RD400C (Top) Tapered Bearing Orientation?

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pushstartrearset
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RD400C (Top) Tapered Bearing Orientation?

#1 Post by pushstartrearset » Sat Oct 10, 2015 7:21 pm

See Image.

Which way is correct orientation for installing the top tapered steering head bearing?

Last time i screwed it up on my 400F, don't want to make the same mistake. I just forget the orientation of the top one.

Thanks in advance!
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1984 RZ350L (U.S.) Old Toomeys, oil injected!, Y-boot K&N. loctite throttle cable holder on left carb!! , 410 mains, Dynojet needles 2.0 clip, #20 pilot @ 1.5 turn a.s., 240/512 p.v.

boogiedude
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Re: RD400C (Top) Tapered Bearing Orientation?

#2 Post by boogiedude » Sat Oct 10, 2015 7:32 pm

The first picture. The races should open out toward the exterior of the neck. You would have to install the bearing before the race if you did it the second way, and you wouldn't be able to adjust tightness

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pushstartrearset
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Re: RD400C (Top) Tapered Bearing Orientation?

#3 Post by pushstartrearset » Sat Oct 10, 2015 7:36 pm

Thank you!
1984 RZ350L (U.S.) Old Toomeys, oil injected!, Y-boot K&N. loctite throttle cable holder on left carb!! , 410 mains, Dynojet needles 2.0 clip, #20 pilot @ 1.5 turn a.s., 240/512 p.v.

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pushstartrearset
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Re: RD400C (Top) Tapered Bearing Orientation?

#4 Post by pushstartrearset » Mon Oct 12, 2015 1:11 pm

Went in good. Helps to have a 1-1/2" O.D. PVC pipe (mine is about a 2 feet long). Use this to drive both the RZ fork seals and the bottom steering bearing home on the stem. I taper one end for the fork seal as it is a bit too larger O.D. wise, the other end (unmodified) drove home the bottom steering bearing on the steering stem w/ the help of 1st using an old race in place first on top of new bearing to drive it in...the I.D. of the raised race wall focuses the force where needed. For the bottom race seat, i placed the old OEM stock race on top of the bearing/seal driver (harbor freight kit) w/ similar sized smaller bearing/seal driver attachment and drove that in. A good THOR hammer makes the job quick. For the top race seat, the bearing/seal driver kit had the right size to tap that bearing seat in place, took maybe 2 minutes tops. I think i used a 29mm? (deep socket) to seat the top bearing on the stem.

Before, i could unweight the front,... turn the wheel ...and it would "lock" dead center. Riding it like this was a pain.

Never had any problems installing the "parts plus" (Economy Cycle) kit. I've heard the all balls stick out the top of the stem and odd fit.

turns smoothly now. This had been crashed (p.o.)...the bars were crooked, replaced the bar holders also (bent)...old races had indents, probably the cause of the dead center lock.

and a fresh set of bridgestones. ah...that's more like it.
1984 RZ350L (U.S.) Old Toomeys, oil injected!, Y-boot K&N. loctite throttle cable holder on left carb!! , 410 mains, Dynojet needles 2.0 clip, #20 pilot @ 1.5 turn a.s., 240/512 p.v.

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