Wobbly steering, stem locknut won't move

[biggersm]

I have the usual problems, wobbly handle bars at low speed (no problem at high speed).

I followed instructions in the repair manual (as well as posted on this site in many previous posts). I put the bike on the center stand, raised the front wheel with a jack, loosened the stem head nut, four bolts on the lower clamp bolts (triple tree bolts) and was successful in getting the stem lock nut about 30 degrees tighter. The stem lock nut notch is now at about the 11:00 position (I don't know why Kawasaki didn't put more notches on that; maybe to sell more stem nut wrenches?). I can't move the stem lock nut any more. I have tried to use a shock spanner wrench to atempt coming around from the other side but that doesn't work either. Is there such a thing as 100% tight?

I did pull the battery for better access; the only thing I didn't do is pull the fairing apart. I don't know if that would help. If I get into that sort of major surgery than I might as well order some new pannels to replace the cracked plastic down by my vents too (you guessed it; didn't clean up good enough after changing the brake fluid).

One of these days I may pry a crow bar into my wallet and fess up the coin for a superbrace!

In the meantime does anyone have any idea as to how to get the stem lock nut aroud some more?

[carl leo]

mike, under the nut is an O ring that can get wedged preventing the nut from tightening, try spraying a lubricant under the nut, the easiest way to do this is to lift the upper fork tree and taking the nut loose.

[biggersm]

Hi Carl

Thanks for the info. You are as reliable a source as can be found in all Voyager land! We will look into it soon.