The TL frame has an inner steering sleeve that we need to press out. Since this section of the frame is bolted to the firewall, we don’t need the sleeve, races, or bearings, in the rear. We need it in the front instead.
The inner steering sleeve houses the bearing races and bearings that we’ll need up front.
Press the sleeve out of the TL 1000 frame. We’ll re-install it into a new custom head tube up front.
Machine a new aluminum head tube to accept the inner sleeve of the TL. The material blank is 6.44 in. x 3.5 in. x 3/8 wall round tubing (source: www.onlinemetals.com)
Cut to exactly 6.44 inches long. Machine the top inside to 2.88 inches. Machine the bottom inside to 2.87 inches. Outside OD is 3.5 inches.
HEAD TO CHASSIS. Note: The steering head angle is 23.7 degrees (steel prototype frame seen here).
The new head tube is welded to the “Fork Pass Through Assembly”. Verify that the tube is perfectly aligned. If this tube is located properly, the front forks will not be aligned correctly.
“Fork Pass Through Assembly” (a.k.a. Head Tube Plate) CAD drawing. 3/16 aluminum.
The stock bearings in the TL1000 head tube are surprisingly small. Replace them with more modern aftermarket heavy duty bearings.
In the front: install the new heavy duty bearings and races.
Since we removed the bearing sleeve from the frame, we need to machine some “Bearing Eliminator Plates”.
Top
“Bearing Eliminator Plate”.
Top
“Bearing Eliminator Plate” installed.
