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Swapping R1 Yokes


MonkeyJim

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as discussed here http://pbmagforum.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=28716&pid=554558&st=0&#entry554558 and other places, I've just acquired a set of 5PW [02/03 model] yokes to replace those on my 4XV model.

I looked at a number of options but in the end plumped for OE yokes rather than aftermarket, so I could retain the standard iginition lock, brake resevoir mount, under-yoke plastic deflector thingy, brake hose clip and it looks like the ohlins steering damper fitting should be the same.

so..... a few questions for the PB massif:

[1] any advice on how to remove the security bolts that hold the ignition barrel onto the existing top yoke?

[2] the new yokes came without any bearings. Just guessing here but presumably I can use the existing ones - I'm hoping they are the same size - although they are the originals they've been well looked after and are perfectly fine.

[3] or should I take the opportunity to upgrade the original head bearings to some [better? taper roller bearings]?

any & all advice gratefully received. ta muchly

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Just did this swap on mine last year - forks too.

To be precise Mark at M&M did it for me, whilst I tried to lend a hand (or got in the way, depending on how you look at it).

1 - The security bolts had the heads removed with a drill, which allowed the barrel to be removed. We just used standard bolts for re-fitting to new yokes.

2 - I think they should fit, but........

3 - Yes this is what we did whilst we had it all apart. Seemed to make sense as although mine seemed ok, it didn't cost that much extra.

Hope that helps a bit. PM Mark (Marcaztls) if you need more info, I'm sure he'll be happy to help.

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as discussed here http://pbmagforum.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=28716&pid=554558&st=0&#entry554558 and other places, I've just acquired a set of 5PW [02/03 model] yokes to replace those on my 4XV model.

I looked at a number of options but in the end plumped for OE yokes rather than aftermarket, so I could retain the standard iginition lock, brake resevoir mount, under-yoke plastic deflector thingy, brake hose clip and it looks like the ohlins steering damper fitting should be the same.

so..... a few questions for the PB massif:

[1] any advice on how to remove the security bolts that hold the ignition barrel onto the existing top yoke?

[2] the new yokes came without any bearings. Just guessing here but presumably I can use the existing ones - I'm hoping they are the same size - although they are the originals they've been well looked after and are perfectly fine.

[3] or should I take the opportunity to upgrade the original head bearings to some [better? taper roller bearings]?

any & all advice gratefully received. ta muchly

[1] Drill a 5mm hole in the centre of the head and hammer a 6mm torx bit in (this does work), or you can drill the heads to remove them and remove the rest of the bolt using mole grips or pliers. Use heat before you try and undo the bolts though :)

[2] & [3] For the sake of £30, why not fit new bearings anyway? It'll be one less job that'll need to be done in the future.

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[2] the new yokes came without any bearings. Just guessing here but presumably I can use the existing ones - I'm hoping they are the same size - although they are the originals they've been well looked after and are perfectly fine.

[3] or should I take the opportunity to upgrade the original head bearings to some [better? taper roller bearings]?

(2) - no you can't, because if, as implied by (3), the OE bearings are full-complement angular-contact ball bearings, as soon as you take it apart you will scatter the balls to the four corners of your garage. :D

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Just did this swap on mine last year - forks too.To be precise Mark at M&M did it for me, whilst I tried to lend a hand (or got in the way, depending on how you look at it).1 - The security bolts had the heads removed with a drill, which allowed the barrel to be removed. We just used standard bolts for re-fitting to new yokes.2 - I think they should fit, but........3 - Yes this is what we did whilst we had it all apart. Seemed to make sense as although mine seemed ok, it didn't cost that much extra.Hope that helps a bit. PM Mark (Marcaztls) if you need more info, I'm sure he'll be happy to help.

Phil - thanks - a PM has been sent. How did you find it, once the swap was done?

