T500 steering head bearing replacement

[petermbooth]

Greetings all. I don't think I've posted here before because up until now I've gotten the info I've needed successfully from the T500 Facebook group. I've had this BBS in my backpocket since February in case I needed it, and now I do.

I have a 1970 T500 that I'm building into a racebike to race in NH in the US. I started out trying to find replacement traces for my steering head bearings but soon learned that the proper move was to replace them with tapered bearings. My problem now is that I can't figure out what size tapered bearings to fit.
I have done a little data gathering and I've discovered the following things about the steering head bearings in my bike.
1.) The upper and lower bearings are definitely different sizes.
2.) I measured the upper ones and I'm 99% sure they are ID: 27mm and OD: 48mm. I don't have a measurement on the lower ones.
3.) My bike was manufactured in December 1969 and has VIN#T500-25230.

My hope is that with that information someone here can tell me what tapered bearings to buy in order to replace my steering head bearings which, while not completely shot, a significantly pitted and need replacement.

Any help would be MASSIVELY appreciated at this point!!

Peter Booth
Jericho, VT USA

[Powderfinger]

I just put tapered bearings in the bike I am building. All Balls has a kit, there is a small amount of lathe work that needs to be done to your stem. It could probably even be done with a grinder but there is a shoulder that needs to go about 10mm farther down the stem.

[jabcb]

The All Balls bearing info: http://www.allballsracing.com/22-1005.html
The steering stem mod: http://www.allballsracing.com/media/ins ... emmod2.pdf

[parksie]

I have put tapered bearings in my T500s and did NOT have to do any lathe work on the stem. Do NOT get the bearings for a GT500 they are different sizes. If you get the same as the early Kawasaki Triple 500, they are a perfect fit.

cheers
Bob

[diamondj]

I have put tapered bearings in my T500s and did NOT have to do any lathe work on the stem. Do NOT get the bearings for a GT500 they are different sizes. If you get the same as the early Kawasaki Triple 500, they are a perfect fit.

cheers
Bob

THIS!! Or search out a GT500 triple clamp assembly and get the all balls kit. Then you can use a set of 35mm internal spring forks versus the 34mm external spring stockers.

You going to run with USCRA?