K11 Owners Group

[Thedodge]

I reckon that the bearings need to be replaced. The bike has covered 57,000 miles. I noticed today when rocking the bike to get it off the centre stand some "loseness" and an accompanying sound. I've got to strip it down to inspect so i might as well fit a new set of bearings in the process. Gonna be about 30 quid for the parts. Had a look in the clymer manual which talks about pressing out the steering stem from the lower yoke and a circlip underneath, had a look - no circlip on mine. Does anyone please have any advice on the job, and possibly a link to a web guide? I have to say that i find the clymer manual disappointing to say the least. I believe there is a Haynes for the 1100. Is it any better and easier to follow than the clymer? Thanks.
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K1100 lt 97'

[robleyd]

There is an online version of the genuine manual - see http://k11og.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4715 for links. It is about 8Mb so not much to download unless you are on dialup.
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David, owner of:
1996 K1100 LT

[DaveVoorhis]

I've done this. Some hints:

Knock the lower race out of the frame with a hammer and long drift. A threaded rod works well.

The upper race is a bit of a beast to get out of the frame. There's a BMW puller, and maybe a standard race puller, that apparently makes the job easy. Not having one, I notched the race with a Dremel, heated the frame slightly with a torch and pried at it until it split and popped out.

The inner race on the adjuster was easy to knock off. I notched the inner race on the steering tube with a Dremel until it split and fell off.

When putting the upper and lower outer races back in the frame, put the races in the freezer overnight. Heat the frame slightly with a torch, then the frozen races practically drop in but be ready with a hammer and drift (old bearing race or big socket works for this) to send them home.

Put the steering tube and adjuster in the freezer over night, and lightly play a flame on the inner races/bearing and they'll literally drop into place onto the steering tube and adjuster.

You'll need to make a tension adjustment tool out of a piece of copper pipe. The instructions are somewhere on the Web -- I forget where. I'm sure someone will chime in with that.

Make sure you really need to do this job. Some looseness might just mean you need to do some adjustment. See above re "tension adjustment tool". If your races are heavily notched like mine were, then it's replacement time, of course.
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'93 K1100RS
Dave #3

[gladstone]

Hi,

I had exactly the same symptoms on my LT and planned to replace them. However, I found it was just solidified grease - the head races were still perfectly smooth. I disassembled and Gunk'd the bearings, and then simply repacked them with new grease.

The steering is now perfectly smooth, gently 'flops' to one side when on the centre stand, and has no knocks or vertical movement.

If I'd of had to remove the races, I'd have probably used the long bolt with a big washer bolted to it, and a good whack from underneath.

Good luck.
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1993 K1100LT (x2!)
1998 R1100R - gone
1994 R1100GS - gone
1990 K100RS 16V - gone

[DaveVoorhis]

[tibbe]

Another way to get the outher bearrings are to weld a plate to the rings and tap them out.
Lower inner ring comes out with a pair of screwdrivers tapped from each side of the lower tripple clamp.
PS. have a check for cracks on the fairing support frame while you are there.
Happy wrenching.

[Tim (Midland Section)]

FFS don't forget to refit the tin cover BEFORE replacing the bottom bearing on the shaft.
There is NO Haynes for the 1100, not enough made to be financially viable (in their opinion).
I put the race inners in the oven @ 200 C, IMHO kinder than a flame.
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Regards Tim,

Grey haired riders don't get that way by pure luck
1996 Guzzi Cali3 LAPD
1972 750 Commando
G6HRN
#485