[1] Drill a 5mm hole in the centre of the head and hammer a 6mm torx bit in (this does work), or you can drill the heads to remove them and remove the rest of the bolt using mole grips or pliers. Use heat before you try and undo the bolts though :)[2] & [3] For the sake of £30, why not fit new bearings anyway? It'll be one less job that'll need to be done in the future.

cheers for the advice. I think you're right it makes sense to fit new bearings on the new yokes....

(2) - no you can't, because if, as implied by (3), the OE bearings are full-complement angular-contact ball bearings, as soon as you take it apart you will scatter the balls to the four corners of your garage. :D

...before ^^^^^this^^^^^ happens

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Difficult one for me to comment on with any great authority, as I'm neither the fastest or most analytical of riders, but I'll try to as best as I can.

I can't comment on the yoke swap in isolation, as the two changes were made at the same time. I also haven't been on track with the bike this year, so can't comment what the changes feel like when pushing on above road speeds, although I do ride reasonably fast on the road.

What I can say is that the bike does hold a line better on the road when pushing on a bit. I suspect this will even more noticable on track, where I always used to feel I was fighting to hold the line I wanted, or compromising my line / speed slightly from the optimum. The steering will still slap when hard on the gas on bumpier surfaces, but less so than it used to. I have the sprint damper set a couple of notches lower than last year.

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  • 1 month later...

ok an update.

having acquired some 5PW yokes and dispatched them to Mr Mark White of M&M for some new taper roller bearings to suit, I had a quick razz up the A1 to Stamford to get the yokes swapped.

and it's just as well i did because not only did he do a superbly professional job, removing the security bolts from my existing yoke turned out to be a right bugger of a job, even for Mark! I'd have been well stuck.

the R1 goes up on the bench, bellypan off

IMG00222-20110701-0917.jpg

a couple of scissor jacks under the sump to get the front end up

IMG00223-20110701-0928.jpg

original yokes out

IMG00225-20110701-0957.jpg

followed by the head bearing outer races from the headstock

IMG00226-20110701-0957.jpg

new taper roller headbearings on the steering stem and in the frame

IMG00227-20110701-1013.jpg

then came the job of removing the security bolts from the 4XV yoke, to allow the ignition barrel over to the 5PW top yoke - I'd already got some new shear bolts for the job.

well it turned out to be a right battle. even a Snap-On easy-out snapped in the process! after much effort one bolt came out but the other wouldn't budge at all, Mark had to resort to the die grinder [like a giant dentist's drill, sounds like one too] to inflict some damage.

IMG00231-20110701-1054.jpg

eventually it gave in and we discovered the reason why it wouldn't budge - there was more threadlock on it than eithe of us had ever seen before! The ignition barrel has never been touched before so that's how it came from the factory.

anyway with the job jobbed, the ignition barrel was swapped over to the 5pw top yoke and Mark started putting it all back together. he even fitted a new brake hose bracket as the 4XV one wouldn't swap over.

which gave me chance to have a wander and take some pics [apologies for the phone pics]

PB project Mito

IMG00220-20110701-0916.jpg

PB project Blade

IMG00221-20110701-0917.jpg

a rather delicious swingarm attached to a very trick R1

IMG00224-20110701-0941.jpg

and PB Project Trumpet

IMG00230-20110701-1027.jpg

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Splu-fucking-oink.

You should read the thread about it over on the r1 forum, I think it's up to just over 100 pages now :icon_bounce:

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You should read the thread about it over on the r1 forum, I think it's up to just over 100 pages now :icon_bounce:

link please, or it didnt happen.

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yes, but what does it ride like now?!

it's better!!

first impressions were, it just felt like the steering had got slower.

but that was on the run back down the A1 to home and I didn't really have time to go for a proper ride.

but last weekend I managed to get in about 50 miles on some of my favourite local roads.

and the difference is noticeable, and interesting. The steering isn't any slower, just... nicerer

difficult to describe exactly but it just feels better - more planted and stable, and I think that gives the impression the steering has got slower as a result.

overall I'm impressed so far but need to get some more miles in on the road and also a trackday to really check the difference

oh and an unexpected Brucey Bonus: my steering damper now sits straight across, at 90deg to the frame.

