Steering Head Bearing Adjustment Help FIXED
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Steering Head Bearing Adjustment Help FIXED - 5/15/2008 1:45:26 PM
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waterboyjack
Posts: 40
Joined: 5/9/2008
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Ok, need a little help with adjusting this bearing. Bike is a 2008 road glide with 1500 miles. My dealer is worthless! He has had the bike twice to address the loose steering head and after takeing the bike apart today, its obvious he never adjusted it. I removed everthing per service manual instructions and made an adjuster tool. I just cant seem to get the darn thing under the upper tree and on the adjuster nut (which I can only see because I removed the upper tree nut and lock plate). Can this procedure really be done with the faring on???? Any tips on the direction I should be coming at the adjuster from??????
< Message edited by waterboyjack -- 5/16/2008 12:15:55 PM >
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2008 (Ultra) Road Glide in Mirage Orange Pearl
Tour pack, Lower Fairings, Intercom,Chrome Hand Controls, Premium Oil Cooler, Heated Hand Grips, Chrome Front End Kit, Lowered 1" Front and Rear, motor work in the planning stages
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RE: Steering Head Bearing Adjustment Help - 5/15/2008 1:56:53 PM
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hogbag07
Posts: 415
Joined: 9/7/2007
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When you tourqe the 1 1/2 nut that will give you ajustment you shouldn't need to touch the bearing.Thats why they say in the manual 60 - 80 ftlbs give that a try first.
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RE: Steering Head Bearing Adjustment Help - 5/15/2008 2:25:37 PM
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waterboyjack
Posts: 40
Joined: 5/9/2008
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OK, I can do that (because I just dont see me getting to the steering head bearing adjuster nut with out removing the upper tree) Hopefully that will be enough. I'll let you know. TOO HOT to do anymore work for a couple of hours here though (105F).
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2008 (Ultra) Road Glide in Mirage Orange Pearl
Tour pack, Lower Fairings, Intercom,Chrome Hand Controls, Premium Oil Cooler, Heated Hand Grips, Chrome Front End Kit, Lowered 1" Front and Rear, motor work in the planning stages
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RE: Steering Head Bearing Adjustment Help - 5/15/2008 2:40:58 PM
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mtairy biker
Posts: 390
Joined: 12/24/2007
From: Maryland
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105 deg WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!m where are you at? 73 in Maryland
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Power commander III
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RE: Steering Head Bearing Adjustment Help - 5/15/2008 2:41:30 PM
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hogbag07
Posts: 415
Joined: 9/7/2007
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The 1 1/2 nut on my bike was finger tight plenty of movement in the bearing.I tried adjusting the bearing but could not get the 1/4 inch rod in there also.When I torqued the nut i got 2 swings from the steering and folded the tabs back. The bike handles great
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RE: Steering Head Bearing Adjustment Help - 5/15/2008 4:18:03 PM
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Truman
Posts: 63
Joined: 12/9/2007
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During a recent handlebar install I mentioned to my buddy, he owns a shop here in so cal, an issue I had with the front end clunking when hitting sharp bumps or moving over railroad tracks.
After removing the stock handlebars we found the top triple clamp nut to be very loose, we uncovered what seemed to be a mistake made during assembly at the factory...here's what we found.
The fork tubes were so high in the triple clamps not allowing the top triple clamp to seat all the way down on the stem, once the front end was raised off the ground and the triple clamps were loosened to allow the fork tubes to move down the steering head bearing nut went at least 2 1/2 turns allowing the top triple to seat. My buddies 08 Street Glide had the same problem and this fixed it. You could actually see daylight through the side of the stem with the top triple clamp nut removed.
If you tighten the top nut without lowering the forks allowing the triple to seat the nut backs right off, we found this out having adjusted my friends SG nut only, it backed right off creating a severe and extremely frequent clunk.
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RE: Steering Head Bearing Adjustment Help - 5/15/2008 4:18:20 PM
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Truman
Posts: 63
Joined: 12/9/2007
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During a recent handlebar install I mentioned to my buddy, he owns a shop here in so cal, an issue I had with the front end clunking when hitting sharp bumps or moving over railroad tracks.
After removing the stock handlebars we found the top triple clamp nut to be very loose, we uncovered what seemed to be a mistake made during assembly at the factory...here's what we found.
The fork tubes were so high in the triple clamps not allowing the top triple clamp to seat all the way down on the stem, once the front end was raised off the ground and the triple clamps were loosened to allow the fork tubes to move down the steering head bearing nut went at least 2 1/2 turns allowing the top triple to seat. My buddies 08 Street Glide had the same problem and this fixed it. You could actually see daylight through the side of the stem with the top triple clamp nut removed.
If you tighten the top nut without lowering the forks allowing the triple to seat the nut backs right off, we found this out having adjusted my friends SG nut only, it backed right off creating a severe and extremely frequent clunk.
