A clunk noise when I hit a sharp bump.
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Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2007
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A clunk noise when I hit a sharp bump.
Hi
Wondering if anybody can pinpoint my problem on my 2004 FB.
Quebec , Canada is notorious for its pour road maintenance and general road conditions.
With the heavy frost /thaw we have here,the roads at times are a real mess...pot holes and pitted asphalt road patches...awful really, awful.
50 miles away in NY,roads are as smooth as a baby's bottom!
Go figure!
Welearn quickly to ride the obstacle course by aiming the front tire at the smooth surfaces between the bumps and ruts.
Sometimes there is no way around the holes and bumps and this is were my problem is.
The tank or instrument housing or front endsomewhere seems to make a clunk when I hit a sharp bump.
I put pressure with my hand on the instrument housing and it seems to solve the issue or at least muffle the noise?
However I can do not feel any play of the instrument panel when I grab at it off the bike...seems really solid.
It could be tank but that also feels snug when I am off the bike?
Any thoughts.
Thanks
Fred
Wondering if anybody can pinpoint my problem on my 2004 FB.
Quebec , Canada is notorious for its pour road maintenance and general road conditions.
With the heavy frost /thaw we have here,the roads at times are a real mess...pot holes and pitted asphalt road patches...awful really, awful.
50 miles away in NY,roads are as smooth as a baby's bottom!
Go figure!
Welearn quickly to ride the obstacle course by aiming the front tire at the smooth surfaces between the bumps and ruts.
Sometimes there is no way around the holes and bumps and this is were my problem is.
The tank or instrument housing or front endsomewhere seems to make a clunk when I hit a sharp bump.
I put pressure with my hand on the instrument housing and it seems to solve the issue or at least muffle the noise?
However I can do not feel any play of the instrument panel when I grab at it off the bike...seems really solid.
It could be tank but that also feels snug when I am off the bike?
Any thoughts.
Thanks
Fred
Tourer
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 403
Likes: 1
From: Connecticut
RE: A clunk noise when I hit a sharp bump.
You may want to take a look at the steering head bearings. Maybe they are out of adjustment (loose). I did not have your exact problem, but I could get my front end to clunk by moving forward slowly (about 5mph) and applying the front brake hard. I wouldn't recommend trying this, but you could check the "fall-off" to see if you're in the correct range. As for me, I could tighten the steering head bearings and get the clunking to stop, but doing so took the fall-off out of range. I changed out my steering head bearings and all is better. Good luck.
Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 127
Likes: 3
From: Australia
RE: A clunk noise when I hit a sharp bump.
[quote]ORIGINAL: sundancewind
Hi
Wondering if anybody can pinpoint my problem on my 2004 FB.
Fred, I have had 2 Fatboys and on both of them I have had to replace the pinch bolts. Now I am not saying this is your problem but I would certainly check them. There are 2 bolts holding the triple tree together and you can feel them under the cover behind the headlight. Best way is to remove the coverwhich is very easy to do. Then put a spanner on them and check for movement. On my first one I was in the middle of nowhere and one of them actually broke in half and the front fork unscrewed it self. Very dangerous although the noise was loud enough to make me stop. I am not alarming you but get advice from a dealer or look at them yourself. The odds of happening to both of mine is weird but there are a lot of reports about this. I could not make the clunk stop by pressing on the instrument panel so it certainly may not be this. Better to be safe than sorry.
Go well
Jeff
]
[IMG]local://upfiles/7434/6F4D12734A70403F80C10757562207A8.jpg[/IMG]
Hi
Wondering if anybody can pinpoint my problem on my 2004 FB.
Fred, I have had 2 Fatboys and on both of them I have had to replace the pinch bolts. Now I am not saying this is your problem but I would certainly check them. There are 2 bolts holding the triple tree together and you can feel them under the cover behind the headlight. Best way is to remove the coverwhich is very easy to do. Then put a spanner on them and check for movement. On my first one I was in the middle of nowhere and one of them actually broke in half and the front fork unscrewed it self. Very dangerous although the noise was loud enough to make me stop. I am not alarming you but get advice from a dealer or look at them yourself. The odds of happening to both of mine is weird but there are a lot of reports about this. I could not make the clunk stop by pressing on the instrument panel so it certainly may not be this. Better to be safe than sorry.
Go well
Jeff
]
[IMG]local://upfiles/7434/6F4D12734A70403F80C10757562207A8.jpg[/IMG]
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2007
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RE: A clunk noise when I hit a sharp bump.
Thanks Jeff I will definitely have a look at the pinch bolts incredible that it happened to you twice!
Tazinct ...I finally got my J&S jack stand so I will be checking the fall-off too.
Tazinct ...I finally got my J&S jack stand so I will be checking the fall-off too.
Tourer
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 337
Likes: 5
From: Westchester NY
RE: A clunk noise when I hit a sharp bump.
do a search for front end clunk. Lot of info here on that. One of them was the big nut in the neck holding the whole front end into the frame might be loose. Seems there were bad torque specs on that and needed to be tightened. Found that on my 05 Train. Was only finger tight.
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 609
Likes: 0
From: Sunny Sedona AZ
RE: A clunk noise when I hit a sharp bump.
Could be as simple as forks bottoming out. Change to Sceamin Eagle Heavy Duty fork oil for a possible simple fix
My Fat Boy as well as my Night Train did the same thing. BTW I ama "fat" boy @ 265lbs, could be some of my problems with the suspension!
My Fat Boy as well as my Night Train did the same thing. BTW I ama "fat" boy @ 265lbs, could be some of my problems with the suspension!
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Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2007
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RE: A clunk noise when I hit a sharp bump.
I did a quick visual inspection around the front end after reading all your comments of sheared and loose bolts.
Nothing out of the norm so far, although have not had the chance to check the with torque wrench.
But all bolts are at least finger tight
.
I do think I may have found the clunk..... The aux lights that were installedon the front end had all the excess wiring jamed into themain light housing ( nacelle).
When I put my finger into the housing from behind and wiggled it , my finger caught a bit of the excess wiring which in turn hit the metal housing making the clunk sound.
So I am think that when I hit a bump, the wire in turn is hitting the housing.
I will secure and test on my next ride.
Thanks for all the comments.
Fred
Nothing out of the norm so far, although have not had the chance to check the with torque wrench.
But all bolts are at least finger tight
.I do think I may have found the clunk..... The aux lights that were installedon the front end had all the excess wiring jamed into themain light housing ( nacelle).
When I put my finger into the housing from behind and wiggled it , my finger caught a bit of the excess wiring which in turn hit the metal housing making the clunk sound.
So I am think that when I hit a bump, the wire in turn is hitting the housing.
I will secure and test on my next ride.
Thanks for all the comments.
Fred
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