On Thu, 10 Nov 2005 20:49:44 GMT, "JWho" wrote:

"jim rozen" wrote in message
...
In article wFIcf.558482$xm3.71727@attbi_s21, JWho says...

Stem hole for *what*, the fork tube or for the steering head
tube?

It is commonly called the "stem". It is the up and down metal rod in
this
pictu

http://www.husaberg.se/EN/images/6426.jpg

OK, that's the steering head tube, or steering stem. You need to
be able to load up the tapered roller bearings in the headset so
there is typically a race and locknut involved somewhere there,
either above or below the upper triple clamp. You need to be sure
that your design does not allow the preload to come off those
bearings if it fails somehow, and that your modification does not
introduce any additional free play between the triple clamp and the
stem, which could cause steering instability or headshake.

Jim

Hi. The head tube is the part of the frame that the stem passes through.
The top tapered roller bearing goes on the stem first (sitting in a race in
the top of the head tube), then a nut, then the triple clamp, then a nut to
hold the clamp down (40 - 50 ft-lbs). It won't go anywhere. No need to
worry about that. I definitely want to make it so there is no free play.

There will be free play, or rather, a reduction in preload... just a
matter of time. It's called normal wear and tear on a highly stressed
joint. It doesn't take much of a measurable loss to cause serious
problems. Once there's any preload loss, those shims are gonna be th'
first to go south.

And again, geometry changes, if any, will play into effect. Just a
data point, but th' stock timken neck bearings on a (newer) stock H-D
springer front end need to be *replaced* every 10k miles. Don't
recall which marque you have, but believe you me, there's some serious
stresses happenin' on those bearings.

Snarl