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RE: Steering Head Bearing Adjustment Help - 5/15/2008 4:24:22 PM
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hogbag07
Posts: 415
Joined: 9/7/2007
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My fork tubes where rusted on the top clamp and needed to be driven out with a brass drift.I cleaned the rust from them adding some grease so next time I should be a easy job.Truman is corect with seating the forks as well
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RE: Steering Head Bearing Adjustment Help - 5/15/2008 5:33:55 PM
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waterboyjack
Posts: 40
Joined: 5/9/2008
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This is exactly my problem also. You can add a feeling of the handlebars moving so badly that for a split second you aren't sure if the bike is going to go where its being pointed. When I removed the upper nut earlier today the upper tree did "rise" up, even though I had the lower pinch bolts loosened. Another hour or so and I can get back out there and try to get the forks to drop and tourqe the upper nut.
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2008 (Ultra) Road Glide in Mirage Orange Pearl
Tour pack, Lower Fairings, Intercom,Chrome Hand Controls, Premium Oil Cooler, Heated Hand Grips, Chrome Front End Kit, Lowered 1" Front and Rear, motor work in the planning stages
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RE: Steering Head Bearing Adjustment Help - 5/15/2008 5:36:30 PM
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waterboyjack
Posts: 40
Joined: 5/9/2008
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Just updated my profile. I just moved from Anchorage, Ak. to Yuma, Az. (otherwise known as the "Armpit of the Desert Southwest").
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2008 (Ultra) Road Glide in Mirage Orange Pearl
Tour pack, Lower Fairings, Intercom,Chrome Hand Controls, Premium Oil Cooler, Heated Hand Grips, Chrome Front End Kit, Lowered 1" Front and Rear, motor work in the planning stages
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RE: Steering Head Bearing Adjustment Help - 5/15/2008 11:01:48 PM
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smitty901
Posts: 503
Joined: 2/3/2008
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This thread does not smell right .
First why does it need adjusting this soon.
Second I find it hard to beleave a dealer can do it .
It is no big deal they do them all of the time and yes with the tool they can do it with out removing the faring.
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RE: Steering Head Bearing Adjustment Help - 5/15/2008 11:40:19 PM
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sifularson
Posts: 1563
Joined: 6/29/2006
From: Longview, Washington
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quote:
ORIGINAL: waterboyjack
Just updated my profile. I just moved from Anchorage, Ak. to Yuma, Az. (otherwise known as the "Armpit of the Desert Southwest").
Guess where we are?
Thumbnail Image
Thumbnail Image
Rode 1400 miles down to yuma from Washington State last December. My parents are snow birds in Yuma.
BTW, I didn't think it was an "armpit." Compared to Washington it pretty bleak though. Still beautiful that time of year when the heat is down. 105 is crazy!
 Attachment (2)
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Steve Larson
07 RG
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RE: Steering Head Bearing Adjustment Help - 5/16/2008 12:16:15 AM
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waterboyjack
Posts: 40
Joined: 5/9/2008
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This thread does not smell right . Get your sniffer checked (or maybe I need a shower)
First why does it need adjusting this soon. Because when I hit a pot hole the handlebars/speedo/tach/forks shake and clunk horribly. Also 4.5 swings when I checked it.
Second I find it hard to beleave a dealer can do it . I'm sure they could do it, if they actually wanted to, instead they seem to have taken the position that " It's new can't have anything wrong with it." Don't know why, and I ain't happy about it. I would much rather drink some beer at the bar across the street from the dealer than have to do this myself.... it is a new bike, I shouldn't have to work on it (well except for putting more goodies on it). I also told the dealer that the front rotors were rubbing on Wed, they drove it around parking lot said it was fine. I could post a video of the rotors rubbing when I raised the front end today.
It is no big deal they do them all of the time and yes with the tool they can do it with out removing the faring. Thanks, I finally found the correct "angle of attack".
_____________________________
2008 (Ultra) Road Glide in Mirage Orange Pearl
Tour pack, Lower Fairings, Intercom,Chrome Hand Controls, Premium Oil Cooler, Heated Hand Grips, Chrome Front End Kit, Lowered 1" Front and Rear, motor work in the planning stages
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RE: Steering Head Bearing Adjustment Help - 5/16/2008 12:20:00 AM
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waterboyjack
Posts: 40
Joined: 5/9/2008
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Yeah, I'm still trying to re-adjust to the heat- I'm still riding, but I fry my legs after about 15 mins.
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2008 (Ultra) Road Glide in Mirage Orange Pearl
Tour pack, Lower Fairings, Intercom,Chrome Hand Controls, Premium Oil Cooler, Heated Hand Grips, Chrome Front End Kit, Lowered 1" Front and Rear, motor work in the planning stages
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RE: Steering Head Bearing Adjustment Help - 5/16/2008 12:14:47 PM
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waterboyjack
Posts: 40
Joined: 5/9/2008
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Just finished a short test ride and it feels like new again. Hit every pothole and speed bump I could find.... NO CLUNK or SLOPPY STEERING. I didn't move the adjuster nut very much, not even a flat, its too hard to see and figured I could do it again if needed. I DID Torque the upper tree nut to the max specs. and that seems to have done the trick. Now, why couldn't the dealer do this???? I dunno
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2008 (Ultra) Road Glide in Mirage Orange Pearl
Tour pack, Lower Fairings, Intercom,Chrome Hand Controls, Premium Oil Cooler, Heated Hand Grips, Chrome Front End Kit, Lowered 1" Front and Rear, motor work in the planning stages
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