My bike is now 2 years old at the end on this month so a little more maintance needed.

How to service you streering head bearings in place.













Undo the lock nut first.








My bearing were still very good after 2 years buy a little short in grease. You need to inspect each bearing for damage & pitting. If needed wash then out with degrease or petrol, blow them dry then regrease them. If there are any signs of pitting or flat spots they will need to be replaced.





The grease should be forced behind the the rollers so it is well greased.



Clean both the top & bottom seals & apply a small film of grease.



Fit back the nuts & tighten the bottom one up just until it stops turning with a little resistance, turn the wheel left then right & recheck the nut tension.



Once you think to have the adjustment is right move the wheel left then right, then feel for free play by grabbing the fork legs & move them back wards & forwards, there should be no free play. If the adjustment is correct the wheel should fall from the center position to either side.

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Mods that I have done to my XTX's

My 04 XTX
Stage 1 & 2 DNA filters / Kev fuel mod / snorkel mod / Drilled air box mod / Engine breather mod / Fork Spacer mod / 15w fork oil /
[
My 07 XTX
Raptor 700 cylinder 102mm / Modified Crank Case to take a 105mm Raptor Cylinder / 11:1 102mm JE Raptor piston / Stage 1 Raptor Hot Cam / Ported head / Colder Spark Plug / +2mm Throttle body / DNA stage 1 & 2 filters / Modified Air Box / Snorkel removed / Worry Brothers stage 2 filter cover / 6mm & 8mm Bolts Replaced with Titanium Bolts / Recovered seat in Black / O2 Eliminator /

My 09 XTX
59HP at the rear wheel / Stage 2 Raptor Hot Cam / DNA stage 3 Air Box / Carbon Can Exhausts / Modified Exhaust Link Pipes / PCIII With Custom Fuel Map / Wideband Commander O2 Data logger / LCD100 Dyno Jet display & fuel adjuster / 2500 OHM HT lead instead of a 10K OHM XT lead / Extra Coolant Cooler / Protaper Fat Bars / Tail Tidy With LED Tail Light / OKE Protection Knobs / LED indicators / AIS blocked / Modified rear sprocket rubbers / Rear Foot Pegs removed / 09 ECU With 02 Sensor Changed To A 06 ECU / Complete wiring harnes Changed from 09 to 04 / Home made LED resistor flasher / Hole drilled in the fuel tank filler neck to allow quicker filling / Modified Bar End Weights / Progressive front fork springs, 15W fork oil, forks lowered 25mm, used XTR rear links lowering the rear 20mm, rear spring one click stiffer / Changed front & rear guards from blue to black / 47T rear sprocket / Speedo Healer V4.0 / Kev throttle cam mod / Throttle grip mod / The new 2010 O2 sensor mod is out, works a treat, The new 2012 O2 Controller is out, PM me for details

Now ride a 2018 MT09SP ABS + TCS

My KTM 990 SMR Mod book. http://www.ktmsmt.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=4946

Nice job, Kev another great addition to your recipee of maintance tips.

And for those who haven't heard about this yet, Kev has compiled a huge list of maintenance procedures in his new "blockbuster" CD-ROM containing all possible procedures to maintain your bike from easy tips on tricking the fuelling surging, or changing your sprockets and chain up to complicate engine removal and much more, it's a fantastic usable guide which can help anyone from beginners to advanced mechanics. You can find this CD-ROM available for sale on our website here http://www.xt660.com/site/node/325 or just PM Kev directly for your copy.

General rule of thumb... when packing any bearing with grease... 2/3rds full. Gives plenty of lube with space to expand when it gets warm.

That includes all radial ball, angular contact ball, roller, angular contact roller and needle bearings too I believe.

Just for those who didn't know

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09 XT660X:

CCC Stainless Rounds, Stage 1 DNA, Stage 2 DNA, PCV With Custom Autotune Map, PCV AutoTune, Home made O2 eliminator, Self machined Fork Spacers, DIY Autotune Switch.

Being tapered roller bearings with only one seal on one of the side of the bearings, if you over greases these bearings the excess grease will be displace through the bearing opposite the seal into the sealed steering head area.

