| Author | Message | ||
     Buellgler |
buddies heard an intermittant 'clicking' noise from the rear-end of my X1 Sunday towards the end of our ride. The noise went away when the bike cooled down. I'm thinking it's something to do with the wheel bearings or rear brake. I inspected the swingarm isolators and could see no visible damage. The belt has been a bit tight I'd say (about .25 in. deflection when I'm seated), dunno if that helps. I'll be doing some more investigating this evening, though, if it turns out to be the bearings, is there any particular unit that works better than others? part numbers? Your thoughts are appreciated. | ||
| Kccyclone |
My 99 M2 just did the same thing last month on a 3600 mile trip....It ended up being the bearings....They started clicking on a Sunday night but it went away..Monday morning about 20 miles into the ride they went....I just used the bearing from HD... Larry | ||
| Bluzm2 |
It's probably the wheel bearings. The right side went on my S2 and made clicking sounds. Take care of it right away... | ||
| Denfromphilly |
Ok, I ammm da mann of wheel bearings (at least in my mind). Do you have PM wheels? Check the knowledge vault for part numbers but I bought real name brand bearings from Ebay for $5.00 each. You want 3 sealed 6205 bearings from a good company like Timken or NSK, SKF if you have a PM wheel. If you have a factory wheel you need 2 6205's and one 62205? Not sure the number check the knowledge vault, the odd bearing is on the rotor side and is very hard to find/expensive. To get the bearings out was a total pain, they are in harder than you could believe. However, Autozone rents a "Blind Bearing Puller" for free. You buy it for $150, use it and bring it back for a refund, no bull it's all legit and they way they rent tools....for free believe it or not. You will want to use the biggest puller of the four and tap it into position with the slap hammer and then expand and slap the hammer like crazy to get the old bearing out. The bearings are real, real tight. After I got all three of mine removed I laid the wheel in the hot sun and let it expand. I put the bearings in the freezer and let them contract. I then was almost able to drop the bearing right to the shoulder on the rotor side and then gave a VERY gentle tap with a tack hammer and steel rod on the OUTER race only! Then I installed the tube in the middle of the wheel, held it in place with the axle bolt and slid another cold bearing into place on the opposite side and tapped again with the rod and tap hammer on the outer race. With cold bearings and a hot wheel it went pretty smooth but the bearings condense a lot of moisture, don't know how long they will last so flame away you guys with more experience! Ok, the last bearing went as smooth as the others, they all spun real smooth and I went in to get myself a beer and pat my own back. When I came out and tried the bearings they were tight as a drum, they expanded and seized. I then took an old bearing, laid it on the rotor side new bearing and tapped the inner race to loosen up the outer race seating on the opposite side. A no-no according to my manual and any non-comatose mechanic for that matter. It seems to spin OK and I rode it at least 1,000 miles so far with no problems. Good Luck, not sure if you should follow my lead or not but it worked for now....Den 99X1 | ||
| Buellgler |
it's a '99, but has just shy of 3500 miles. Local Hardley-Buell dealership mech. seems to think it's prolly the bearings also. Seems a short life they had since 2300 of those miles are mine. I know I've spotted the discussion elsewhere, but what is the real-world belt tension standard? Spec seems a bit tight as there's barely .25in. deflection when I'm seated, and I think this may have reduced their reported short life span, that and sitting unused for 5 years. and, I've got to pay shop labor IF I can get it in tomorrow during work to make my ride in the eve. | ||
| Rocketman |
It could also be the drive bearing behind the pulley. If you can hear the noise by pushing the bike around I'd next remove the belt off the pulleys which means removing the rear wheel and hanging the belt crudely out of the way then put the wheel back in place and jack the rear of the bike of the floor. Once done spin the wheel by hand and listen for the noise \ feel for play etc. If the noise isn't present or immediately obvious then lower the bike to the floor and push the bike around to confirm the noise is still not present. Be sure to roll the bike backwards too. It's no guarantee but if when pushing the bike around in neutral with no drive belt connected the noise is not evident this could point to the drive bearing and not the wheel bearings being your source of unwanted noise. Connect the belt back up again and if the noise is present now it's almost certainly the drive bearing. Tedious testing yes but it can be resourceful if the problem isn't that obvious or as simple to find as a failed wheel bearing. Rocket | ||
| Bluzm2 |
Good call Rocket. My drive bearings did make nose when they went but it was under power. They were quiet when you pushed the bike or lifted the rear wheel and turned it. The rear wheel bearings crunched regardless. For mine, it was very obvious where the nose was coming from. But, that doesn't mean it will be that way for every bike. Best advice, check them both. Brad | ||
| Rocketman |
Mine was exactly the other way around Brad LOL. I was pushing the big hairy Buell out of the garage backwards one day some years ago and I heard this weird kinda crunching noise which turned out to be the drive bearing. Rocket | ||
| Bomber |
you can remove the belt from the read pulley w/out dropping the wheel -- of course, dropping the belt guards/hugger isn't much less workthat droppin the wheel, but it's good to have choices ;-} | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
As long as you have the wheel out in your hand, why not hold it by the axle and give the wheel a spin? Wouldn't any flaws be more easy to detect that way? | ||
| Rocketman |
Spinning the wheel in your hands does nothing except make you work hard at trying to analyze a suspect problem - with your hands full - of a gyroscope! Better you lift the rear of the bike off the floor then spin the wheel - feel for play - listen for gremlins etcetcetc. The thing about disconnecting the belt in the manner I mentioned earlier is so you can eliminate or otherwise more than just the wheel bearing, ie the drive bearing behind the front pulley. Good luck, buy the manual and study first before applying science. Rocket | ||
| Rickie_d |
Leo, Before attempting to isolate any issues outlined so far as the source of your concern, first determine if light braking alleviates the problem. If so, remove the rear caliper from the mount and place it to the side and with the bike elevated simulate the actions that create the clicking. If you cannot assimilate the noise then you may simply have some chatter of the rear pads and the rotor. This is a common depending on rotor condition, pad replacement, and braking habits. If these very simple and cheap checks do not produce results to isolate the issue, then I would get more involved as the others have advised. Note that I have 34,000 on my 100ph “95” and 18,000 on the 90hp “96” that I do not baby, and have not replaced a wheel bearing…but experienced the clicking. It was brake pad chatter. |
