Steering Head Bearing replacement R1100GS

[Eugene]

Hi all,

Need some advice on replacing my dodgy Steering head bearing on my 1100GS.

I've managed to take off the fork bridge bar the electrical connection to the ignition.

How and where is it disconnected?

I tried pulling it at the base of the ingition barrel, but so far have only managed to pull the plastic cover off the back off electrical unit

Second, haynes and BMW manuals say heat the fork bridge to 100 Celcius to push out the bearing with a drift.

Will boiling water and a slight persuasion with a chisel or block of wood and lump hammer do the same job? (Don't have a big enough socket or heat gun)

Third do I beat it out in the direction of the key insert, ie the front?

Thanks for your indulgence

Eugene

 

[hops]

eugene

If you are trying to remove the wiring from the base of the ignition you need to remove a small screw on the side of the casing. If you look down the side of the housing where the key goes in you will see a small hole covered with a wax or paint seal, normally red in colour. Pick out the wax and slacken the small grub screw recessed in the hole, the base of the ignition loom can then be GENTLY pulled out. I'm sure there are some pics on the site somewhere.

 

[Steptoe]

I'm sure there are some pics on the site somewhere.

Picture attached.


If you haven't a press , You can push the bearing out using the right sized socket, and a vice.

 

[Eugene]

Pressing matters

Right, got off the clamp, thanks for the tip and the pics guys.

Now to 'press' it out, does it matter which direction?

Thanks again

Eugene

 

[Eugene]

Sucess

Okay Success

Pressed the old bearing out towards the front of the triple clamp using a vice and a 32mm socket as Steptoe suggested .

Pressed out the bolt out of the bearing again using the vice and a piece of wood to protect the thread and the socket at the back of the bearing to 'receive' the bolt .

Pressed the bolt into the new bearing, bugger to get bolt/bearing into the triple clamp with the vice, but found you can pull the bearing down using the bolt and tightening the clamp to the frame itself, lovely!

Thanks for the help from a hugely useful and friendly site as always

I should point out that Battersea BMW offered to do the job for me (as it's very technical sir) for a mere £220 plus vat, that would be £190 for labour for what they reckoned is a 2hr 15min job!

eugene

 

[(RIP) Kaister]

i'd be interested to know why you thought the bearing needed replacing ?

i thought any roughness would be in the lower ball joint as its the one that does all the work

 

[Eugene]

Steptoe told me to do it

 

[Steptoe]

i'd be interested to know why you thought the bearing needed replacing ?

i thought any roughness would be in the lower ball joint as its the one that does all the work

There was no roughness, the top bearing had play in it.

 

[delpel]

Call me a biff if you want to but how do you check the top and lower bearings for free play?

 

[Eugene]

Biff

Try to wiggle the handle bars, if it does, then you have a dodgy bearing.

Not sure about the lower bracket bearing roughness.

Eugene