Steering head bearings

[masonmart]

Can anybody tell me the number of bearings in the top and bottom races? I have a set which I believe is 38 but heard that the split may not be equal.

Can anybody help with volume and grade of fork oil?

Best wishes

[e3steve]

CB: 38 is correct. I'd imagine 19 per race, but I have tapers so I can't comment authoritatively.

I use Tellus 32 hydraulic oil -- 200cc in each leg after draining or 220cc after stripping & rebuilding -- and my CB fork action is lovely compared to previously. I'm riding in 35ºC-plus temperatures.

[cknight]

If it's a CB or CL, due to the different diameter races, there are 18 for the top race, and 19 for the bottom. Not sure about CA's. Regards, Chase

[MBellRacing]

I know this is an ancient topic, but I am about to reassemble my CB's steering head. From the parts on dis-assembly, it seems I have 39 bearings... how? I found one ball in the frame before I sent it out for powder coating, I figured it was one that I dropped on accident, but I guess it could be from a previous owner's rebuild. Was there ever a head that carried 39 bearings?

[e3steve]

Was there ever a head that carried 39 bearings?

TMK the steering head remained unchanged throughout production, as did the entire frame; the only exceptions being:

• '61 frame had shorter, flattened-tube aft seat-mount slots ('62> had welded lugs on the ends of the tubes)
  Some markets' frames had rear winker mounts tacked close to the upper rear shock mounts

[MBellRacing]

Okay thanks. Must have been a leftover from a previous owner's rebuild. What other things are different on the '61? My neighbor mentioned that he thinks mine is a stolen '61, re-VINned as a '63 (re-registered in 1962 officially-- so stolen a LONG time ago). Any easy way to tell? My frame does have flattened seat mounts as you described.

[e3steve]

5-digit frame number, starting CB72 (77) - 1XXXX?