Head Stock Bearing
 

I have noticed a bit of a notch in my head stock bearing, 13000 miles and just out of warranty. I can remember seeing an article on the forum of how to replace/regrease these bearings but for the life of me cannot find it now, can anyone help please?

I changed it just about that mileage. Dealer said it wasn't covered by warranty so I ordered and had them exchange, really can't recall the price but it wasn't much.

Funny you say this. Mine has done 17000km and its notchy aswell. Seem they need replacing after 15000 or so. Barings arnt that expensive, so ive ordered a replacment.

I had mine, (Jan 2010 reg bike), replaced at 10k miles, under warranty. I know the mechanic at the dealers and he told me it was red with rust and appeared not to have been greased when the bike was assembled. He also told me it wasn't the first one he'd seen like that. suffice to say the replacement was well greased.

Seems all XT660's suffer from this issue. Seemed like a well known issue when I went to replace mine.

There was a post on how to undertake the repair but I cannot find it, can anyone point me in the right direction please?

They are not greased well enough in the factory.

Replacing is a lot of work, but not too difficult. Take out front wheel, forks, steering bar, triple clamp nut, top triple clamp, retainer under top triple clamp. Now you can take out the T-piece. Removing the bottom bearing is a ****ty job, your dealer can help. Taking out the race can be done with a large flat piece of metal. Put it on top of the bottom race and put pressure on it . It can take a lot of wiggeling but eventually you will win. The top bearing is easy but did not need replacing in my case.
http://www.xt660.com/showthread.php?p=114085#post114085

Had mine replaced under warranty at 6000km. I now have 15000km and the bearing seems to be failing again and it had plenty of grease. It seems like a poor quality bearing to me.

I have decided to order and replace the bearings and race, I assume the race is pressed in, how easy is it too remove the old one and press a new one in?

keen to see how you get on

my steering is not notchy at all

but when i go around a slow bend and turn the bars it feels very heavy ????

tyres are fine so not sure what is causing the vague feelings

if your front end is the slightest bit tight and notchy fix it ASAP, most likely the top bearing and is easy to do, no front wheel removal necessary if you have a friend to help...mine almost ceased in Bolivia at 9000 feet, minimal grease and the bearing cage split!!!!
http://dmh65.smugmug.com/Other/argen...2_c5Qum-XL.jpg

Right, bearings ordered and on the way. However can anyone tell me the size of the nut crow, one in the centre just under the handlebars?

Hi,
I the nut size on my X is 27mm.

It has been metioned (I need to get one myself) to cut bits out of a large socket bit to enable you to tighten the lockring.

Anyone else done this, if so what size or any other options for tools?

Hammer and a soft drift (ie not a screwdriver :D). They don't need to be terribly tight.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FZ6-FAZER-...#ht_500wt_1156


I took the plunge and purchased one of these. OK so it's a few���� for a specific tool, but it is a quality piece of work.

I am a firm believer in only buying stuff (tools, kit, etc) once, if �22 is a bit excessive for you, then I'd go with Kev's suggestion and cut up a socket, the nut carries so little torque that it doesn't need to be a strong tool to tighten, only to loosen if it's lacked any maintenance !

right I need to get the bearings ordered i think or at least strip mine for an inspection.

I was wheeling the bike out the garage the other morning and i thought the steering lock was on ? because the steering had locked up, but then it just freed itself.

whats the best price for the bearings and where from ?


Will strip the bike wednesday and check them out

if they are not too expensive I can get some delivered


Thanks

I bought mine off of ebay item number: 350438095320 at �36.00 including postage a third of the price Yahmaha are wanting and exactly the correct bearings. I found the job relatively easy, by watching a couple of video on youtube, hardest part was getting the new bottom bearing on, I eventually cheated and took it to a local shop and for a minimal fee had it pressed on properly.
Videos I watched were:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6hL3bkh2z0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fUNCqZR0hM
Although not specific to the xt660z were similar in many ways.
I also used the old races, or part that is in the frame for the bearing to run on, to knock the new ones in.

Cheers very much will get viewing

hey guys ordered the bearings from ebay,

in trying to remove the bottom bearing i have damaged the rubber seal, will the ebay bearing kit include the rubber bottom seal or do I need to order one from elsewhere ??? in which case anyone know where and how much or numbers etc.

still not managed to get the bottom bearing to budge so will wait for the replacement kit to arrive and take it to a local mechanic I think.

cheers

Just for anyone else yes the kit includes new rubber seals.

getting the lower bearing off the steer tube is a biatch and then getting the new one on is also a pain but follow others instructions and you will get there.

