| Author | Message | ||
     Misterrich |
How much is this going to set me back? It's pretty bad. Squeaking along with the clunk. I don't have any extra cash right now so i cant ride it. Or is it safe to ride? | ||
| Hughlysses |
If you haven't ridden too long with the clunk, this can be corrected by just adjusting the steering head bearings. That's something you can easily do at home with a few tools and a shop manual. If you have ridden it for a while with the clunk, you may have flat-spotted the roller bearing races or rollers, in which case they'll have to be replaced. The parts are probably less than $50, but it's probably a fairly expensive replacement if you pay your dealer to do it. | ||
| Jdugger |
Loosen and then re-torque the bearings first. EVERY one of my 3 1125r has or has had this "problem". The bearings "break in"... perhaps I should say "brake in" because hard braking seems to make the issue show up faster. Loosen and retorque to spec and you are golden again for a while. | ||
| Andros |
Mine clunks as well. What bolt should be loosened/retorqued? Where is that bolt located?! | ||
| Drawkward |
I thought this problem was possibly a fork bearing issue? I'm going to re-torque it this weekend to see if that works. I'm getting sick of freaking hearing it. This shouldn't be happening on a bike with 2500 miles. | ||
| Rsh |
As the front rotor and rotor drive bushings wear, the rotor will clunk as it floats on the bushings. Some people think the forks are making the sound, while holding the front brake and pushing down the forks, it is really the rotor rocking against the bushings. | ||
| Bueller4ever |
What if you don't hold the front brake? | ||
| Jdugger |
Well, there's actually a lot of things that can cause a klunk on the front end. The rotor drive bushings usually become the most noticeable as a "click click click click" while stopping. If you hear that, your bushings are shot, and probably your rotor, too. The steering head "seats", and does form it's own little klunk noise. That one can he heard at a stop by pushing and pulling on the bars. | ||
| Drawkward |
JD, so the "clunk" sound is definitely the bearings...now if only I could figure out how to retorque them I'd be in business. I just bought 1/4" and 3/8" torque wrenches...took the cap nut off the top triple and looked at the ground through the steering head...I'm lost, hahaha. | ||
| Rsh |
You already have the cap nut off, I assume you also loosened the pinch bolt. Now loosen or remove the lower fork clamp pinch fasteners. Tighten/torque the cap nut to 38-42 ft-lbs. Tighten/torque the lower pinch bolts and the upper pinch bolt. The manual also states to use Loctite on the fasteners. Check if you clunk is gone The manual states a resistance value you are supposed to measure basically using a fish scale, and if not in tolerance replace the bearings. I have done this before with out performing the resistance measurement, and all was well.YMMV | ||
| Drawkward |
Why do the lower fork clamp pinch bolts need to be loosened? Just curious. EDIT: Just torqued the cap nut to 42ft-lbs and the clunk is gone. Thanks for the advice guys! (Message edited by drawkward on June 06, 2010) | ||
| Andros |
Just did that exact procedure and it solved the clonk!! Yeah thanx guys! | ||
| Rsh |
You loosen the lower pinch bolts so when you torque the cap nut, the upper and lower triple clamps will be able to compress without binding. | ||
| Drawkward |
Ahhhh, makes perfect sense. Thanks! EDIT: Just rode the bike to work and the clunk is still there. Not sure what the deal is with this...definitely shouldn't be doing this. (Message edited by drawkward on June 07, 2010) | ||
| Howworkclutch |
is your brake line hitting your fender? thats what causes mine to clunk. | ||
| Drawkward |
Nope, it's definitely the bearings. I'm going to do it again tonight and see if it helps any. | ||
| Freezerburn840 |
I am having the bearings all done at 12,500 miles or 13,000 miles as well as the valve check. I am not looking forward to this service. | ||
| Torquaholic |
For those of you trying to fix the front end clunk, you might get some help out of this thread: http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/290 431/489713.html | ||
| Drawkward |
I just did the process again as outlined in this thread and the one Torq linked and it seems to have worked. I only got to ride it a little bit but it seems to have gotten rid of it. I'll update after my trackday on Sunday. | ||
| Squish |
Here is a similar thread on the subject of the front-end clunk. This thread brings into question the front fork bushings, although I know the sound at it sounds like headstock bearings, not fork bushings. The noise is tough to discern. http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/290 431/445141.html . | ||
| Squish |
What was the phone number for the HD warranty issue resolution? (I've seen the number posted at this message board before.) It would be appreciated if someone could list the number... | ||
| Torquaholic |
john, Have you still not gotten your individual situation figured out? Lindemann and the local suspension guy didn't help? If you're sure you;ve got a warranty problem, call buell customer service, aka harley customer service (http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/U tility/hd_contact_us.jsp?locale=en_US), and explain the situation. they will make note of it in the computers and reference a case number. you should ask for the case number if they will give it to you. head to the dealer you are working with and explain your actions, ask them to call the technical support line (a number only reserved for harley dealers, not us regular folk) and reference your case number. if they fail to do so, or are unable to figure it out for whatever reason, you should call customer service again, reference the case number and explain the failure of your dealership to help you out. i am pretty sure at that point, harley would call your dealer and get things rolling from the top down. |
