TT250 Steering Stem Bearing Adjustment

This maintenance tutorial addresses TT250 steering stem bearing adjustment.

The concept here is to adjust the steering stem adjustor nut and the steering stem bolt such that there is no free play in the steering stem bearings, but not make them too tight.

You only need to do this if there is free play in the steering stem bearings, or if the bearings are adjusted too tight.  Sometimes you can detect this by applying the front brake when coming to a stop, or by rocking the bike back and forth with the front brake applied.  If you hear or feel clicking in the front end, it is likely you need to adjust the steering stem bearings.

The best way to test for appropriate steering stem bearing adjustment is to put the bike on a lift to get the front wheel off the ground.   Once the wheel is off the ground, grab the front forks near the front axle and pull the front end back and forth.  If you feel any play and hear the steering stem bearings clicking, the steering stem bearings are too loose.   Next, turn the front wheel from left to right and from right to left.  If you feel too much resistance (it’s a subjective assessment), the steering stem bearings are too tight.

Note that in the photos below, we show the fuel tank, the seat, and the rear body panels removed.  You don’t need to remove these components for this maintenance activity.  We had a TT250 with the panels removed for the other maintenance tutorials, and we left the bike in that configuration for this tutorial.

If your assessment indicates the steering stem bearings require adjustment, loosen the upper triple tree pinch bolts on the left and the right side of the motorcycle.  You don’t need to remove the bolts; you only need to loosen them.  The intent is to allow the upper triple tree to move with respect to the fork legs.  The upper triple tree pinch bolts take a 10mm wrench.

Loosen the steering stem bolt. It takes a 22mm wrench.   You don’t need to remove the handlebars to do this, but it is a tight fit for the wrench if you do not.  In this tutorial, we did not remove the handlebars.

Use a spanner to either tighten or loosen the steering stem adjustor nut.   You’ll want to tighten it if the steering stem bearings are too loose (as indicated by free play or clicking when moving the forks back and forth).  If the forks have too much resistance when turning them from left to right (and vice versa), you’ll want to loosen the steering stem adjustor nut.

After making the adjustment, tighten the steering stem bolt.  If you are a stickler for torque values, tighten it to 50 ft-lbs.   Check the front end of the motorcycle again to make sure the adjustment provides no clicking or movement of the forks when pulling the forks back and forth, and that the steering is not restricted when turning the front end from side to side.   When you are satisfied with the adjustment, tighten the upper triple tree pinch bolts to 10 ft-lbs.