FF: Forks Modified Steering Stem
- Thread starter greg brillus
- Start date
Thanks Dave. I think the VOCSC sells the Christian Patzke ones. Also just heard from Stu Spalding who is making slow progress, but is certainly heading in the right direction. Just that he is bored and frustrated in the home.
For the taper roller set up you just need to machine part of the taper away on the shaft, you still need the FF 36 washer under it for correct distance spacing too, and to support a thinner felt seal between, I cut them in half.
I have tapered rollers in my conversion (thanks Greg) . After assembly and your first ride you will find that the felt washer will compact down meaning you then need to readjust the preload on the tapered head stem bearings - that is you need to tighten up FF23. You may need to do this a few times till all settles down.
Really?? Are you saying that the felt washer is compressed somewhere between a bearing inner & another metallic part?? I would regard that as a safety fail! Is it supposed to be like that? Is there no way to cut a larger hole in the felt to ensure a metal to metal contact?
I take it from the comment "Christian Patzke ones" that Christian supplies a modified taper bearing to fit where the original cup & cone assembly went? What are the dimensions? (I dont own any genuine Vincent frame/steering parts, other than a pair of Girdraulic blades, to measure)
Hunt out your Spare Parts List and look at drawing M 063. The felt FF35 is squashed between the base of the bearings outer shell and the retaining disk FF36 and acts as a grease seal. Also take a peek at the attachment showing the installation of the lower tapered head stem bearing.
When first assembled the felt creates significant drag when turning the wheel from side to side, but in use it quickly compresses to its working thickness. So at first it is possible to incorrectly adjust the head stem bolt FF23 to be too loose for the bearings but seemingly fine for wheel movement. You just need to be aware and make small adjustments as things settle in.
For completeness - here is the drawing for the upper tapered bearing installation plus the install instructions.
Martyn is right that the felt does cause more drag than normal until it compresses somewhat, that is why I suggested that I cut the felt down using a sharp blade after I stick something round and wooden in the hole first. When reassembling the front end and particularly if you have the bearing mod to the lower link, if you have any play in the steering head or the spindles/bushes it will become very noticeable as any looseness can be felt as a clunk through the front end. My guess is because the angle of the link and the bearings provide more rigidity over the standard bush/grease arrangement.
Unfortunately Christian Patzke doesn`t supply anything anymore as he passed away awhile ago, I think I had one of his last kits.