Hi guys, I’m asking for help removing the steering stem from my R100RS. I’ve got everything off, but it just won’t budge. Watching videos, etc (Boxer2Valve&ChrisHarris) on the web, I’m most certain that I’ve removed everything, and I expect it to come loose now. I suspect what's holding me us is the old grease behaving like cement. I’m looking to you to put my mind at ease.
I’ve tapped the top of the stem with hammer, placing a 2x4 between the stem and the hammer. I’ve also used the 2x4 to directly whack the stem. The stem just won’t move. I also used a hair dryer for several minutes to warm the grease in the top bearing. That softened the grease, but it didn’t help free-up the stem or give any perceptible gain of movement. I’ve not tried heating the lower bearing area, but only because it’s more difficult to get the hair-dryer in there.
Trying to remove it, it feels like there’s something solid holding it in place… like I’ve overlooked a fastener that needs to be loosened or removed. Is there some nut/bolt/other that most people (including me) overlook? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
It's possible that a look at the parts fiche will help you insure all the retaining bits have been removed. Try the ones on Max BMW.
http://shop.maxbmw.com/fiche/PartsFiche.aspx
All the work is done from the top side. Nothing retains the forks from the bottom side. The steering stem has 2 nuts: one on top of the Yoke (#4), and another under the Yoke (#3). So if you've removed the flat steel fork Yoke, then the topmost nut (the dome nut) is gone. The bottom (or adjusting) nut (#3) butts directly against the bottom of the Yoke and is not a "hex nut", it's more like a castellated sleeve that is tightened with a special tool.
Under the castellated adjusting nut is a dust cover for the top steering head bearing. Once the top bearing dust cover comes off, the stem is ready to be pressed down through the upper steering head bearing and the forks will literally fall off.
Hope this helps.
Owning an old Airhead is easy.
Keeping an old Airhead running great is the true test.
You guys are the best; thanks for the quick replies!
Sounds/looks like I need more heat and umph. I posted a photo here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/FA5KMk5tzLVG2Leg7
I went with the hairdryer because I was worried the Map-gas might be too hot. Maybe I worry too much 🙂
You might want to thread the lock ring back onto the stem, but leave it backed off the bearing a bit so you'll know when the stem breaks loose. The reason is that if the stem begins to mushroom from beating on it, you might be able to back the lock ring off of it and save the threads.
• Better than that.... set the castellated nut FLUSH with the end of the steering stem. That gives a larger area for the wood to bear upon AND it also protects the threads.
• As much trouble as it is to get apart, you've got to be thinking at this point about having the ability to get it back together. That means protecting those threads.
• Hair dryer or heat gun won't do it. Too much heat is wicked off through the bearings into the frame. Concentrated heat, like the MAP gas, will do the job, but also remove the temper from the bearing. You'll need that inner bearing race fairly hot to get the penetrant to wick in and break that rust bond. But sacrificing a bearing will be worth it.
Hope this helps.
Owning an old Airhead is easy.
Keeping an old Airhead running great is the true test.
Success! I generously and specifically applied PB Blaster to the area where the stem and the inner circle of the upper bearing meet. Then I applied heat with my torch to the bearing and stem. I didn't heat the bearing very long, opting to spend more time directing the flame to the stem. I probably spent 1, maybe 2 minutes applying the heat before shutting it off and threading the castellated nut back (flush) onto the top of the stem. I then, unorthodoxically, tap, tap, tapped directly with my ball-peen. No wood involved. The taps never amounted to smacks, but a few of them had some authority, I'll admit. Eventually, I could see that the steering stem was succumbing to my persuasion. Continuing taps had it free in short time.
Thanks for all you-guys' time and input. Now if I could only figure-out how to re-assemble my damper-rod into its stanchion. 🙂
Congrats ! Your "BMW Apprentice Mechanic, Level 2" diploma is in the mail !! 😛
Heat or no heat, you'll still need to replace the top bearing due to the shock of hammering. The races have now been impressed with small divots. If you don't, when you steer the bike, the rollers will jump from divot to divot !!
Owning an old Airhead is easy.
Keeping an old Airhead running great is the true test.
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