What locates the 7mm wide ball bearings side to side in the width of the eye?
They are a one thou interference fit in the eyes of the lower link. If you look at the washers/spacers at each side of the bearings you will find that on their inner faces they have a 0.1 mm raised ring which interfaces with the central part of the ball races and provides clearance from the outer race of the ball races. When I assemble them for people I first of all push the ball races into the eye with the outer spacer/washer/spindle (that ensures that they are concentric) and on the inside I put the inner spacer/washer and some spacers on the outside of that inner space and then press the whole lot together. This ensures that both ball races are tight up against each other, and in line, and are about 0.1 mm in from each side. A word of warning here. Not all eyes are the same width so when pressing the ball races into place inspect to make sure that there is an equal gap at each side between the sides of the eyes and the space washers. You will find that each kit is supplied with three stainless steel shims at each side. The shims have thicknesses of 0.5 mm , 0.3 mm and 0.1 mm. These fit over the spindle of the concentrics and can be fitted either inside the spacer/washers or between the lower motion block of the steering head and the inner spacer/washer at each side.
My normal procedure is to push the bearings in as above and then assemble the lower link with the bearings onto the lower motion block. Once this is done one can check how much space is left in total between the lower motion block and one side of the lower link with the other side pushed up hard against the motion block. Once the gap at one side had been measured one knows how much shimming is needed and this can be split equally between the two sides. The idea is that once the bolts through each concentric have been fully tightened the lower link should be free to swing when the steering head is swung from side to side. If it is not free then you are nipping the eyes in too tight and you must release one side and inert an extra shim. You will find it much easier to put the shims inside, between the inner washer/spacer and the bearings, rather then between that and the lower motion block.
I have only done three of these so far but Greg has done about twenty so he might be able to tell you just how bad the variations in dimensions from one lower link to another are. From the three which I have done so far I have not found it necessary to use more shims than are supplied and I have asked Greg and he normally does not have to use all six shims.
Any more questions then please ask.
They are a one thou interference fit in the eyes of the lower link. If you look at the washers/spacers at each side of the bearings you will find that on their inner faces they have a 0.1 mm raised ring which interfaces with the central part of the ball races and provides clearance from the outer race of the ball races. When I assemble them for people I first of all push the ball races into the eye with the outer spacer/washer/spindle (that ensures that they are concentric) and on the inside I put the inner spacer/washer and some spacers on the outside of that inner space and then press the whole lot together. This ensures that both ball races are tight up against each other, and in line, and are about 0.1 mm in from each side. A word of warning here. Not all eyes are the same width so when pressing the ball races into place inspect to make sure that there is an equal gap at each side between the sides of the eyes and the space washers. You will find that each kit is supplied with three stainless steel shims at each side. The shims have thicknesses of 0.5 mm , 0.3 mm and 0.1 mm. These fit over the spindle of the concentrics and can be fitted either inside the spacer/washers or between the lower motion block of the steering head and the inner spacer/washer at each side.
My normal procedure is to push the bearings in as above and then assemble the lower link with the bearings onto the lower motion block. Once this is done one can check how much space is left in total between the lower motion block and one side of the lower link with the other side pushed up hard against the motion block. Once the gap at one side had been measured one knows how much shimming is needed and this can be split equally between the two sides. The idea is that once the bolts through each concentric have been fully tightened the lower link should be free to swing when the steering head is swung from side to side. If it is not free then you are nipping the eyes in too tight and you must release one side and inert an extra shim. You will find it much easier to put the shims inside, between the inner washer/spacer and the bearings, rather then between that and the lower motion block.
I have only done three of these so far but Greg has done about twenty so he might be able to tell you just how bad the variations in dimensions from one lower link to another are. From the three which I have done so far I have not found it necessary to use more shims than are supplied and I have asked Greg and he normally does not have to use all six shims.
Any more questions then please ask.
Don't go dropping anything heavy!