steering squeak

[Cdalecannibal440]

We have a 2001 Honda Rancher 350ES and we have something wrong with the steering. When you turn the handle bars its pretty stiff and its makes a loud squeak and it seems to be coming from just below the handle bars where the steering stem goes down. Whats down there that could be screwed up? is it a seal? something adjustable? what goin wrong cause I have no idea lol

[stoopidbot]

There are bearings that allow your steering stem to turn freely. They are at the very bottom where the tie rods connect.(at least on the sport quads) There should also be a clamp just below your bar clamps, this holds the stem to the frame up top. Check and see if you got any junk in there.

[raptor8]

bearings and/or bushings in there, check a parts guide for your exact model and see what's in there.
bushings: TriFlow spray, it's awesome!
bearings: Remove, repack/replace and reinstall.
It should not be tough to move; has someone flipped it and bent the steering shaft? are the handlebars bent?
In a wreck, first the bars bend, then the steering shaft. Bars= cheap/ steering shaft= not cheap.
Sounds like you'll be removing the steering shaft anyway, so roll it across the floor and see if it is bent.
good luck with this, let us know what's up.

[justin_o_guy]

Id get the front off the ground & Eyeball into the area in question & work the tires back & forth & see if I could isolate the area the problem is.
Did it develop slowly or was it just "There" one day? If it was slow onset, Id look at bearings. If it was just There one day, Id go hunting some kind of crap stuck in it somewhere.