Tapered steering bearings

When installing the tapered steering bearings, what will I get rid of? I know the races have to be removed & the cones aren't needed.
On the bottom of the steering stem there is a washer & o-ring. Do I keep the washer & o-ring, or does that stuff go? Thanks.

1981 KZ650-H1 CSR --- frame . >>> races, bearings, top cone, cap, locknut, waver washer, washer, steering head bolt.

1981 KZ650-H1 CSR --- front fork . >>> bottom >>> cone, washer & oil seal.

You get rid of pretty much everything. The new kit should have everything you need, assuming it's complete. That said, when installing new tapered rollers into my 750 I had to add one extra seal on the top because the All Balls kit I bought didn't have provisions. It took a bit of jury rigging but figured it out. The stock bearing was shielded on top but not sealed with a rubber lip, but I fixed that.

Thanks. Does the bottom tapered bearing have a seal or o-ring of some sort?

The seal is located just below the bearing on the triple clamp.

The stock oil seal fits on a washer, so you keep those two, then?
Or are you saying the bearing kit has a seal.
In the photo at Z1Enterprises I'm not sure what all I'm looking at. doh.

Looking at the Z1 Kz650 bearing page, one of those washer w/seals goes under the bearing on the steering stem and the other sits on top of the top bearing.

Thanks. I couldn't tell for sure what those were. looks so obvious now. :blush:

Z1Ent --- Steering bearing kit w oil seals --- AB22-1014 . >>> 30 x 52 x 17 (lower) & 30 x 48 x 14 (upper) >>> KZ650 et al

On my bike the rubber lip of the top washer/seal contacted the top edge of the frame steering neck, it didn't fit inside the frame like it does on the bottom.

So did you have to trim the seal to make it fit?
Is the top seal really needed? I would prefer to have a seal there, but just wondering since Kawasaki didn't have one at the top.

Martin, I debacled my way through the bearing install for my 750. I wound up with two different All Ball's kits, as well as the Kawasaki top bearing and shield part, neither of which I used.

First off I installed the top bearing on the lower steering stem. Oops. That's why I ordered the second All Ball's kit.

So I fixed that and proceed to install the upper bearing only there was no seal. I wasn't happy about that so I started ordering the OEM Kawasaki parts figuring they would be better only I couldn't figure them out either (still no seal).

A bit of fussing stumbled on the fact that the lower seal, when installed over the top bearing, resulted in the rubber lip contacting the top of the frame. Call it dumb luck. At any rate, after figuring this out I installed everything and called it done.

The photo of the kit from Z1 shows that they seem to have a seal now. I don't remember that when I did my bike a few years back. Hopefully everything you need will be in that kit. If not, you may have to find a second lower seal for the top. I think the frame dimensions are such that the lower seal fits inside on the bottom but just contacts the frame on top.

Good luck

Okay, thanks. Something that confused me was that the first couple of steering bearing kits I saw didn't show the seals. Then I didn't really look at the other kits very carefully. just a quick glance.

without the oil seals.
Z1Ent --- Steering bearing kit --- KL31-5834. . Mfg part # SSK400

I replaced the ball bearings with an All Balls kit about 6 months ago. I gave myself the opportunity to do it twice since I installed the kit and left the top seal sitting on the workbench. Gaaaaa!