My bike is a 05 deuce with 15000 on it and I just wanted to tighten up the bearings. But the service manual wants me to do the fall-way adjustment to . Can't I just tighten the adjuster nut and lock down nut ? And then test the right and left tension.

 

you cant tighten the bearings. If there loose, they need to be replaced because they are worn. Check the races and make sure they are in the correct position.
A fall away test is needed after install.

 

Several do not do the fall away test, they tighten it up and then test it. The fall away often leaves it too loose.

 

It's not broke and I'm not going to take it apart. I just want to make a small adjustment .

 

With in reason, the answer is yes. Problem. There is no way to torque the adjuster since there is no tool. Also, more then likely, if you do move it, you should get a new lock tab. Usually, when you reuse it, it's a little rough on the face and the nut wants to grab it and turn it bending the downward tab. However with the design of mine which probably is similar to yours, do the fall away. Not a big deal. You even have a hole in your fender to tie a plum bob or a nail on a string. Then just lay your yard stick down. Actually, you just want no play since the bearings are not ball. They are a nice tapered roller bearing top and bottom and do not need preload. A deuce will handle a lot nicer set to the minimum. Fills loose at first but once you get use too it, on the interstate in windy and buffeting from large trucks, it will handle a lot smoother. Tight make you oversteer. Totally backwards from what you would think. And also, it you get it tight to the high side, it will cause the bearings to make a clack sound on hard bumps. I dropped mine down to expose bearings and they looked like new at around 35K. At 40K+ now

 

I'm getting that clacking sound from the triple tree on hard bumps. This is why I thought it needed the adjustment.

 

check the torque on the pinch bolts.

 

I do all my own work but bike was at dealer for third time under warrant for a loose compensator bolt/nut. They threw a little service in for free as a jester of faith and listed they adjusted it. Shortly it started clacking bad and I did exactly what you said you were going to do in your first post. I loosened the top nut and tapped the adjuster about 1/8" tighter. When I tightened the top nut to torque , the tab lock spun. I cut another tab with the hack saw and fixed it till I got another. Checking the fall away, it was at max. It made it clack worst. I was sure it was making it when the forks fell out since it sounded like and felt like it was making it after the bottom out and coming back up. However, that is when I removed the nut and locknut and dropped the wheel down about an inch to check bearings and race. Reset fall away to minimum (with clutch cable free from down tube and loose pinch bolts) The clack went away. PS. They also failed to fix problem with compensator nut. It was loose again shortly. I torn it down and the spline on the alternator was gone and when it slipped, it worn the face making the nut appear to be loose. They just kept using loctite and retightened it and charged $50.

 

Seen that before. This was on an 05 SE Ultra I worked on.