensure you thoroughly work the new grease through the bearing.

[tcclaviger]

@AfgantheBlack

"it's slightly abrasive (although the steering doesn't rotate a great deal)"

1: WD is NOT abrasive, it leaves behind a lightweight oil

2: Any grease will work, however having something that will stick around a long time is a good idea (i.e. lithium based grease not WD)

3: There are many .....many......many cases of Oring drive chains going 20k miles only being cleaned with WD.

[AfgantheBlack]

@tcclaviger

1: In my experience, and assosciates (this includes mainly mechanics and engineers) it has abrasive effects. Hence using it as a cutting compound.

2: no disagreement there.

3: O-ring chains are sealed! that is what the O-rings do, seal the rollers and inner moving parts so it's not surprising they last.....regardless of whats sprayed on them. All you are doing is cleaning the outside of it. I don't use O-ring chains and have, hence, had experience of WD-40 and it's effects.

[diesel5355]

i hate how you say triple tree

[bag4ette]

Did you ever drill a 1/8in hole in the right side of the steering stem to add grease through. Screwing a screw in the hole to seal. All being done with the bike fully assembled? A dealer suggested it to me!

Bill

[ghotioutofh2o]

I haven't. I thought about it, but then figured that I'd be changing out the bearings and races next time, so I might do the Zerk fitting then.

[NAMTRIP]

@bag4ette You dont want a screw,you want a grease zerk fitting,to pump grease to the bearings with a hand pump style grease gun.

[bag4ette]

Did you ever drill a 1/8in hole in the right side of the steering stem to add grease through. Screwing a screw in the hole to seal. All being done with the bike fully assembled? A dealer suggested it to me!

[360vstrom]

should use a Torque wrench when tightening the steering stem?

[ghotioutofh2o]

No. To set the bearing tension, do not use a torque wrench. Set the bearing tension by feel. Then set the lock nut (pretty snug)and the third nut should be torqued to 29 ft * lbs.

[sbartindale]

thanks , have just got a 1989 klr650, which needs a little TLC, and these videos are a great help

regards

sean , from england

[feretromc]

Thanks very much for all your KLR videos!

[saeidmushtagh]

thanks, for the reply, i think i will go for the 2nd option,

is that the lower fork pinch bolts, or the three pinch bolts? or all of them?

[ghotioutofh2o]

All 8.

[saeidmushtagh]

hey thanks so much the video, very useful,

i recently dropped my Klr, now when the front wheel is straight the handle bar is several degrees to the right, nothing seems bent, my guess is the fall misaligned the top and bottom triple threes, how do you undo the damage without opening up the whole system? thanks.

[ghotioutofh2o]

Wht, drop it on the other side, of course! :-)

Kidding. You have two options, depending on what kind of effort you want to put into it. The first is to wedge the front between to sturdy objects and twist the handlebars back.

The second option is loosen the fork pinch bolts, put the wheel between your legs, and twist the handlebars. This is the more "precise" way (less likelihood of you twisting too far, and if you do, it's not a big deal).

[chrislegend06]

yes fair play and your dead right, i know what loctite is but i must have explained the situation wrongly. The actual tracking for the ball bearings had smashed so all the balls had left the set so i kept priseing itslef open, that method is realy crap compared to the taper bearing, thanks for your help anyways

[chrislegend06]

hey great vid, i have a a bike where the steering head loosens itself and the bottom of the stem become loose and moveable, i have tightened it back up twice but know there some problem. what do you reckon is the problem?

[ghotioutofh2o]

Not enough loctite.

[chrislegend06]

loctite doesent really have a huge effect apart from holding bearings in. earlier today i replaced the ball and racer set that was previously used and found they were shattered so i have replaced them with tapered bearings and do the job a lot better :)

[ghotioutofh2o]

I might not be understanding you correctly. Loctite is designed to keep nuts and bolts from loosening.

On the KLR, there are two bolts for the steering stem. One sets the force on the bearings, the other acts as a jamnut for the first. What you described in the original post seems to me like the second nut is coming undone, no longer jamming the first, and letting the first loosen too. I implied that you should put some loctite on the threads of the second nut to keep it from undoing itself.

[gixxerm]

LOL! DONT LOSE SHIT!!!!

[lagoma1]

Thanks for for you contribution for people who love de KLR...excelent

[numerista]

Good video, but a shame that fitting/removing the top bearings was zapped

[ghotioutofh2o]

Yeah, I'll probably have to replace those either next time or the time after I take the steering head apart.

[guyl1200]

I have a stalling problem, intermittent, sometimes when i'm in highway speed for a while and it the clutch to downshift the engine lowers it RPM rapidely and stalls. This happened twice. Any advice on what could be the problem?

Secondly, I have a "tishhh-tishhh" noise coming from the front on the engine,when I'm riding at low speed. I'm thinking of going to the dealer but just thought you might have an idea of what it was?

Thanks and continue doing that great work, I personaly love it!!!

Ben

[ghotioutofh2o]

I had the same problem, but I coast instead of down shift (saves gas). As soon as I let of the throttle and pulled the clutch in, it would drop straight to 0, maybe struggle around 600 - 700 RPM, then die. Does it start back up and run fine if you pop the clutch when it happens? I cleaned the carb, checked the gas tank vent, then checked the valves... they were out of spec (too tight), it hasn't happened since. If your bike is still under warranty, have them check it out, ask if you can watch...

[ghotioutofh2o]

The "tishhh tishhh," are you sure that isn't coming from the gas tank? How loud is it? Is it intermittent some of the time, intermittent all the time? My tank sort of squeeks at me... all the time. By speak I mean it sounds like a very soft letting-air-fart-itsself-out-o­f-a-balloon. Have the dealer check it out (warranty! I hope). Supervise the going over if you can.

[guyl1200]

I enjoy watching your instructional videos! I'm from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. I have a brand new 2008 KLR650 and find the information given useful even for my bike!

I would like to take this opportunity to ask you two questions... It will be in my next comment...

[Nitrodrums75]

if i want to lower my klr 's rpm at highway speeds 60-70mph, should i get a new front or rear sprocket or both? and what size sprockets should i get. i weigh 230lbs if that helps. thank you sir.

[ghotioutofh2o]

It depends on how much you want to lower the RPMs. Changing out the stock 15T (tooth) front sprocket for a 16T sprocket will lower the RPM by about 500 at 70, so instead of 5k RPM, it's 4.5k. You can go to a 17T, but you're running short on space at that point.

For every 3 fewer teeth in the back, it is the equivalent of adding 1 in the front. 17T equivalent is a 15/38 (stock front, replace rear). If you can, try to keep the teeth at an odd number, that way all the teeth wear more or less equal.

[bklein453]

you make really great instructional videos. Thank you!!!!

[ghotioutofh2o]

Thanks!