My upper bearings were fine just the lower ones shot so I kept the upper as a spare.

Freeze lower cup and steerer tube to aid getting new bearing on, I also heated the lower bearing in a bag in a cup of boiling water just to help.

front end back together, its a pain getting the wheel out with the front tyre inflated so I just waited and put the brakes on after. looking at Kev's post i could have got away without removing the forks for a re grease but not for full change.

good luck and it makes a big difference cant wait to ride the bike again and enjoy turning

has anyone ever considered fitting a grease nipple into the headstock tube, then pumping the whole thing with grease, I Did this to a WR 250 after changing the bearings .
Tim

Might order a set.. have them here just in case... my XTR has 33,000kms
on it... must be getting close to need replaceing..

dose anyone know what the Bearing numbers are?..
Or even the ID & OD.. once I know that I will
know what the bearing numbers are...

They will have a number something like this on them - 30208

I've done it on mine and a mates bike, works a treat

i don't have a set to hand but i can tell you they are the same fit as the following...

Steering Bearing - Seal Kit Kawasaki KDX200 83-06, KDX220 97-05, KDX250 81-94, KDX420 81, KDX450 82, KLX250 94-96, KLX250S 06-12, KLX250SF 09-10, KLX300(R) 97-07, KLX650 C 93-96, KLX650D1 96, KLX650R 93-96, KX125 82-91, KX250 79-91, KX420 80-81, KX500 83-04, KXT250 Tecate 84-87, ZG1200 Voyager 86-03, Suzuki AN250 Burgman (Euro) 98-08, AN400 Burgman 03-08, AN650 Burgman 03-09, DR125SE 94-02, DR200 86-88, DR200 SE 96-09, DR250 90-93, DR250S 90-95, DR350 90-99, DR350SE 90-99, DR400 80, DR500 81-83, DR650RS (Euro) 90-96, DR650SE 92-95, DR800 (Euro) 90-97, GN250 82-88, GN400 80-82, GR650 Tempter 83, GS1000C 78, GS1000EC 78, GS1000EN 79, GS1000ET 80, GS1000GLT 80, GS1000GLX 81, GS1000GT 80, GS1000GX 81, GS1000LN 79, GS1000N 79, GS1000SN 79, GS1000ST 80, GS1000SZ 82, GS1100 82-84, GS1100ED 83, GS1100ESD 83, GS1100ET 80, GS1100EX 81, GS1100EZ 82, GS1100LT 80, GS1100SD 83, GS1150 83-86, GS450 80-88, GS500 89-00, GS500F 04-09, GS500H 07-09, GS550 80-86, GS650EX 81-82, GS650GD 83, GS650GLX 81-82, GS650GLZ 81-82, GS650GX 81-82, GS650GZ 81-82, GS650MD 83, GS700 85, GS750 80-82, GS750ED 83, GS750ESD 83, GS750SD 83, GS750TD 83, GS850G 79-83, GSF1200 Bandit 97-05, GSF1200SAV 97, GSF1250 Bandit 07-09, GSF400 Bandit 91-93, GSF600S Bandit 96-03, GSF650 (Euro) 05-08, GSX1100F 88-93, GSX1100G 91-93, GSX1200 (Euro) 99-00, GSX1250 11, GSX1400 (Euro) 02-07, GSX250 (Euro) 91-97, GSX600F Katana 88-06, GSX650F 08-09, GSX750F Katana 89-06, GSXR1100 86-98, GSX-R400 (Euro) 90-94, GSX-R600 92-93, GSXR750 86-95, GV1200 Madura 85-86, GV1400 Cavalcade 86-88, GV700 Madura 85, GZ 125 MARAUDER (Euro) 98-07, GZ250 00-10, LS650 Savage 86-11, M109R 06-11, PE175 80-84, PE250 80-81, PE400 80-81, RF600R 94-96, RF900R 94-98, RG125 (Euro) 92-94, RGV250 (Euro) 89-96, RM125 88, RM250 88, RS175 80-82, RS250 80-81, RV 125 (Euro) 03-08, SFV650 Gladius 09, SP500 81-83, SV650 99-02, TU 250 (Euro) 97-01, TU250 09-11, UH125 Burgman (Euro) 02-10, UH150 Burgman (Euro) 02-06, UH200 Burgman (Euro) 07-10, VL 125 INTRUDER (Euro) 00-07, VL 250 INTRUDER (Euro) 00-07, VL1500 Intruder 98-09, VL800 Intruder Volusia 01-11, VLR1800 09, VS1400GL 87-95, VS1400GLP 96-09, VS600 INTRUDER (Euro) 95-97, VS700 Intruder 86-87, VS750GLP Intruder 88-91, VS800GL Intruder 92-09, VX800 90-93, VZ800 Marauder 97-09, VZR1800 08-09, Victory Hammer 05-08, Jackpot 06-07, Kingpin 04-08, Vegas 03-05, Vegas 8 Ball 06-07, Yamaha DT X 125 (EURO) 05-06, DT125 (EURO) 05-06, FJ1100 84-85, FJ1200 86-93, FZ1S FZ1 04, FZ1T FZ1 05, FZ6R 09-12, FZ6S 04-08, FZ700 87, FZ750 85-88, FZR1000 87-95, FZR400 88-90, FZR600 89-99, FZR750 87-88, FZS1000 FZ1 01-03, FZX700 86-87, IT175 77-83, IT200 84-86, IT250 77-83, IT400 79, IT425 80, IT465 81-82, IT490 83-84, RZ 500 84, TDM850 (Euro) 94-01, TDM850 92-93, TRX850 (Euro) 96-97, TT350 86-87, TT600 83-86, TTR230 05-12, VMX12 V-Max 85-07, XJ1100 82, XJ600 Seca II 92-98, XJ700 Maxim 85-86, XJ900 Seca 83, XJR SP 1300 (Euro) 99-01, XJR1200 (Euro) 95-97, XJR1300 (Euro) 02-06, XJS600 DIVERSION (Euro) 95-02, XJS900 DIVERSION (Euro) 95-01, XS1100 78-81, XS750 77-79, XS850 80-81, XS850 SG 80, XT250 84, XT350 85-00, XT550 82-83, XT600 84-95, XT600E (Euro) 96-02, XT660Z TENERE (EURO) 08-09, XTZ SUPER TENERE 750 (Euro) 95, XTZ TENERE 660 (Euro) 94-96, XV1000 Virago 84-85, XV1100 Virago 86-99, XV1600 Road Star 99-07, XV1700 Road Star Silverado 08-12, XV650 V-Star 98-02, XV700 Virago 84-87, XV750 Virago 88-97, XVS1100 V-Star 99-09, XVS1300 STRYKER 11-12, XVS1300 V STAR 08-12, XVS650 V-Star 03-11, XVS95 V STAR 11-12, XVZ12 Venture 83-85, XVZ13 Royal Star 96-12, XVZ13 VENTURE ROYALE 86-93, YZ100 82-83, YZ125 77-86, YZ250 77-87, YZ400 77-79, YZ465 80-81, YZ490 82-90, YZF1000 97, YZF600 95-07, YZF750 94-98

