Front end clunk
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Intermediate
Joined: May 2007
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Front end clunk
My front end on 1998 FXDS clunks when compressed hard and fast. Don't know if its in the tubes and sliders or if its the fork bearings (since there is no grease fitting to lube). 30,000 miles on the bike. Any body got any clues where to start?
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Intermediate
Joined: May 2007
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RE: Front end clunk
one more thing, any body addeda grease fitting to a dyna for the front fork bearings? It seems it would work since they are standard on a XL, a softail and touring models.
6th Gear
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 11
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RE: Front end clunk
Not sure if it's related, but my '87 FLHTC clunked every time I hit the transition from the street to my driveway. This was with or without the brakes applied. I drained and replaced the fork oil as per the repair manual, and the clunk went away.
The old fork oil looked like flat Coca Cola.
The old fork oil looked like flat Coca Cola.
Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 177
Likes: 14
From: Freehold NJ
RE: Front end clunk
you cannot install a grease fitting for the steering head bearings.i should say you should not install the fitting.
i learned the hard way back in 96 hot rod bikes published my tip.the dyna frame uses an investment-cast steering neck that is open between the inside of the section where the fork stem passes through it and the inside of the top frame tube. if you install a fitting you will fill the inside of the top frame tube under the tank with grease.there are cast holes in this tube. the grease will liquify from the heat which will eventually end up all over the top of your motor.
very messy
not cool
i learned the hard way back in 96 hot rod bikes published my tip.the dyna frame uses an investment-cast steering neck that is open between the inside of the section where the fork stem passes through it and the inside of the top frame tube. if you install a fitting you will fill the inside of the top frame tube under the tank with grease.there are cast holes in this tube. the grease will liquify from the heat which will eventually end up all over the top of your motor.
very messy
not cool
Tourer
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 272
Likes: 12
From: Hwy 66
RE: Front end clunk
I have a clunk in my 96 fxdl,I changed neck bearings and it's still there.On the weekend I will remove fork tubes and check what's wrong inside.Also there is one more thing,on Showa 39mm forks it's easy to lube neck bearings,just lift front of the bike ,loosen upper triple tree screws,loosen stem bolt few turns and then you can clean & lube both bearings.Mat
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Intermediate
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RE: Front end clunk
[quote][/I have a clunk in my 96 fxdl,I changed neck bearings and it's still there.On the weekend I will remove fork tubes and check what's wrong inside.Also there is one more thing,on Showa 39mm forks it's easy to lube neck bearings,just lift front of the bike ,loosen upper triple tree screws,loosen stem bolt few turns and then you can clean & lube both bearings.Mat ]
How are you lubing and cleaning these bearings? I thought they needed to be removed and repacked like wheel bearings. Thanks in advance for the tip
How are you lubing and cleaning these bearings? I thought they needed to be removed and repacked like wheel bearings. Thanks in advance for the tip
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Tourer
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 272
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From: Hwy 66
RE: Front end clunk
Mokey,
lift front of the bike,loosen 3 upper pinch bolts, loosen steering stem bolt several turns.The whole front will drop down,
exposing bottom bearing.Clean it as much as you can and grease it.Then with somebody helping you lift the front end and expose upper bearing,clean it etc.Tighten everything back,move forks left &right few times,tighten again and you are OK. Otherwise you have to dissasemble everything and it will cost you few hours of work.Hope it helps,Mat
lift front of the bike,loosen 3 upper pinch bolts, loosen steering stem bolt several turns.The whole front will drop down,
exposing bottom bearing.Clean it as much as you can and grease it.Then with somebody helping you lift the front end and expose upper bearing,clean it etc.Tighten everything back,move forks left &right few times,tighten again and you are OK. Otherwise you have to dissasemble everything and it will cost you few hours of work.Hope it helps,Mat
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Intermediate
Joined: Sep 2005
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RE: Front end clunk
Hey Mokey, had a '97 FLSTC with about the same mileage as yours has now, it did the same thing. The problem is not in your forks though, it's in the neck. Unfortunately I don't know of a fix for the problem, but it does seem to be a fairly common flaw with softail models, even the new ones. The only info I came across when I was researching the problem was that the neck bearings needed to be realigned - whatever that means.It really seems to be an engineering flaw from the factory, if you tighten up the stem nut the clunk will goaway but the bearing preload will be incorrect and the steering will be too tight, loosen it up and steering goes back to normal but the clunk comes back. The problem, in my opinion,is that there isn't a seperate collar for adjusting the preload on the bearings and a nut to tighten up the top tree, like there is on the FLH models, so what you end up with is slopor just enough"play" between the upper and lower trees to make that annoying clunk every time you hit a rough patch of road or a pothole thats just a little too deep.Hope that someone with more technical knowledge responds to this post, I'm very interested to know if there is a fix for this problem also.
Good luck with your ride!
Good luck with your ride!
Tourer
Joined: Jul 2005
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From:
RE: Front end clunk
ORIGINAL: blueglide88
change the fork oil and replace with exactly 1 ounce more than the bible recommends.
clunk will be gone.
change the fork oil and replace with exactly 1 ounce more than the bible recommends.
clunk will be gone.
What Blueglide88 said - but use a heavier grade of fluid than the normal weight stuff. This problem is in the suspension travel - your bike has 30k miles on it - ever had the fork fluid changed??? It is supposed to be done every 10k per the bible... regular maintence does alot to keep your Twin on the road for the big 100k trip.
Swede