Switched the zerk fitting to a 90 degree ,the stock one you couldn't get a grease gun on it and it was dry,pumped about 50 shots of grease in it and it still is not showing in the neck,I'm sure it came from the factory dry.Anyone else run across this problem?

 

I plan on greasing mine this weekend, and just read in the service manual to grease til grease starts to come out the top and bottom. I'm curious what I'll find since it seems my steering has become real stiff.

 

The bearings weren't installed "dry". They had grease on them. Yes, you have to pump nearly a full tube of grease in the first time you service the neck, because the neck fills up with grease before it ever gets to the bearings.

 

Greased mine tonight and it took a lot of pumping before I saw anything come out, probably why they say to lube them after 1k.

 

Yep, about a half to two thirds of a tube of grease. Sure surprised me. I did the same thing with the 90 deg. zirc. Works great.

 

Instead of the 90° zirk, I installed a 90 on my grease gun hose. BTW, how did you install it to insure it faced to the rear after seating?

 

I bought a 360-degree-swivel, grease coupler that cost several dollars and still couldn't access the grease fitting. So I bought an 1/8" street elbow for about $1. Presto! Lowe's carries them: Watts A-712 in the plumbing department. This will work providing your grease gun has 1/8" pipe thread fittings- all of mine do. I used a grease gun with a flexible hose, so I don't know how a gun with a rigid pipe would do.

 

The dealer performed the 1000-mile service which, as prescribed by the Harley maintenance schedule, includes lubrication of the steering head bearings. They said it was required for the warranty that they do the 1000 mile work.
I noticed that it took a lot of grease the first time I lubricated the steering-head bearings myself.
I would not expectthatso much grease would be neccessary, since the dealer hadsupposedlyalready performed this procedure.
It seems to me that the dealer did not do all of the work that he charged me for.
Am I wrong?

 

Hey, here's a dumb question. The service manual sya to use "special purpose grease" for the steering head bearings. Is that really important or can you use an ordinary grease gun cartridge?

 

Just did mine... the Harley grease cost me $5.00 at the local dealer...figured to use what was designed for it.