Steering Head Bearings

Information on forks/springers/shocks
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Tudelum48
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Bikes: 1950 Harley Hydraglide
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Steering Head Bearings

#1

Post by Tudelum48 »

I have another question for the guru's. It was my understanding for my 50 panhead it uses 07100 bearings and 07196 races? When I removed them it had 07100 top bearing 07196 race and bottom bearing L44643 bottom bearing and 07196 race. I read that the L44643 bearing was used in later models?
Any ideas?
Do I use the 07100/07196 top and bottom?
1950Panhead
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Re: Steering Head Bearings

#2

Post by 1950Panhead »

49 to 59 use 48300-49
http://www.ebay.com/itm/48300-49-Harley ... Uw&vxp=mtr
60 to 65 use different bearings which don't work.
Timken and others make these, they have their ownpart numbers.
Bigincher
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Re: Steering Head Bearings

#3

Post by Bigincher »

Tudelum48 wrote:...... Do I use the 07100/07196 top and bottom?
Yes, those numbers are for the correct Timken bearing and race for models 1949-59. Top and bottom are the same, use the same races and bearings.
Sometimes you'll take the forks off a bike, and the race falls out of the bearing cup. That's because the wrong race or bearing cups are being used. They changed in 1960. The early race measures 1.969 and the later race measures 1.980. Sometimes people inadvertently put an early race in, not knowing it's a later cup, which is about .010" larger inner diameter, so the race is loose in the cup. The early cups are 3/8 tall and the later cups are slightly taller, at 27/64".
The differences in the early and late cups are barely noticeable.
Timken bearings are still (mostly) made in the USA, and is etched right on the bearing and race. Do you see "Made in USA" on the eBay offering as shown above? No. That's because they are Chinese. Buy Timken bearings and races, you can't go wrong.
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