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SQUEAKY REAR SUSPENSION
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Tourer
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 440
Likes: 13
SQUEAKY REAR SUSPENSION
Soft-tail Riders
I have a 04 Fat Boy with about 10K miles. I bought my FB new. Within a few months of purchasing the bike I noticed a squeaky noise coming from what appears to be the working of the rear suspension. I can hear it when I sit on the seat with the engine off and bounce up and down to work the rear suspension. The squeak occurs in both the downward and upward action of the rear supension. The problem/noise has worsened with time. I am concerned about a metal-metal wearing and causing damage to the rear pivot points or other. I am 2 years into a 4-year extended warranty and want the problem fixed before the warranty is done.
One friend told me the problem was the shocks and to squirt some WD/lubricant into the small holes in the back of the shock body/cylinders. That didn't help. Afterwards, I had the bike in for service at about 7K miles. The dealer said they lubed the connections between the shocks and frame and shocks and swing arm. They may also have lubed the inside of the shock body. After this service the squeak seemed to diminish some for a few weeks and then returned. The noise is getting progressively worse. I called the dealer service today and was told many softails do this, and it is probably the shock springs rubbing against the inside of the shock body.
Some friends with softtails also have a little noise when working the rear suspension, but not nearly as bad as mine.
Is this typical of some softails? Anyone have this problem or a solution? Is it something to worry about (shock or rear failure). Much appreciated....
Al
I have a 04 Fat Boy with about 10K miles. I bought my FB new. Within a few months of purchasing the bike I noticed a squeaky noise coming from what appears to be the working of the rear suspension. I can hear it when I sit on the seat with the engine off and bounce up and down to work the rear suspension. The squeak occurs in both the downward and upward action of the rear supension. The problem/noise has worsened with time. I am concerned about a metal-metal wearing and causing damage to the rear pivot points or other. I am 2 years into a 4-year extended warranty and want the problem fixed before the warranty is done.
One friend told me the problem was the shocks and to squirt some WD/lubricant into the small holes in the back of the shock body/cylinders. That didn't help. Afterwards, I had the bike in for service at about 7K miles. The dealer said they lubed the connections between the shocks and frame and shocks and swing arm. They may also have lubed the inside of the shock body. After this service the squeak seemed to diminish some for a few weeks and then returned. The noise is getting progressively worse. I called the dealer service today and was told many softails do this, and it is probably the shock springs rubbing against the inside of the shock body.
Some friends with softtails also have a little noise when working the rear suspension, but not nearly as bad as mine.
Is this typical of some softails? Anyone have this problem or a solution? Is it something to worry about (shock or rear failure). Much appreciated....
Al
Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 744
Likes: 4
From: The Communist Republic of New Jersey
RE: SQUEAKY REAR SUSPENSION
Stage II
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
RE: SQUEAKY REAR SUSPENSION
I own an 05 Night Train (3100 mi), just started noticing the squeaky rear suspension. I brought it to my local HD shop, and they lubed it up, but the squeak never went away. I just learned to deal with it. They said it was common with softails and that rear suspension wasn't covered under warranty anyway.
KP
KP
Tourer
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 442
Likes: 3
From: Warren, Ohio
RE: SQUEAKY REAR SUSPENSION
I have a Heritage Softail with 1,300 miles on it and the suspension creaks/clanks pretty loud. I was prepared for it though. Before I bought my softail I noticed some brand new showroom bikes creaking the same way. When I took my bike in for the 1K checkup, the mechanic said it was the outer shock cans rubbing on the springs. He could adjust (bend?) them for a temporary fix, but it will come back. Guess that's why I got loud pipes! [sm=icon_rock.gif]
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6th Gear
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
RE: SQUEAKY REAR SUSPENSION
Squeaking Softail shocks has been a problem since day one.
I own a company that makes a component for the Softail shock and I have taken many of them apart in my time.
The problem is the end coil of the spring rubbing on the inside of the can. It is caused from the spring not being ground perfectly straight so as it compresses the spring will 'walk' to one side of the spring perch and rub on the can causing the squeak. The fix, on later model shocks the factory (Showa) installed a teflon sleeve that wrapped around the spring and solved the problem for a while until it wore out. Other than that, I have taken them apart and actually ground some material off at the contact point and reassemble.Spray's will help for a short while, turning the spring can also helps sometimes (as if you were adjusting the preload).
Good luck, otherwise like already mentioned-louder pipes?
I own a company that makes a component for the Softail shock and I have taken many of them apart in my time.
The problem is the end coil of the spring rubbing on the inside of the can. It is caused from the spring not being ground perfectly straight so as it compresses the spring will 'walk' to one side of the spring perch and rub on the can causing the squeak. The fix, on later model shocks the factory (Showa) installed a teflon sleeve that wrapped around the spring and solved the problem for a while until it wore out. Other than that, I have taken them apart and actually ground some material off at the contact point and reassemble.Spray's will help for a short while, turning the spring can also helps sometimes (as if you were adjusting the preload).
Good luck, otherwise like already mentioned-louder pipes?
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