| Author | Message | ||
     Johnc |
I'm doing the 16000 km service on my 2000 M2 and I am a little worried about these isolators. The isolator bolts are not centered in the frame opening and they have bee touching the rubber at the rear of each isolator. There are rubber crumbs laying inside each side.   | ||
| Johnc |
More pics, it's hard to get a good picture becsuse it's too bright with the flash and too dim without it.   | ||
| Josh |
John, look at it from along the side. Is the rubber seam twisted? See any tears? | ||
| Johnc |
Josh, they look smooth on the outside circumferance and I can't see any tears, just the rubber dust on the inside. John | ||
| M2me |
I've wondered about that too. The bolts are not centered on my 2001 M2 either. Are they supposed to be centered? I can't see any tears and I haven't noticed any rubber dust. It runs smooth above 3000 rpm so I haven't worried about it. | ||
| Blake |
Your isolators look okay as far as I can see. Please not that new isolators are not cylindrical; they appear as if one surface/face has been sheared/skewed away from the opposite face. Neither is the cap screw supposed to be centered in the opening in the frame. If your bike is handling and riding okay with no noticeable excess vibration when cornering, then your isolators are probably okay. If you don't see any tears, continue to keep an eye on them. But heck, if you are going to check/lubricate the swingarm bearings as prescribed for the 16K km maintenance, go ahead and replace the isolators. It is no extra work, just parts. The new/current isolators are better. | ||
| Blake |
One more note... the bolt/cap screw should be located aft and below center, about in the 4 or 5 o'clock position as you face them. Why? When you sit on the bike and when you ride and hit a bump or pick up g-force under hard cornering the isolator flexes allowing the bolt to move upwards. Likewise, when accelerating hard the thrust from the rear tire flexes the rubber isolator allowing the bolt head to migrate forward. The isolators are designed specifically with those scenarios in mind.  If you ever get a chance to watch a Buell dyno run, watch the isolator bolt wrt the frame as the operator wacks the throttle open. It's surprising how much they can flex. | ||
| Buelliedan |
You will definately know if you have bad isolators whenever you hit a bump. It will feel like someone is hitting your footpegs with a hammer! But like Blake said if you are already taking the swingarm apart to lube the bearings then install the NEW isolators. They complete kit runs around $40. | ||
| Newfie_Buell |
I got so tired of people telling me there was something wrong with the rear section of the bike I put the frame plugs with the pegasus logo in the holes. Like Blake indicated the bolts will move just from the normal flexing of the isolators. | ||
| Johnc |
Yeah, I put the pegasus logo plugs in my bike too, that's why I didn't notice the rubber dust before. I just took them out when I started to service the bike. Maybe they all make rubber dust but mine just stays with the bike because the plugs keep it from falling out. I checked with my dealer and they don't have isolators in stock. I guess I'll order a set before I remove the swing arm. Thanks for your input guys! John | ||
| Kelly |
I bought some chrome plugs at Lowe's for $1 each, painted them flat black and put them in the isolator holes. It cleaned up the side considerably. | ||
| Hoser |
John : I suggest you speak to your dealer ( Heritage ?? ) about the product improvement campaign BP7 I think ? which will get you a new set of updated isolators . | ||
| Johnc |
Thanks Hoser, I did already talk to Ted at Heritage and he was very non-commital about the campaign. He suggested that Buell "may" pay for the isolators. That didn't give me a warm fuzzy feeling since I've taken the bike there before for a repair that I thought would be covered by warranty, but I got charged for. I do prefer to do my own work (just a little anal I guess). I know that your shop carries the isolators in stock (I phoned last week).I'll probably phone in and order a set on Monday. Any discounts for "Badwebbers"? By the way,Heritage quoted me $30.00 more for the isolators than your parts depatment did, and did't have them in stock. You may not remember but we met at the 2001 Sportbike West ride. Thanks again for your input! John | ||
| Kelly |
What are the particulars of this campaign? Do they replace them for free? Parts AND Labor or what? It just covers the rear isolators, not the front? I'm thinking of getting the urethane isolator from ASB. thanks | ||
| Jst |
I got my isolators replaced back in Nov. for free. No questions asked by my the dealer. Of course I did push the issue a little cause the right one was torn to the point that I could feel the motor vibes through the pegs all the time. JT | ||
| Johnc |
I got the isolators out and they look ok but the right one was not lined up with the dowel pin on the frame properly when installed. It has damage around the dowel pin hole.  | ||
| Blake |
No harm no foul, right? I'd replace them with new ones anyway. Thanks for the follow up.  | ||
| Johnc |
I took the old isolators along with a copy of the product improvement campaign, copied from the KV, to my dealer today. I showed the service manager the sentence that states "vehicles beyond warranty will not require prior authorization". He asked me enough questions for me to know he'd never heard of the campaign. It's pretty sad when dealer staff has to learn about product improvements from the customer. He's going ro call and get authorization, go figure! Might get some satisfaction after all. | ||
| Josh |
Johnc, I might be mistaken but that (the damage you describe) was the whole point of the improvement campaign. Some of the dowels were too long and the improvement included fixing them. | ||
| Ara |
Would someone please post a link for the isolator product improvement campaign? | ||
| Johnc |
Ara check in the knowledge vault under Suspension - Forks, Isolators, Shocks, and Swingarm. There is thread for isolators and a link to print the factory bullitin. | ||
| Ara |
Johnc, Thanks man. I wonder if I can get the dealer to replace the isolators without replacing the swingarm and shock. I've been selective with the recalls. I really really like the external spring shock and I know that the replacement units have failed more often than the original units. My shock and swingarm are performing perfectly. If they replace the swingarm I'm told they will also have to replace the shock. | ||
| Johnc |
Well, I got a call from the service manager at the H-D Buell dealer where I bought my bike today. Buell Canada has agreed to pay for new isolators! I'm quite sure that if I hadn't had a copy of the campaign bulletin when I went in there, that I would have gotten the brush off. One more reason that the Badweb rocks! Ara, the dealer who performs the campaign may work with you on this. You might have to check around with dealers in your area to see if one of them will help. |
