Steering bearing cap

[ArizonaATC]

Earlier today when i had my forks off and installing new bearings i noticed the cap that screws on to hold the top bearings in place(i think) i noticed you need some kind of special tool to tighten it, when i took it all apart it wasnt on very tight at all and i took it off with just my hand. I reinstalled it all and managed to screw this thing on pretty tight with odds and ends around the barn, i was just curious should i worry about it coming loose or anything? btw just to be more clear its the last piece you need to take off before you can slide the forks out that goes on under the chrome plate that sits on top of it to connect the handle bars. thanks all help is appreciated!

EDIT: ok so i went on a ride and the forks became slightly loose , if i try to push the handle bars baack and forth there is the slightest little move and click, from what i understand new bearing should move at all, even 1mm. so after that i figured well "must be the bearings settling in place better fromt he bumpy ride" so i tightened up the cap that hold the top bearings in the stem, which made it have zero movement.
then just today i take it for a good 2 hour spin and the same little click is back and the forks move a tiny bit if i haul on them. what do you guys do about this or is this suppose to happen? and the 125m was never made was a "jam" nut that stops the bearing cap from loosing

[Scootertrash]

Got a manual?

[jeswinehart]

You don't want that bearing retainer nut to terribly tight Brandon,,, it will make the steering very hard + wear hard on the bearings.
Hand tight IMO probably a wee bit to loose ,,,, hand tight and a half turn more with channel locks should be good.

john

[ArizonaATC]

Got a manual?

"remove the steering adjustment nut with the special tool" is all the manuel says. its called the lock nut

[ArizonaATC]

You don't want that bearing retainer nut to terribly tight Brandon,,, it will make the steering very hard + wear hard on the bearings.
Hand tight IMO probably a wee bit to loose ,,,, hand tight and a half turn more with channel locks should be good.

john

what i did was get the point end of a rod i had for a spare tire package and kept tightening with that, i took it for a ride and it was easy steering so i assume its good where it is?

[tripledog]

I think you may need a spanner wrench (or two) to tighten the castellated nuts properly. There should be more than one nut, and once adjusted properly, the top nut should be locked against the bottom nut while holding it from moving.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2x-Metal-Spanner-Wrench-Tool-Shock-Absorber-For-Honda-Yamaha-Suzuki-Kawasaki-BMW-/191258050951?hash=item2c87de4187:g:65oAAOSwnLdWtB-3&item=191258050951&vxp=mtr

[ArizonaATC]

I think you may need a spanner wrench (or two) to tighten the castellated nuts properly. There should be more than one nut, and once adjusted properly, the top nut should be locked against the bottom nut while holding it from moving.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2x-Metal-Spanner-Wrench-Tool-Shock-Absorber-For-Honda-Yamaha-Suzuki-Kawasaki-BMW-/191258050951?hash=item2c87de4187:g:65oAAOSwnLdWtB-3&item=191258050951&vxp=mtr

there was no other nut on it just the castle top with a plastic umbrella type cone to cover the bearings, hmmm maybe il look around to see if i dropped a nut but i distinctively remember taking off the steering chrome bridge to just seeing the one lock nut

[jeswinehart]

If we are talking about your 1984 125M I am only seeing one retaining nut ?

http://www.bikebandit.com/oem-parts/1984-honda-atc125m/o/m1874#sch11800

[tripledog]

^^^John is correct. I've been schooled!

[ArizonaATC]

[QUOTE=jeswinehart;1412092]If we are talking about your 1984 125M I am only seeing one retaining nut ?

http://www.bikebandit.com/oem-parts/1984-honda-atc125m/o/m1874#sch11800[/Q
i was told after changing the bearings take it for a hours or so ride and re tighten because it gives the bearings a chance to seat in place better from all the bumps. just retightened it seems good. thanks guys for all your input!

[ArizonaATC]

bump, read my edit please^

[ArizonaATC]

bump, read my edit please^

anyone? help a feller out please!

[jeswinehart]

What I am NOT seeing in bikebandits photo is a locking washer,,, has tabs on it that definitely designed to probably hold locking nut to position it tightened too.
There are a couple of front fork assembly's on ebay that both show that locking tab type washer.
Is there one on your trike Arizona ???
http://www.ebay.com/itm/84-85-Honda-ATC-125m-Front-Fork-Assembly-OEM-Triple-Tree-Wheel-Steering-Frame-/221070518230?hash=item3378d467d6:m:mWjUlFSHM63e_oo V6xhMsGg&vxp=mtr

[El Camexican]

EDIT: ok so i went on a ride and the forks became slightly loose , if i try to push the handle bars baack and forth there is the slightest little move and click, from what i understand new bearing should move at all, even 1mm. so after that i figured well "must be the bearings settling in place better fromt he bumpy ride" so i tightened up the cap that hold the top bearings in the stem, which made it have zero movement.
then just today i take it for a good 2 hour spin and the same little click is back and the forks move a tiny bit if i haul on them. what do you guys do about this or is this suppose to happen? and the 125m was never made was a "jam" nut that stops the bearing cap from loosing

