K11 Owners Group

BobZ(IL) · Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 8:59 pm Post subject: Steering Head Bearing Clean-up

My Clymer and search attempts are leaving things a little vague re bearing clean-up and lube.

Looks like I should be able to pop off the handlebars, loosen the clamps and drop the the forks without removing fairings.

Will the stem drop out once the nuts and bolts are removed? And somewhere I had read about a special BMW tool for adjusting the head, maybe a piece of copper pipe or something?

Thanks, Bob.
_________________
'93 K1100LT
'78 R100S
'05 R1200GS
BMWMOA, CRBMWOA, ABC, K11OG #997

Live well, do good work, enjoy the ride.

Flying Duck · Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 10:28 pm Post subject:

Yes, once you loosen things up it should fall right out.

Shade-tree mechanic approach for tightening steering head bearings without special tools: Tighten until you feel a little bit of friction turning the fork trees and then back off just a wee bit.

PS: Are you still in need of that LT knee panel fastener?
_________________
93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE

BobZ(IL) · Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 10:58 pm Post subject:

Mr Duck asks: Are you still in need of that LT knee panel fastener?

Yessir, I'll pm some details or send an email to your parts site, whichever you prefer; and thank you as always for your advice.

Bob
_________________
'93 K1100LT
'78 R100S
'05 R1200GS
BMWMOA, CRBMWOA, ABC, K11OG #997

Live well, do good work, enjoy the ride.

Flying Duck · Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 11:20 pm Post subject:

As soon as it stops raining (August) I'll get right on it.

Just kidding. I'll get to it the the next couple of days. PM me your snail mail address, please.
_________________
93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE

Thedodge · Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 6:07 am Post subject: steering head bearings

I recently carried out the same work. If you have a good torque wrench that will allow a setting of 9 ft-lb and i made a setting ring. i worked from the link attached. http://www.largiader.com/bearings/ and found it to be very straightforward. the bearings in my bike (97'11LTSE) were in great condition but the grease had hardened and wasn't doing it's job. I noticed a big difference afterwards.
_________________
K1100 lt 97'

BobZ(IL) · Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 10:00 am Post subject:

Thedodge:

Thanks for the link, that must be what I had seen before, but couldn't remember sizes.
_________________
'93 K1100LT
'78 R100S
'05 R1200GS
BMWMOA, CRBMWOA, ABC, K11OG #997

Live well, do good work, enjoy the ride.

BobZ(IL) · Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 8:16 pm Post subject:

Clean up and new grease solved notch problem. Top race was very smooth, bottom felt bad. WD40 on a rag cleaned it up.

Only problem now is I can't get one of the screws that holds down the plastic cover over the handlebars started. Always seem to have that problem.
_________________
'93 K1100LT
'78 R100S
'05 R1200GS
BMWMOA, CRBMWOA, ABC, K11OG #997

Live well, do good work, enjoy the ride.