I installed Tapered Roller Bearing's when my 07 FJR had 28,000 miles and was immediately happy as I had no more wobble. I didn't have a tool to tighten them at the time so I just did my best, tapping the nut with a screwdriver and a hammer.I never re-torqued them. Lazy. The FJR would still wobble a little when my front tire got really badly worn, but putting on a new front tire would make it go away.
Fast forward 34,000 miles and even with a new front tire I could barely let off the throttle at 45 mph, with my hands on the bars, without feeling the wobble coming on, and I didn't dare take my hands completely off the bars {I often don't realize I didn't put my helmet strap on until the loose strap flops around} under 60 mph.
So I jumped in and retightened the TRB's. I had bought a tool that was recommended to tighten them, but when I got the upper triple clamp off, I realized it was NOT the right tool as it wasn't nearly large enough to fit the tightening ring, so again I used the screwdriver and hammer method.
Results: I had just put on a new front tire {Shinko 07 Raven} so I expected good results and I got them, Tried everything to induce even a small wobble. So my take is that if you install TRB's and keep them adjusted now and then, you won't have any wobble problems. {I know, some of you don't have wobble problems with the stock ball bearings, but I did}.
Full Bore M-1 tires. I bought a set of dirt-cheap Full Bore M-1 tires a while ago just to stir the pot. I put the front tire on first and it happened to be the first tire I ever wore out the sides before the middle so my immediate thoughts were that it was too soft, as I didn't get my normal 12-14 thousand front tire miles. SINCE THEN, I have worn the sides off of 2 of my standard Shinko Raven front tires, so I have realized that since almost ALL my riding is in the twisties now that is the reason for the sides wearing out long before the middle. I didn't put the FB rear tire on till later {I don't change tires as a "set" I change them just before the cords show}. The FB rear tire still has 500-1000 miles or so left and it already has 8,000 miles on it, so I am happy with the longevity. I don't have the gift of riding to the edge, and I ride in the wet like sissy, so I don't have any real info on how the tire "performs". My trips to the mountains NEVER result in slides or loss of traction, unless there is a tar strip or some pebbles involved. They certainly performed as well as any of the PR4's and Shinko Ravens and CT's I have ridden with.
I bought some "stuff" from a guy on the forum a while ago, a "foot' for the side stand, and a magnetic oil plug. I have changed the oil a couple of times since I put the magnetic oil plug in, but I don't think I ever checked it or if I did it had nothing on it. Yesterday! as I changed the oil I looked closely at the plug and there were several decent-sized steel filings on it OUCH!!! I immediately got a small jar from the house and put some of the oil {I had to get it out of the oil filter as the crankcase oil was already contaminated} and will send it off this week to be tested. Has anyone seen any "filings" in their oil? Are the oil gods mad at me for using T-4 rather than T-6 like I used to?
I have bought a Honda Element and have been dealing with a possible rod-bearing knock for a while and you lucky guys haven't had to put up with my inane comments lately, so I figured I punish you again. Phil
Fast forward 34,000 miles and even with a new front tire I could barely let off the throttle at 45 mph, with my hands on the bars, without feeling the wobble coming on, and I didn't dare take my hands completely off the bars {I often don't realize I didn't put my helmet strap on until the loose strap flops around} under 60 mph.
So I jumped in and retightened the TRB's. I had bought a tool that was recommended to tighten them, but when I got the upper triple clamp off, I realized it was NOT the right tool as it wasn't nearly large enough to fit the tightening ring, so again I used the screwdriver and hammer method.
Results: I had just put on a new front tire {Shinko 07 Raven} so I expected good results and I got them, Tried everything to induce even a small wobble. So my take is that if you install TRB's and keep them adjusted now and then, you won't have any wobble problems. {I know, some of you don't have wobble problems with the stock ball bearings, but I did}.
Full Bore M-1 tires. I bought a set of dirt-cheap Full Bore M-1 tires a while ago just to stir the pot. I put the front tire on first and it happened to be the first tire I ever wore out the sides before the middle so my immediate thoughts were that it was too soft, as I didn't get my normal 12-14 thousand front tire miles. SINCE THEN, I have worn the sides off of 2 of my standard Shinko Raven front tires, so I have realized that since almost ALL my riding is in the twisties now that is the reason for the sides wearing out long before the middle. I didn't put the FB rear tire on till later {I don't change tires as a "set" I change them just before the cords show}. The FB rear tire still has 500-1000 miles or so left and it already has 8,000 miles on it, so I am happy with the longevity. I don't have the gift of riding to the edge, and I ride in the wet like sissy, so I don't have any real info on how the tire "performs". My trips to the mountains NEVER result in slides or loss of traction, unless there is a tar strip or some pebbles involved. They certainly performed as well as any of the PR4's and Shinko Ravens and CT's I have ridden with.
I bought some "stuff" from a guy on the forum a while ago, a "foot' for the side stand, and a magnetic oil plug. I have changed the oil a couple of times since I put the magnetic oil plug in, but I don't think I ever checked it or if I did it had nothing on it. Yesterday! as I changed the oil I looked closely at the plug and there were several decent-sized steel filings on it OUCH!!! I immediately got a small jar from the house and put some of the oil {I had to get it out of the oil filter as the crankcase oil was already contaminated} and will send it off this week to be tested. Has anyone seen any "filings" in their oil? Are the oil gods mad at me for using T-4 rather than T-6 like I used to?
I have bought a Honda Element and have been dealing with a possible rod-bearing knock for a while and you lucky guys haven't had to put up with my inane comments lately, so I figured I punish you again. Phil