I have never worked on a trike like yours, but it appears from the photos that the way your front end works is that you tighten the collar (most people use a punch & hammer if the correct tool isn't available) and then snug the nut above the top of the tree down against the washer and bend a tab against whichever side of the nut is closest to a good fit. If that's the case I suggest the following:

- Raise the front of the trike in the air on something secure, a couple jack stands under the foot pegs might work, you want the rear solidly on the ground if possible.
- Grab the front end as low as possible, by the axle is best, and try to rock the front back and forth. If what you've said so far is true you should feel a little play in the bearings.
- Loosen the large nut above the collar
- With a hammer and small blunt punch tap the collar tighter. Every few millimeters stop, grab the axle and try to rotate the steeling bearings left and right
- If they still feel very smooth, or loose stop and tighten the collar more. You are trying to get the bearings to feel tight, but not so much that you damage them
- If they are tapered bearings I usually beat on them pretty hard to make sure the races are set, but if you have loose ball bearings in grooved washers its not a good idea to over tighten them at all. All you would want to do is get the grease squeezed out of the contact points and snug the bearing enough that you now feel resistance when rotating them
- Odds once you get them tight the resistance you feel will be a little erratic and not exactly the same throughout the rotation, this is normal
- Now you want to gently tap the collar counter clockwise (loosen it) just enough that the tight spots felt when rotating the steering head are gone. You can even leave it tight enough that there are one or two spots where you can feel just the slightest resistance. You would not do this on a road racing bike, but on a trike it won't do anything but make the bearing wear out a little sooner, so in 20 years and not 30
- Now tighten the nut that sits above the locking washer to whatever torque the manual calls for. If you don't know what that is try 15#
- Check that the bearings still feel as smooth as they did before you tightened the nut. There should be no change. Rock it back and forth at the axle to make sure there is no play
- Lift the most suitable edge of the lock washer up with a flat head screwdriver and then tap it up against the nut to lock it

Check the bearings one last time and you should be good to go.

I should mention, this only applies if you changed the bearings AND the seats. If all you did was put new bearings in old seats this is all out the window. You will not be able to get rid of the play unless you over tighten the bearings a lot, particularity if you have the ball and cap style noose balls type set-up and it will always feel rough. Best to replace all components when doing this.

Good luck :beer

[ArizonaATC]

I have never worked on a trike like yours, but it appears from the photos that the way your front end works is that you tighten the collar (most people use a punch & hammer if the correct tool isn't available) and then snug the nut above the top of the tree down against the washer and bend a tab against whichever side of the nut is closest to a good fit. If that's the case I suggest the following:

- Raise the front of the trike in the air on something secure, a couple jack stands under the foot pegs might work, you want the rear solidly on the ground if possible.
- Grab the front end as low as possible, by the axle is best, and try to rock the front back and forth. If what you've said so far is true you should feel a little play in the bearings.
- Loosen the large nut above the collar
- With a hammer and small blunt punch tap the collar tighter. Every few millimeters stop, grab the axle and try to rotate the steeling bearings left and right
- If they still feel very smooth, or loose stop and tighten the collar more. You are trying to get the bearings to feel tight, but not so much that you damage them
- If they are tapered bearings I usually beat on them pretty hard to make sure the races are set, but if you have loose ball bearings in grooved washers its not a good idea to over tighten them at all. All you would want to do is get the grease squeezed out of the contact points and snug the bearing enough that you now feel resistance when rotating them
- Odds once you get them tight the resistance you feel will be a little erratic and not exactly the same throughout the rotation, this is normal
- Now you want to gently tap the collar counter clockwise (loosen it) just enough that the tight spots felt when rotating the steering head are gone. You can even leave it tight enough that there are one or two spots where you can feel just the slightest resistance. You would not do this on a road racing bike, but on a trike it won't do anything but make the bearing wear out a little sooner, so in 20 years and not 30
- Now tighten the nut that sits above the locking washer to whatever torque the manual calls for. If you don't know what that is try 15#
- Check that the bearings still feel as smooth as they did before you tightened the nut. There should be no change. Rock it back and forth at the axle to make sure there is no play
- Lift the most suitable edge of the lock washer up with a flat head screwdriver and then tap it up against the nut to lock it

Check the bearings one last time and you should be good to go.

I should mention, this only applies if you changed the bearings AND the seats. If all you did was put new bearings in old seats this is all out the window. You will not be able to get rid of the play unless you over tighten the bearings a lot, particularity if you have the ball and cap style noose balls type set-up and it will always feel rough. Best to replace all components when doing this.

Good luck :beer
now by the large nut above the collar youre talking about the nut that holds the chrome bridge on the forks? i take that all off theres a special nut with a cone like plastic bottom that covers the bearings, you need a special tool for it but i get it tight without just fine. it dosnt got any kind of washer on after that special nut, just the chrome fork bridge. il try fitting a washer down there to jam stuff up maybe? thanks for your reply sir!