Rattle is DRIVING ME NUTS!
Thread Starter
|
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 4,201
Likes: 1,189
From: Anywhere we stop
Rattle is DRIVING ME NUTS!
I have an intermittent rattle around the front end that is killin me! Sometimes I get it at 2300 rpm, no matter what gear I'm in. I've checked EVERYTHING and nothing is loose.
is there anything in the nacelle that you can think of?
Any help
is there anything in the nacelle that you can think of?
Any help
Club Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 66,106
Likes: 51,387
From: Niles Canyon Ca.
I just did a serious go over and detail of my RK for the first time, seriously annoyed with all the little crap I found that could rattle. Trim and any emblems on the fender, used silicon on the inside of the fender on the mounts for both. A trim stip on the nacelle was the same way. Any and all bling is suspect. Go over the mounts on everything up front and the foot control area's, noise can travel deceptively. Had a loose shift setup I swore was a front end rattle, bushings and wavey washers cured that.
Otherwise good luck on the hunt.
Otherwise good luck on the hunt.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 2,589
Likes: 2,162
From: australia
what twisted said....................i had the same thing on my shovel, couldn't for the life of me find where the rattle was coming from till the spear trim on the front fender fell off and the rattle disappeared . Its held on by three specialised small slide in nut and bolts .......i'll bet yours is only being held on by one nut hence the rattle rattle rattle
Club Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 15,425
Likes: 7,120
From: Beyond Fucital
I have a rattle that was driving me nuts too.
Turned out to be the aftermarket "Brake-Away" cruise control I added to the front throttle side.
Still drives me nuts, but at least now I know what it is, and it's not something that's about to fall off,
not that Harley's are known for things falling off.
Turned out to be the aftermarket "Brake-Away" cruise control I added to the front throttle side.
Still drives me nuts, but at least now I know what it is, and it's not something that's about to fall off,
not that Harley's are known for things falling off.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 5,077
Likes: 2,148
From: Ohio
Had a 1157 bulb in the tail light with the glass loose in the base, drove me nuts, bulb quit working is why I found it
Trending Topics
HDF Community Team
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 1,434
Likes: 800
From: Colorado
My current rattle is from a wire connector in the head light housing that I need to find and solve. Before that, is was a connector in the tank gauge housing cover on the RK that was making noise as well as the tank vent line to the cover as well. Before that it was the rear turn signal bracket to the rear fender. farther back, it was the isolators on the bottom of the bags to the center rods that needed dielectric grease to stop the squawking.
Bluntly, its a Harley, and you will be chasing new rattles every week from the vibration of the motor, and that is after you have already 242 loctited every bolt and nut on the bike, played the silicone game to stop the other areas from rattling from the shake as well. Some you can find with ease to solve by listening with the bike on a stand, while other, its a matter of time until a parts falls off before you realized that it was loose and the cause of the rattle isntead.
As for the alternative touring bike (bike that does not have a lot of engine vibration), go ride a Goldwing instead.
Bluntly, its a Harley, and you will be chasing new rattles every week from the vibration of the motor, and that is after you have already 242 loctited every bolt and nut on the bike, played the silicone game to stop the other areas from rattling from the shake as well. Some you can find with ease to solve by listening with the bike on a stand, while other, its a matter of time until a parts falls off before you realized that it was loose and the cause of the rattle isntead.
As for the alternative touring bike (bike that does not have a lot of engine vibration), go ride a Goldwing instead.
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026
Verdad Gallardo
Southpaw Super Glide: A Left-Hand-Drive 1979 Harley FXE Built to Fit the Rider
Verdad Gallardo
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 12,878
Likes: 5,449
From: la la land jerzey
I believe it has a chrome wind deflector under the lower tree - we found one made noise tight - rubber strip fixed it
we believe unit was flexing and squeaking at the attachment bolts
we believe unit was flexing and squeaking at the attachment bolts
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 3,113
Likes: 1,144
From: Directly above the center of the Earth
As others have said, don't think it's actually from 'up front'. For some reason noises on our bikes might sound like they're coming from one area and actually aren't anywhere near it. This has happened apparently to many of us, me included with the '09 FXD and the '98 FXD. Played hell trying to find the noises only to figure it out that it wasn't anywhere near where it seemed to be coming from while riding.