I've got the ohlins fitting kit for my damper, rather than the Harris one, and the damper mounts to the RHS top yoke and to a triangular ally bracket which fits to the petrol tank front mount. Previously, the damper had always sat at an angle. Now due to the change in trail it sits perfecctly perpendicular to the frame. which is good for my OCD.

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so are wheel spacers etc. the same or have you had to fabricate new ones, might be tempted to do this to mine if it improves the ride as mine is flighty when pushing on over surface changes and the like

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Everythings the same but if you've got a harris fitting kit it doesn't fit the yoke properly .

After I changed mine over the skittish-ness had gone and feels really planted :)

I went from using half the clicks on the damper to having it at a bit less than a quarter turn

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If you lot cant find 5pw yokes I'm using 5vy ones from an 06 on mine, similar results to whats mentioned above. Seems to be more of them kicking about!

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so are wheel spacers etc. the same or have you had to fabricate new ones, might be tempted to do this to mine if it improves the ride as mine is flighty when pushing on over surface changes and the like

I only changed the yokes - my original 4xv forks, wheels, mudguard spindle & spacers are all unchanged.

the plastic under-yoke deflector thingy fits to the 5PW bottom yoke - the only new bit needed was the brake hose clamp; the 4xv clamp won't swap over to the 5pw bottom yoke.

i spy a set of upside down forks on the triumph!!!! off the honda that has no forks maybe???

well spotted, yes I think Mark said they had come off the Blade and had gone in with relatively little fuss

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i am usually oblivious as a mofo too!

i moved my forks through the yokes by 8 mm and have a sprint damper on my 5jj. i recently went to a 190/55 rear and the initial turn in is ossum but the trade off is that she wiggles quite a but then i am transferring my weight from one side to the other. i also ride roads that have loads of crests. this is a mod that i need to think about but just cannot afford! AAAARrrgghh! :eusa_wall:

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yeah with 8mm I'm not surprised!

I think most people run somewhere from 4-10mm, so you're getting towards the upper end of the scale.

after a bit of experimenting I ended up with 5mm and that was enough for me. Though now I have changed the yokes I might re-vist this, although next step will most likely be to play about with adding some rear ride height.

if you do end up changing the the yokes you'll need to do something about your sprint damper as the 4xv top yoke bit won't fit after the swap.

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  • 3 months later...

just did a trackday at the weekend, my first since changing to the 5PW yokes.

wow, what an improvement. Really makes a big difference, the bike holds a much better line and the old tendency to run wide in corners has gone.

if you've got a 4XV or 5JJ model R1, I'd really recommend making the change, it's a vast improvement :thumbsup:

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just did a trackday at the weekend, my first since changing to the 5PW yokes.

wow, what an improvement. Really makes a big difference, the bike holds a much better line and the old tendency to run wide in corners has gone.

if you've got a 4XV or 5JJ model R1, I'd really recommend making the change, it's a vast improvement :thumbsup:

Pretty sure that's what we told you :thumbsup:

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Good timing this, I just fitted mine on Saturday after a bout of powdercoating and getting the ignition barrel threads sorted. Not had a chance to get out on it yet.

On another note, them steering head bearings take some seating dont they!?

Glad its living up to your expectations, I really hope I find it an improvement.

Andy

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Good timing this, I just fitted mine on Saturday after a bout of powdercoating and getting the ignition barrel threads sorted. Not had a chance to get out on it yet.

On another note, them steering head bearings take some seating dont they!?

Glad its living up to your expectations, I really hope I find it an improvement.

Andy

I'm sure you will, Andy. It's a bit weird at first because it just feels like the steering has been slowed down.

No, I haven't found that with the head bearings. The ones Mark put in for me were taper roller bearings instead of the oe caged ball type.

I haven't needed to adjust them once since they were fitted.

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