sorry to be a pain but im new around here....where can i find Kevs post then about re-greasing whithout taking the forks out? want to re-pack mine after all the stories ive heard about the lack of grease.

Might change my bars while im at it?!??

http://www.xt660.com/showthread.php?t=12483

Head bearing numbers & size ..."not yamaha part number"

Top bearing number #32005 - 25mm X 47mm X 15mm
Bottom bearing number #32006 - 30mm X 55mm X 17

Wrestling
 

33k miles and I am wrestling mine around mini roundabouts. Must do something about this. I look like a novice. Assuming it is these bearings.

How do I find the parts for a 2009 bike?

Lots of sites only seem to go up to 1998 if I put in XTZ660

If it feels notchy then that's whatit is

That's because that's when the XTZ660 was made. Try XT660Z. ;)

Or just go here...

http://www.wemoto.com/bikes/yamaha/x...all_balls_usa/

Thanks Uber

Bougt bearings as described in post.

Top end OK

Bottom end minging - could not turn with my fingers.

Will just grease up the top.

Trouble with the bottom though. - How to remove the bearing?
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s...3&l=def92e9019

Mine are notchy at 4000km, what I have found when cold it is not to noticeable but when hot feels real bad. Maybe when setting up the preload on the bearing it may be worth setting them on the loose side with no play due to the oil tank in the frame heating up and causing them to tighten up.