__________________
Click here to join the XT Supporter's scheme

Mods that I have done to my XTX's

My 04 XTX
Stage 1 & 2 DNA filters / Kev fuel mod / snorkel mod / Drilled air box mod / Engine breather mod / Fork Spacer mod / 15w fork oil /
[
My 07 XTX
Raptor 700 cylinder 102mm / Modified Crank Case to take a 105mm Raptor Cylinder / 11:1 102mm JE Raptor piston / Stage 1 Raptor Hot Cam / Ported head / Colder Spark Plug / +2mm Throttle body / DNA stage 1 & 2 filters / Modified Air Box / Snorkel removed / Worry Brothers stage 2 filter cover / 6mm & 8mm Bolts Replaced with Titanium Bolts / Recovered seat in Black / O2 Eliminator /

My 09 XTX
59HP at the rear wheel / Stage 2 Raptor Hot Cam / DNA stage 3 Air Box / Carbon Can Exhausts / Modified Exhaust Link Pipes / PCIII With Custom Fuel Map / Wideband Commander O2 Data logger / LCD100 Dyno Jet display & fuel adjuster / 2500 OHM HT lead instead of a 10K OHM XT lead / Extra Coolant Cooler / Protaper Fat Bars / Tail Tidy With LED Tail Light / OKE Protection Knobs / LED indicators / AIS blocked / Modified rear sprocket rubbers / Rear Foot Pegs removed / 09 ECU With 02 Sensor Changed To A 06 ECU / Complete wiring harnes Changed from 09 to 04 / Home made LED resistor flasher / Hole drilled in the fuel tank filler neck to allow quicker filling / Modified Bar End Weights / Progressive front fork springs, 15W fork oil, forks lowered 25mm, used XTR rear links lowering the rear 20mm, rear spring one click stiffer / Changed front & rear guards from blue to black / 47T rear sprocket / Speedo Healer V4.0 / Kev throttle cam mod / Throttle grip mod / The new 2010 O2 sensor mod is out, works a treat, The new 2012 O2 Controller is out, PM me for details

Now ride a 2018 MT09SP ABS + TCS

My KTM 990 SMR Mod book. http://www.ktmsmt.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=4946

Yup!

Most of the bearings we use at work are usually in a sealed area, not sealed themselves. Things like this don't matter too much so long as there is grease there.

Not like their going to spin at 70mph!

__________________
09 XT660X:

CCC Stainless Rounds, Stage 1 DNA, Stage 2 DNA, PCV With Custom Autotune Map, PCV AutoTune, Home made O2 eliminator, Self machined Fork Spacers, DIY Autotune Switch.

1/3rd is enough. Manufacturer's recommendation. I have changed my bearings after 2 years. Lower one was gone. Black and rusty. Unbelievable.

When I did my bearings course a few months ago, they told me no more than 2/3rds.


The problem being with a bearing is because of the tight tolerances they're likely to sqeeze grease out from between rollers/balls so they taught us that 2/3rds was enough to keep plenty of grease between faces prevent loss of lubrication from not having enough. At the same time is doesn't hydraulically lock...
That bearings shouldn't be removed from the packaging untill they're to be fitted... to not clean the oil off them they come in (unless its an lub oil bearing of which we have a fair amount of on plant!)

etc...

Different teachings I guess!

__________________
09 XT660X:

CCC Stainless Rounds, Stage 1 DNA, Stage 2 DNA, PCV With Custom Autotune Map, PCV AutoTune, Home made O2 eliminator, Self machined Fork Spacers, DIY Autotune Switch.

Also...

Do not use WD40 on bearings or chains either...

Might say its a lubricant, which it is, however, its also a degreasant! I've seen o-ring chains that have been lubricated with WD-40 and its seeped in past the o-rings and displaced the grease in the rollers!

It's great for cleaning however!

And for burning as it smells great

__________________
09 XT660X:

CCC Stainless Rounds, Stage 1 DNA, Stage 2 DNA, PCV With Custom Autotune Map, PCV AutoTune, Home made O2 eliminator, Self machined Fork Spacers, DIY Autotune Switch.