Springer forks steering head bearing

As I say whatever works for you in your own situation and I make no comment on that but just pose or ask questions as to how I see things like needing 1/4lb of grease to initially fill the neck on my bike.

I have used the fall away method on a 2008 Sportster and it works just as the manual describes.

I have a 2017 Sportster Superlow. The manual calls for an initial torque and then a final torque when assembling the yokes and stem. All good to that point now onto fall away test. I have removed all the bits the manual calls for and yet the steering almost springs to the clutch side and will barely fall away to the throttle side.

I cannot remember which forum it was on now but at the beginning of my HD journey in 2017 a guy put up a post stating how he adjusted the neck bearings but I don't know where that is and I didn't make a note of the method.
 
The tradition method for checking the steering head adjustment is with the fork legs in the and rock the forks from the bottom, feeling at the bottom yoke by the neck for any free play, gradually tightening until there is no play, free movement with no notchiness.
 
The final torque has provided for that so I feel confident the adjustment screw is tight enough. In the manual there is a different fall away figure for each bike ranging from 4" each side to 9" each side mine being at the upper end of the range at 7" minimum.

In the installation instructions for fitting a top box there is a note to adjust the fall away which I can only guess is because the weight of the bike when fully loaded will increase again but it doesn't say to what extent.
 
Andy from Sandy said:
In the installation instructions for fitting a top box there is a note to adjust the fall away which I can only guess is because the weight of the bike when fully loaded will increase again but it doesn't say to what extent
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That seems weird in the extreme. Once the headstock bearings are correct surely their correct. We wouldn't adjust when swapping between riding solo or carrying a pillion.

Ron.
 
Put the races in your deep freez for 24 hrs and have a can of butane sprey handy - get everything prepped and sprey the races with butane ( lighter refill) just before popping them in (that will drop their temperature even further and shrink 'em more). If possible warm the neck up with towels soaked in boiling water first of all. They pop in alot easier and will have a good interference fit once the temps have equilised.
 
Odin said:
I got mine off by removing bearings and cage with a pair of pliers...then tap lip of race with a hammer and chisel works a treat...costs nowt
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Sorry it's been awhile before I replied, been kept busy with my other love....... winter pike fishing 😎.

Searched around and found it on offer on Amazon, cost about 30 odd quid but I'd tried using home made drifts and was suffering from bruised knuckles. In fairness if you have some engineering background and the equipment you could probably knock one up, or something like it for not a lot.
 
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