NC30 Headrace Change - How To?
Forum rules
Please can you post items for sale or wanted in the correct For Sale section. Items / bikes for sale here will be removed without warning. Reasons for this are in the FAQ. Thanks
Please can you post items for sale or wanted in the correct For Sale section. Items / bikes for sale here will be removed without warning. Reasons for this are in the FAQ. Thanks
-
- Moderators
- Posts: 8172
- Joined: Fri Jul 04, 2008 1:01 pm
- Bike owned: CBR954
Re: NC30 Headrace Change - How To?
Clicking can also be the floating brake disks roating / and or the mudgard moving about, i had this phantom noise I was convinced was head bearings, i was using the front brake to stop the bike from moving while pressing the front, this was rattling the front discs.alexwitham wrote:Needing to do this as got a wobble from the front end and a click when I am stationary and push down on the forks - suspected head race.
How easy is it? Any specialist tools required?
Detailed how-to available as this would be a first for me.
Thanks
Alex
If you are going to strip it, clean it up and check the bearings for wear, for the price you can get new ones and replace as they are cheap enough, dont break them when installing them, pleanty of guides on the net if you do a google search, they are all pretty much the same.
xivlia wrote:i dont go fast on this bike so really do not need a rear brake.. /
vic-vtrvfr wrote:Ask xivlia for help, he's tackled just about every problem u could think of...
- xivlia
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1206
- Joined: Tue Jun 21, 2011 3:27 am
- Bike owned: Ducati 749 D
- Location: Scotland, Inverness
Re: NC30 Headrace Change - How To?
well, my bike make a clicking noise every time i moved the steering left or right, i thought it was just some of the cables moving about with the steering. then obviously things got worse.... and worse.. to the point that the steering would no longer turn... or turn by itself from the vibrations of the road when riding. so i stripped everything and checked my races... now where that picture...
aah here it is.

soo yeah. its not hard to do with a hayens, and its worth doing... the whole steering not turning properly and moving about by itself happened when i was actually on the road...almost died.
aah here it is.

soo yeah. its not hard to do with a hayens, and its worth doing... the whole steering not turning properly and moving about by itself happened when i was actually on the road...almost died.
- Drunkn Munky
- Site Supporter
- Posts: 6313
- Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 9:37 am
- Bike owned: NC30 MC21 TZR FZR GSXR RG MITO
- Location: Kent
Re: NC30 Headrace Change - How To?
Alex its worth noting that OE ball race bearings are easier to fit so for the few extra quid there worth buying over the taper bearings. Even with freezing the stem and heating of the bearings you still need to drift the bearing into place and with the OE bearing you can remove the inner race so you can drift it on without risk of damaging the bearings, with the tapers you can't and therefore risk damage.
- vfrman
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1390
- Joined: Sat Apr 05, 2008 7:54 pm
- Bike owned: NC30, 1098s
- Location: Layton, Utah, USA
- porndoguk
- Site Supporter
- Posts: 3293
- Joined: Wed Jun 16, 2010 11:17 pm
- Bike owned: NC30
- Location: Middle England
- Contact:
Re: NC30 Headrace Change - How To?
Sorry to thread jack, but saves starting another,
My head bearing are new fitted 500miles ago, and id over tightened them,
So ive disassembled checked the races and bearings cleaned and regreased.
Now
I cant work out whats to tight and what isnt.
I have tapers from wemoto btw
Tar very much luv
My head bearing are new fitted 500miles ago, and id over tightened them,
So ive disassembled checked the races and bearings cleaned and regreased.
Now
I cant work out whats to tight and what isnt.
I have tapers from wemoto btw
Tar very much luv
NC30 & NC23 33BHP Restrictors For Sale
£25 Inc P&P and donation to 400GB PM for more details
http://www.bikerstraining.com
Like us on Facebook for more information - First Bike on Scene - Emergency Response Skills - UK
£25 Inc P&P and donation to 400GB PM for more details
http://www.bikerstraining.com
Like us on Facebook for more information - First Bike on Scene - Emergency Response Skills - UK
- xivlia
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1206
- Joined: Tue Jun 21, 2011 3:27 am
- Bike owned: Ducati 749 D
- Location: Scotland, Inverness
Re: NC30 Headrace Change - How To?
Steering head bearing adjuster nut 50Nmporndoguk wrote:Sorry to thread jack, but saves starting another,
My head bearing are new fitted 500miles ago, and id over tightened them,
So ive disassembled checked the races and bearings cleaned and regreased.
Now
I cant work out whats to tight and what isnt.
I have tapers from wemoto btw
Tar very much luv
Steering stem nut 140Nm
for VFR 400
for RVF 400 its 25Nm and 105Nm
- Drunkn Munky
- Site Supporter
- Posts: 6313
- Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 9:37 am
- Bike owned: NC30 MC21 TZR FZR GSXR RG MITO
- Location: Kent
Re: NC30 Headrace Change - How To?
I'll say it again, DO NOT TORQUE TAPER HEADRACE BEARINGS! Just nip them up to take out the play, any kind of torque will crush them. The torque settings in the manual are for OE ball race bearings.
Ricky, id say if you've already torqued the taper bearing up then its goosed, replace it.
Ricky, id say if you've already torqued the taper bearing up then its goosed, replace it.
- xivlia
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1206
- Joined: Tue Jun 21, 2011 3:27 am
- Bike owned: Ducati 749 D
- Location: Scotland, Inverness
Re: NC30 Headrace Change - How To?
oh okay, i have tapered install in mine, but i never torqued them as i dont have a torque wrench that goes down to 50Nm. mines a big torque wrench :\ i just tightened mine using a normal wrench, cant remember how much force i used. but, it seems to be fine.
- speedy231278
- NWAA Supporter
- Posts: 1549
- Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2012 11:58 am
- Bike owned: RVF400, TZR125, ZXR750R
Re: NC30 Headrace Change - How To?
Surely if they're over tightened, regardless if that ball bearing races done above the book torque, or tapers done much above what's need to take any play out, the yokes will feel excessively stiff to turn? I once got an MOT advisory on that, although on inspection subsequently by two other qualified MOT mechanics I've been told they're fine!

- porndoguk
- Site Supporter
- Posts: 3293
- Joined: Wed Jun 16, 2010 11:17 pm
- Bike owned: NC30
- Location: Middle England
- Contact:
Re: NC30 Headrace Change - How To?
LOL to the caps after Xmans post.Drunkn Munky wrote:I'll say it again, DO NOT TORQUE TAPER HEADRACE BEARINGS! Just nip them up to take out the play, any kind of torque will crush them. The torque settings in the manual are for OE ball race bearings.
Ricky, id say if you've already torqued the taper bearing up then its goosed, replace it.
and ersan its 55Nm isnt it

No never torqued only ever by hand with C spanner.
I just went to far last time there seems to be no inbetween to tight rough gritty movement, to lose and i fear ill have to dismante again to adjust,
NC30 & NC23 33BHP Restrictors For Sale
£25 Inc P&P and donation to 400GB PM for more details
http://www.bikerstraining.com
Like us on Facebook for more information - First Bike on Scene - Emergency Response Skills - UK
£25 Inc P&P and donation to 400GB PM for more details
http://www.bikerstraining.com
Like us on Facebook for more information - First Bike on Scene - Emergency Response Skills - UK