Misc: Everything Else Comet Handling

[Peter Holmes]

The attachment seems to show the Nilos seal has carved a trench in the outer bearing, unless the photo looks worse than it is, I have only ever fitted them lightly preloaded as Gregg says, it may leave its mark on the outer race, but that is all, I have never had any grease contamination whilst setting them up thus.

 

[john998]

Hello, Nikos rings are the way to go, far better than felt.
I have not noticed them cutting in to the bearing outer on my wheels, so now wondering if they are fitted properly.
Also some years ago I had a squeak from a front wheel that turned out to be a Nikos seal that had cracked. The wheel was in and out a few times before I spotted it. John.

 

[Steve Morris]

OK, an update.

I removed the forks this morning and the steering column. I adjusted the bearings for the steering head last night, and just couldn't get it to a happy point. Adjusted up with no free play, the bars fell very freely from central to the right, but to the left they had to be nudged.

On stripping down It all seems quite normal except for a few things;

1. The books read that there should be or normally is 20 ball bearings (not 21) in each cone for the steering head. I carefully removed them (had an experience in my youth with a CX500, dropped the steering stem out and about 30 ball bearings dropped out and bounced around the floor!!), and i only have 38, which means there were 19 in each, I know this will work but is this acceptable?

2. The lower link eccentric bronze bushes have a bit of play, and are spinning in the link. Reading the books it suggests this is the norm as oversize bushes are available. The link hole is definitely not oval, so, will i get away with replacing just the bushes in anyones experience, and if so, how do i know which size to go to?

3. This is the most 'concerning' thing. I noticed that the upper link rearmost pad studs FF52, were different lengths, r/h stud was showing about 1/4 (just over) of thread with the nut tightened, l/h stud appeared much shorter, (the thread did not exceed the nut) and assumed someone had put the wrong pad stud in. But on stripping the bike i could not drive that spindle out, albeit the pad bolts were loosened off. I had to do this in a vice. It became apparent when i drifted the spindle out that something was out of align, and now the spindle is out, i cannot easily push the spindle in and out of the link, but when i tap it in, the 2 holes do not align, closer inspection reveals the upper link is very slightly twisted.

So, looking in the books, i did read somewhere that the links can be straightened, but has anyone done this?

I am going to investigate further now, i'll check the UFM for broken paint marks around the fixing to make sure that isn't damaged, and mount the steering stem up (albeit with 19 bb's in each cup) to check steering head movement/set up.

On a positive note I am learning loads!

Steve.

 

[timetraveller]

Congratulations on biting the bullet, rather than just putting up with it. 1/4" ball bearings are readily available so treat yourself and the bike to some new ones and use the correct number.
Loose bushes at the rear of the lower link are common but don't just push in oversized ones. Get the eyes bored or reamed to the correct size and then fit the oversized bushes. Unless you get the correct interference fit you will either still have loose bushes or distorted one.
The fact that the upper link is slightly distorted would not cause one pad bolt to be different from the other. It is likely that some previous owner has overtightened one of the pad bolts and stretched or distorted it. Carefully compare the two.
Straighten the top link with care and if there is any doubt about its strength treat yourself and the bike to another one. FF4 from the Spares Company, £486 ouch.
Good luck with it all.

 

[Steve Morris]

Another update,

I have managed to straighten the upper link. I have to be honest i think the slight kink in it has gone. Cold straightened the link in my vice using the spindle as a truing device, tweak/try/tweak/try. After an hour i have got it so the spindle slides in and right through with ease.

Having checked the head bearings closely, the top race is marked, so i am replacing the top and bottom cup, and all the balls.

Regarding the play in the lower link, i have thoroughly cleaned the link and the bronze bushes, and looking at the amount of free play (c. 0.005"), i have, for now, loctited the bushes in the link. There is some wear on the fork eccentrics, so i plan in the winter to replace and do the bushes then.

All looking good so far!

Steve.

 

[Bill Thomas]

What do you think made it stiff Steve ?. Cheers Bill.

 

[Steve Morris]

I think it had the wrong pad stud in Bill. When i re-assembled the upper link and head clip it all went well until i added the wrong pad stud (which was fitted when i get the bike) at which point it all tightened up again?

I have new pad studs and nuts coming, bridge plate also is a little bent, so with new head race cones and ball bearings, new pad studs, and the upper link now straight and set up correctly, i am hoping the thing will steer now!!

 

[Simon Dinsdale]

Sometimes you get one longer pad bolt on the top link because on a Comet and Rapide the speedo bracket mounts off one pad bolt and so needs to be slightly longer.

 

[nkt267]

Sometimes you get one longer pad bolt on the top link because on a Comet and Rapide the speedo bracket mounts off one pad bolt and so needs to be slightly longer.

Yes but at the top of the fork blade only. I think Steve is referring to the pad bolts at the steering head end of the top link, which was out of line. at least that's what i took him to mean.

 

[Steve Morris]

Sometimes you get one longer pad bolt on the top link because on a Comet and Rapide the speedo bracket mounts off one pad bolt and so needs to be slightly longer.

Yes but at the top of the fork blade only. I think Steve is referring to the pad bolts at the steering head end of the top link, which was out of line. at least that's what i took him to mean.

Yes, sorry, should have been clearer there!

It appears on closer inspection that the pad studs are different slightly, maybe because the spindle bolts are differing thicknesses?

If you look at the photo attached, it is FF52, as suggested its the ones behind the head clip.

Best regards,

Steve.