Clunk...not the washer or tank
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Road Master
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 911
Likes: 3
From: Venice, FL
Clunk...not the washer or tank
I've got a clunk/rattle in my front end. The washer is the good one that the dealer checked anyway. I double-checked with a torque wrench. Tank bolts nice and tight. Any chance it's a brake pad moving around in the caliper? It's more prominent at low speed over "sharp" bumps. I've checked/re-torqued every nut/bolt/bracket on the bike with no luck.
Any ideas?
Any ideas?
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,863
Likes: 21
From: Kennewick, WA
There are two nuts on the trees. The one you most likely check is the one that secures the top clamp. The one that sets the bearing adjustment is under the top tree. To truely rule out the front end the bike needs to be lifted off the ground and the fall off checked. Being an 08 you probably do have the updated washer but that doesn't mean your bearings won't go out of adjustment.
Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 520
Likes: 0
From: South East WI
I have an 05 Super Glide I had a clunk every once now and then the dealer said thay never heard of the problem go figure. One other person on the site had the same and added one ounce of fork oil to each fork. I did the same and problem solved.I have left over oil if you live close!.
Club Member
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 10,815
Likes: 16
From: Virginia
Check to make sure the rubber pad where the kickstand goes up against is in the proper place. Mine moves around from time to time which lets the kickstand hit the frame on bumps.
When you put the kickstand up does it make a clanging sound like metal against metal or a soft thud like metal hitting rubber?
When you put the kickstand up does it make a clanging sound like metal against metal or a soft thud like metal hitting rubber?
Road Warrior
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,463
Likes: 12
From: San Antonio, TX
Check to make sure the rubber pad where the kickstand goes up against is in the proper place. Mine moves around from time to time which lets the kickstand hit the frame on bumps.
When you put the kickstand up does it make a clanging sound like metal against metal or a soft thud like metal hitting rubber?
When you put the kickstand up does it make a clanging sound like metal against metal or a soft thud like metal hitting rubber?
I had the same issue last fall and couldnt locate it until I checked the kickstand pad.
Cheers,
Tom
Road Master
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,021
Likes: 12
From: Greene County, MS
+1 on the bearing nut. Don't rule out the front end just because the washer was good and the top nut was torqued. Jack it up, remove the top nut, loosen to top triple tree clamps and slide it up. Check your fall away and adjust the star nut under the top triple tree to get the required fall away dimension. That fixed mine.
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Road Warrior
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,380
Likes: 1
From: ,,
+1 on doing the fall away test
I had the same issue right after buying my bike, after a 1/8 turn to the star nut no more problems.
I had the same issue right after buying my bike, after a 1/8 turn to the star nut no more problems.
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Tourer
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 294
Likes: 0
I just (yesterday) got done dealing with the dealer on this issue. Went in for the 10k service and told them we WERE going to resolve the clunk. They checked the top nut and the star nut, doing a fall away check. They drained and replaced the fork fluid with a heavier duty SE fluid. They checked the tank bolts. Then they called MOCO to figure out what to do next. Essentially, HD is saying the clunk is a coming from the floating calipers up front. My clunk always seemed higher, up in the triple trees area. But the dealer gave up - without charging me for any of the work. It is a bit better now, but only time will tell...
Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 237
Likes: 0
From:
I just (yesterday) got done dealing with the dealer on this issue. Went in for the 10k service and told them we WERE going to resolve the clunk. They checked the top nut and the star nut, doing a fall away check. They drained and replaced the fork fluid with a heavier duty SE fluid. They checked the tank bolts. Then they called MOCO to figure out what to do next. Essentially, HD is saying the clunk is a coming from the floating calipers up front. My clunk always seemed higher, up in the triple trees area. But the dealer gave up - without charging me for any of the work. It is a bit better now, but only time will tell...
Even though it sounds higher up the forks.
Wolfy