steering head bearing seal
 

Does anyone have the part number for the rubber dust seal that sits under the steering head bearing on the lower triple clamp for a 1996 xt600e as the parts fiche I have doesnt show any seal and ive wrecked the one on mine trying to get the bearing race off?:(

Also does anyone know if its possible to remove the front sprocket with the engine out of the bike?
Tried like mad to remove it before I stripped the bike down but even with my wife standing on the rear brake and a 3 foot scaffold pole over a breaker bar the sprocket nut just wouldnt budge so decided to take the engine out and sort the sprocket later!

There should be a special shim that is bent in order to prevent the sprocket NUT from vibrating loose.

first take care of the shim.
than use an air/electrical impact driver with the right socket size and it'll come off very easily!

As for the rubber seal, it's not that important if you put some grease on the outside of the bearing.

If you do want it, I suggest looking at other years XT600. I remember my 1990 XT600E had that same seal before I changed the front end with a 2002 YZ250 complete front end!


Vando :smartass:

Cheers Vando, the locking shim has actually been snapped off by the previous owner so no worries there but i cant think of a way to stop the sprocket from rotating as the engine is out of the bike so no chain attached? If i use an impact driver on it now surely that will just spin the sprocket as well?

Thanks for the info on the seal, think ill just leave it off and use plenty of grease!

You could rig something up, in conjunction with a length of chain around the sprocket.

Just need a bit of lateral thinking applied to whatever you have access to in your garage!

Dont bother with an impact driver you need an air tool on a decent compressor, take it to your local tyre place and see if they will whip it off as a favour, its what I do, admittedly I take the full bike up in gear with the brake on but it whips it off instantly.

Well...put it in first gear!

I undid my sprocket and clutch basket nuts with the impact driver also with no chain and it did come off...

All I added to this was holding the sprocket with an old piece of cloth and glove and it came out easy...

I also undid the clutch nut the same way...

Just don't forget to turn the sprocket by hand counterclockwise untill there is no "gap" and give it a go with the impact driver...


Vando :smartass:

that's what I meant! the "gun" that Formula1 tire changers use!


and DO GET that special shim! IT IS A MUST HAVE item!
you don't want to get your chain loose, trust me!



Vando :innocent:

Thanks for the replies guys, i had thought about putting it in gear and trying it it but was worried about damaging the gear box with the force put on the nut:confused1:

What do you think happens when the motors running & you're giving it the "beans" than??? lol

Yes you can remove it.. I did it !

You have to use an airgun though. It almost impossible usless you have a mate to hold the engine or have an engine stand.

You can lock the nut out of the engine by engaging 1st gear and locking the clutch.

You won't damage the gearbox.. It takes much higher forces and torque in running the bike.

And please get the safety tang..

Thanks again for the help guys, unfortunatly I dont have a compressor so no air gun but might take a trip to my local bike shop and see if they will whiz it off...and yes I will definatly remember to get a new locking washer before I refit a new sprocket :thumbup1:

ok guys, thought id have a quick try with the bike in first gear and using a breaker bar but although i couldnt turn the sprocket by hand, when i tried to undo the nut with the breaker bar the sprocket turned as well even though it was in gear:eek3::confused1:
When it turned i could hear what sounded like air being expelled as though the piston was moving?
Now im worried as I take it this isnt supposed to happen??

This is perfectly normal as you are forcing the piston to move.

As stated above, get down your local garage and get a professional "windy-gun" on it - like wot they use on car wheel nuts....

Yes, with the bike in gear, you are just turning over you're engine, no harm done.

Try with some hard strokes, so you put som quick force on the nut, rather than slowly turning over the engine. If you can use an extension to you're tool it would be wery helpful.

Nowadays I just hand tighten the nut, it wont go anywhere with the lockwasher, and its nice to be able to change sprockes without the heavy tools.

The first thing I do and this is always with the engine in the Bike is try and shock it off by hitting the bar in your socket set when on the nut of course with an hammer, its not a big bar and leverage you need its the shock, ive got a compressor in the garage but its not powerful enough hence I take the bike to the tyre place up the road and that method hasnt failed yet.