So i have a 2018 Voyager 1700, just purchased end of 2018 with 4km. Now i have 15,000KM and the steering has a bad wobble when you let go. Took it in thinking it was steering bearing or maybe nut loose. Turns out they say the bearings are gone. And it looks like it had been over tightened...
The OEM steering bearings are ball bearings in a cheap plastic cage. Really poor choice of bearings for the purpose. Bearings of these type are typically used in high speed, low shock applications, which is just the opposite of what steering bearings are subjected to. If the cage has cracked, tightening is not going to help. Check out the link KawMan posted.
Also, I suggest using a higher weight fork oil, or changing to a mechanical solution to stiffen up the forks. A fork brace will help, too. There is too much flex in the forks in the OEM setup.
Hi there! I have had the dreaded Death Wobble as well as the peskiest front fork clanging over bumps that cannot seem to be fixed on my Vulcan Nomad 2012. The death wobble was basically eliminated when I changed the front tyre from a Michelin Commander II back to the OEM Bridgestones and the death wobble has pretty much gone, although it is still slightly there. Love the bike, but hate hate hate these common issues that bug the hell outta me.
It's a common issue but normally easily fixed, Kettles. Your way (OEM Bridgestones) is going to work out the most expensive though - since those tires will wear faster than any others. The preferred method is to replace the ridiculous ball type steering bearings with tapered rollers... Normally All Balls brand, readily available & reasonably priced.
After having the same issue and replacing with All Balls tapered roller bearings, I can use whatever tire I want without any wobble whatsoever. It's a solution that's worked on my last three Vulcans, & I'm one of many who can't figure out why Kaw have stuck to the same poor design in that regard.
on the manual it say that after you change the bearing and races, it has to be settle the inner race by tighten the steering stem nut with 41 ft-lb torque first, and loosen it a fraction of a turn until it turns lightly and afterward tighten it again to 22 ft-lb ( does any body know what size is the steering stem nut??)
Special tool... I made my own. Found a piece of pipe about the right diameter, angle-ground & dremelled one end to fit the nut, and sacrificed a socket to tack-weld into the other end.
And when you over-tighten it to 41 ft-lb - do not turn the steering at all, or you'll damage the rollers. That's just a torque right up to seat properly, then back it off straight away sort of thing.
Special tool... I made my own. Found a piece of pipe about the right diameter, angle-ground & dremelled one end to fit the nut, and sacrificed a socket to tack-weld into the other end.
And when you over-tighten it to 41 ft-lb - do not turn the steering at all, or you'll damage the rollers. That's just a torque right up to seat properly, then back it off straight away sort of thing.
Because it's not a nut you're putting a socket on... You're using the socket to make a tool with four little pins on it to fit inside the four little slots in the steering nut. When YOU talk about "steering nut", are you talking about the pretty chrome one on the top of the steering yoke, or the one that actually needs torquing to spec underneath the yoke?
We've each made tools to replace "Steering Stem Nut Wrench 57001-1100" as shown below.
If you don't have a workshop manual - it's certainly worth getting one.
If not the it's something that's been done with the tyre change.
Start simple.
Tyre pressure is it correct?
Front axel correct torque?
Brakes correctly set?
Forks aligned?
Wheel bearings.
Headstock bearings.
The tool is for the locking ring nut. I don't believe a 35 mm would be big enough, but it might. I had a 36 mm socket, and it seemed to be the perfect size against the locking nut off the bike, but it was not deep enough with the nut in place. That is why an axle nut or deep well socket is needed. The locking nut is not a hex nut, but round. You need a tool with teeth to get into the slots in order to turn it.
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just a question?
