KX Riders

Maintenance & Technical => KX500 Original => Topic started by: no sub for cubes on May 24, 2010, 05:29:03 AM

Title: steering stem removal
Post by: no sub for cubes on May 24, 2010, 05:29:03 AM
Im changing the forks on my 88 500 over to 98 250 usd`s,ive already got the matching yokes but need to change the stem over to my 500,im assuming the stem can be pressed out but can anybody tell me which way to press it from the bottom of the lower yoke upwards or press on the top of the stem down?



                                     any help always appreciated
                                                   
                                                     :-D
Title: Re: steering stem removal
Post by: RoostDaddy on May 24, 2010, 08:07:52 AM
Its been so long but I think my stem was pressed from the bottom up.  I know on my drag race front-end, I had to bore out the clamps for my stem to fit.  Not sure the size difference between the 500/250. 
Title: Re: steering stem removal
Post by: no sub for cubes on May 24, 2010, 08:52:51 AM
well thats what i was thinking.pressed up but after a bit of research on the net it suggests the stem is pressed down,well this seems to be the case for gixers r1`s anyway.the 250 stem is bigger alas the swap but looks the same diameter where it goes into the bottom clamp,i`ll be able to see if i can get it pressed out.
Title: Re: steering stem removal
Post by: don46 on May 24, 2010, 09:33:15 AM
to remove the stem from your existing triple clamp, you press it down, through the bearing and bottom clamp. There is a wire circlip on the stem, when you press it into the clamp it prevents the stem from moving up.
Title: Re: steering stem removal
Post by: no sub for cubes on May 25, 2010, 05:05:56 AM
thanks for the replys,i took it inot work today and tried to press it out but it never moved not enough poundage,so i will have to take it to a engineering company and see if they can budge it using a hydraulic press.
Title: Re: steering stem removal
Post by: RoostDaddy on May 25, 2010, 08:20:03 AM
to remove the stem from your existing triple clamp, you press it down, through the bearing and bottom clamp. There is a wire circlip on the stem, when you press it into the clamp it prevents the stem from moving up.
Thanks for correcting me Don.  As I said its been a while.
Title: Re: steering stem removal
Post by: barryadam on May 25, 2010, 11:16:20 AM
thanks for the replys,i took it inot work today and tried to press it out but it never moved not enough poundage,so i will have to take it to a engineering company and see if they can budge it using a hydraulic press.

You can always use the different thermal expansion coefficients of aluminum and steel to help you.  (heat the lower triple clamp, cool the stem)
Title: Re: steering stem removal
Post by: BDI on May 25, 2010, 11:36:46 AM
It should just press out with a hydrolic press. be sure to grease it when you press it back together and check the size with a dial caliper. I had one that was 0.04 bigger then the one that came out and it would not press in although it looked identical to the damaged one that came out.
Title: Re: steering stem removal
Post by: no sub for cubes on May 26, 2010, 05:03:53 AM
cheers guys i`ll take it to somewhere with a hydroulic press over the weekend and see what happens,i will be sure to  check the sizes bdi cheers,let you know what the outcome is thanks for the responses  :-)
Title: Re: steering stem removal
Post by: no sub for cubes on June 01, 2010, 07:30:44 AM
well got the stems pressed out at last but the 500 stem is smaller than the 250 so its loose in the 250 bottom clamp  :?....anybody throw some light on a soloution?the 98 250 forks were a bargain at ?20 but with all the adapting involved im starting to wish id held out for a pair of post 90 500 forks and tripple clamps,could be more trouble than its worth  :oops:
Title: Re: steering stem removal
Post by: meangreen500 on June 01, 2010, 01:46:48 PM
I did that swap for a friend of mine. We used a newer 500 stem and had a bushing made for the top clamp 2.25 mm and used the older 500 bearing on top. It worked good he loves the forks.