STEERING problems

[jimartina]

Ok so here it goes, I bought this bike and it ran ok. However it is HARD to turn front wheel back to dead center. I bought and replaced the stearing bearings/dust covers. It now turns smoother but still hard to go back to dead center. Could the shaft be bent? it looked straight upon inspection.

EDIT: sorry bike is a 1999 gz250 greenish/teal color.

[Sarris]

A bent steering shaft is possible, but kind of unlikely. Did you check it with a straight edge?

I would suggest that you download the service manual here on site and adjust the steering head pre-load meticulously to manual specs.

My GeeZer is a little heavy coming back to center off of full stop, but not tight. Is it possible that is the (non) problem?

:)

[jimartina]

You may be on to something. I will bust out the tourqe wrench when I get home. I hadn't thought of that as a problem for the "tight" steering. Makes alot of sense TY

[dentheman]

If you still think there is a problem after torqueing, jack the bike up enough to get the front wheel off the ground then check to see if there is still some binding when turning from side to side. Check for control cables binding, and I guess it is possible something could be bent from a front end collision.

[mrlmd1]

Just for the heck of it, check your tire pressure. Real soft tires (low pressure) can make steering a little difficult too.

[bonehead]

Just for the heck of it, check your tire pressure. Real soft tires (low pressure) can make steering a little difficult too.
:plus1: :plus1:

[jimartina]

Thanks for the ideas. I have new tires that will be here Wednesday and after I get the tires aired up properly I will see if it made a diff and report back. Thanks again.

[alantf]

Thanks for the ideas. I have new tires that will be here Wednesday and after I get the tires aired up properly I will see if it made a diff and report back. Thanks again.

Why not - just for the hell of it - let us know what the pressure is NOW? Might give us more insight into the problem at THIS moment in time. :2tup:

[Water Warrior 2]

Thanks for the ideas. I have new tires that will be here Wednesday and after I get the tires aired up properly I will see if it made a diff and report back. Thanks again.

Why not - just for the hell of it - let us know what the pressure is NOW? Might give us more insight into the problem at THIS moment in time. :2tup:
There'as a plan. Why didn't I think of that. Good call Alantf.

[jimartina]

OK so here is what we KNOW so far. Tires pressure front=25lbs Rear=28lbs. it appears that the owners manual calls for those pressures. However the tires that are on it call for front=35 rear 40. SO I added air to front and back to front=33lbs and rear 38lbs. STEERS MUCH easier. I DID NOT loosen the steering stem nut yet. NEW tires getting mounted and balanced today. Will post pics after tires and wheels are back on and bike is scrubed down and shined up.
EDIT: fyi purchased kenda tires off ebay after researching tires on here.

[alantf]

However the tires that are on it call for front=35 rear 40.

Are you QUITE sure that these figures aren't the MAXIMUM that these tyres are designed to take. Check out the plate on the left of the bike, under the chain guard. This tells you what Suzuki recommends. I know that I certainly wouldn't want to ride with pressures that high. :cry:

[Easy Rider]

However the tires that are on it call for front=35 rear 40.

No they don't.

Those pressures listed ON THE TIRE are the maximum safe operating pressure for the tire.......and has no bearing on the PROPER pressure in this application.

If you exceed the Suzuki recommended pressure by more than 3-4 lbs, the ride will be rough, your contact patch will be smaller (less traction) and the tire will wear out quicker in a stripe right down the middle. NOT GOOD.

Seems like I remember running 28 front and 30 rear but it's best to go by the sticker on the swing arm or chain guard and not go more than 3-4 lbs higher.

[Viirin]

Man that's high pressure - 2 days ago i put my front tire up to the Suzuki recommended pressure and it was like riding on glass - really didn't feel safe because the bike was steering too easily so i took it down a notch - what are you measuring the pressure in? ppsi or bars or what?

[mrlmd1]

Are the recommendations for tire pressures by Suzuki applicable to every tire manufactured, or do different manufacturer's recommendations because of different formulations of sidewall construction and tread have anything to do with it? What is being said is that ALL tires should be inflated to Suzuki's standards, not to the tire's characteristics per se? Isn't it possible that if his tires were very "soft" because of age or degeneration of sidewall cords, that couldn't have contributed to hard steering, as evidenced by the fact it got easier when they were inflated to a higher pressure? I always found my bike to be squirelly or squirmy on the road if the tire pressure was low, and that's one way to find out that they are low. Just curious.

[bonehead]

The only max pressure I saw was the mounting and seating the bead max pressure. It read do not inflate over 40 psi to seat bead. I am currently running owners manual pressure in my new tires and it seems to be fine.

[blaine]

I always found my bike to be squirelly or squirmy on the road if the tire pressure was low, and that's one way to find out that they are low. Just curious.

I always run my tires at 30 psi.If I run them lower I find the handling squirrelly,any higher the ride was rough.I run the same air pressure in my kawasaki as I ran In theG.Z.Rear tire is 140-90/15 the front is a 100-90/19.

:2tup: :roll:

[Water Warrior 2]

Thanks for the ideas. I have new tires that will be here Wednesday and after I get the tires aired up properly I will see if it made a diff and report back. Thanks again.
Once the new tires are on you can experiment with pressures. Lynda's GZ work well with the tires set at 28 front and 33 rear. This was with OEM tires. This was with or without being loaded with gear for travelling. Tire wear was minimal.

[Easy Rider]

Are the recommendations for tire pressures by Suzuki applicable to every tire manufactured, or do different manufacturer's recommendations because of different formulations of sidewall construction and tread have anything to do with it?

Yes and no, in that order.

Tires from different mfg's are not THAT much different and Metzler seems to the the ONLY tire maker that tries to give specific recommendations for tire/bike combinations.

Even Metzler ends up saying: If you don't find your bike in our tire charts, then use the original pressure recommendations.