Steering head bearing question
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Tourer
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 389
Likes: 1
From: Mount Morris Illinois
Steering head bearing question
I've got 1800 miles on my bike now.In the last 400 to 500 miles it developed a wobble in the handle bars on decel at 45 to 35 mph.My dealer adjusted the steering head bearings and that got rid of the wobble,but they set them to tight because it sways or weaves back and forth at slower speeds.Not real bad,but it is noticable.So I put it up on the lift and the handle bars stay wearever you put them.No fallaway.I have a service manual and decided to adjust them myself.I loosened the pinch bolts and then loosened the adjustment bolt about a 1/4 turn.Retightened the pinch bolts.It feels pretty good now.I will test ride it tomarrow.My question is,does the upper pinch bolt keep the adjustment bolt locked in place so it won't loosen up?By the way the dealer did not charge me to adjust it.I just don't feel like going back unless I have to.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 5,257
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From: Leander Texas
i paid to have mine done as per the maintenance guide. it was very tight. i went to have it done again at 40,000 miles and they said it was too tight. they also said the looseness feel was bad wheel bearings again. they dont know why they go out so often.
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,706
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From: Woodstock, Ont , Can
Look elsewhere for the cause of the wobble. Tire, wheel, bearing etc. Head bearings don't cause wobble, only control it somewhat masking another condition. Not sure on yours but on my softail the adjuster setting is influenced by the nut on the top of the clamp. If you set fall away with the adjuster to be correct, tightening the upper nut forces the adjuster down slightly from the space in the threads and makes the fall away tighter than when you first adjusted it. It's a balancing act between the two to find the correct adjuster position when the upper is torqued. Once you figure this out, you will be 99.9% smarter than any so called tech that works on your bike.
Ron
Ron
Last edited by rbabos; Aug 8, 2009 at 09:34 AM.
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 389
Likes: 1
From: Mount Morris Illinois
I suggested to the dealer that maybe it was a tire balance issue.He said it wasn't.I checked rim and tire run out and it is fine.Will have to check the bearing to see if there is any slop in it.It is smooth when you spin it though.I got the response from the dealer that the problem is typical for softails and baggers.Just a way to sidestep the problem.
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