You can leave the top triple on.

It's basically the same as preloading a wheel bearing.

You'll need a pin spanner to fit the 'nut'.
IIRC, one of our sponsors makes a nice one.

The center pinch bolt on the triple acts as the locknut.
Be very careful to get full engagement of the allen driver into the head of the pinch bolt.
The head is shallow, it's a 5mm hex, and the access is not so good.

You can adjust it up on a Pitbull front stand, but you can't get a 'feel' for the bearing drag due to the triple rotating on the stand.

 

so it's basically a matter of loosening the 5mm allen pinch bolt, and then using a pin wrench to tighten that silver cap thing on the top triple to tighten up the slack in the bearings, Then just tightening up the 5mm pinch bolt again?

Sort of like this picture?

 

Can't see the pic from *this* computer, but your description is correct.

If you want to be totally correct with it, you loosen the pinch bolts on the fork legs too, and bonk the triple down snug to the nut after adjusting, then tighten all three pinch bolts.

 

Can't see the pic from *this* computer, but your description is correct.

If you want to be totally correct with it, you loosen the pinch bolts on the fork legs too, and bonk the triple down snug to the nut after adjusting, then tighten all three pinch bolts.

I think that's the only way you'll get anything to move.

If the ends of both triples are clamped to the tubes the center won't move unless you "bend" the top triple.

Since I don't get the airplane thread I could be wrong. ;D

 

On my 99 750 there is a notched ring that is threaded and is underneath the top triple. You would need to access said ring to preload the bearings, the nut on top of the top triple will not accomplish this. I am suprised by this rudementary setup as there is no real way to lock in the adjustment other than pressure from the top triple with aformentioned nut.

 

I think you guys are getting confused between the early and late style.

This is what the late model 'nut' looks like (ignore the red arrow):

The inside is threaded, tightening it with a spanner in the holes preloads the head bearings.

The upper triple has hole bored in it that fits tightly around the nut, and a slot and a pinch bolt (again, ignore the arrows):

Youse guys have the slotted ring nut under the triple, and a big bolt that pushes the triple down against the ring nut.

 

I think you guys are getting confused between the early and late style.

This is what the late model 'nut' looks like (ignore the red arrow):


The inside is threaded, tightening it with a spanner in the holes preloads the head bearings.

The upper triple has hole bored in it that fits tightly around the nut, and a slot and a pinch bolt (again, ignore the arrows):



Youse guys have the slotted ring nut under the triple, and a big bolt that pushes the triple down against the ring nut.

I think you're right.

 

I think you guys are getting confused between the early and late style.

This is what the late model 'nut' looks like (ignore the red arrow):

The inside is threaded, tightening it with a spanner in the holes preloads the head bearings.

The upper triple has hole bored in it that fits tightly around the nut, and a slot and a pinch bolt (again, ignore the arrows):

Youse guys have the slotted ring nut under the triple, and a big bolt that pushes the triple down against the ring nut.

Could I ditch the threaded ring and use one of these instead?
I have a cyclecat DTC-6.
Would the steerers be different? i.e. diameter? thread pitch?

 

Could I ditch the threaded ring and use one of these instead?
I have a cyclecat DTC-6.
Would the steerers be different? i.e. diameter? thread pitch?

Nope, steering head on the earlier bikes is a different diameter