Front end clunk....steering head bearings?
Thanks, I will check. I just got one of these washers a few months ago for next time and it's not hard and was not $6.00--probably cheapest part I have ever bought from dealer HA. ( Last time mine did what I said above and I made another tab with hacksaw on the old one and indexed it around) You would have thought dealer would have given me correct part. My fall away is correct now set at max of the tolerance however so I do not think it has worked or beat loose.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 38,460
Likes: 6,378
From: Honah Lee
The dealers never fail to suprise me! From what I've heard, since it's a TSB and not a recall, it's a "customer complaint" item only. If you never complain about a clunk, they never tell you about the new part, and even if you do complain, sometimes THEY don't even know about the new part. One reason these forums are so damn valuable!
http://www.1130cc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=87001
Last edited by Jackie Paper; Sep 14, 2018 at 07:49 AM.
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 862
Likes: 3
From: East Tennessee
My "09 Heritage clunks kinda that way. Put a tube of grease there, I hope, but no help. Axed an Indy for advise and without looking, he figgured it to be a cable slapping the fender. Told him good by and removed him from future advise list. Checked my cables and all were very secure. I have the shop manual but too insecure of my mechanical skills. Will eventually get dealer involved.
Club Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 145,895
Likes: 821
From: 40 miles Northeast of Indy..
Do a search for bulletin M1215. Get the new $6 hardened steel washer from the dealer, install. Just did this on mine a couple months back, huge difference. I think the new torque specs for that washer are 90-120 ft lbs, but your specific torque will be based on the fallaway, which is a pretty useless way to measure IMHO. I just went with 90 ft lbs, rode it, no binding in front end, clunk gone, left it at 90. Good luck!
Totally agree,, I did the fall away last yr and unless u remove all the cables from the bars, that test IMO is USELESS. I just don't see how U can get anywhere close to an actual setting with the cables still on.
Wondering where does the new hardened washer go, thinking it must be just under the nut,
Is there not a washer there now, or is this just something added.?
Here is a search on M1215. Appears to be nut with lock washer milled on it, not just lockwasher
http://www.1130cc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=87001
http://www.1130cc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=87001
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 754
Likes: 24
From: Southern Maine
+1 on the pinch bolts. Too many people try to take a shortcut and not loosen the pinch bolts. That defeats the whole process by not allowing the lower tree to float on the tubes and thus compress the bearings. These are the guys that end up re-torquing the head bearings over and over again and the adjustment never seems to "stick".
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Totally agree,, I did the fall away last yr and unless u remove all the cables from the bars, that test IMO is USELESS. I just don't see how U can get anywhere close to an actual setting with the cables still on.
Wondering where does the new hardened washer go, thinking it must be just under the nut,
Is there not a washer there now, or is this just something added.?
Totally agree,, I did the fall away last yr and unless u remove all the cables from the bars, that test IMO is USELESS. I just don't see how U can get anywhere close to an actual setting with the cables still on.
Wondering where does the new hardened washer go, thinking it must be just under the nut,
Is there not a washer there now, or is this just something added.?
+1 on the pinch bolts. Too many people try to take a shortcut and not loosen the pinch bolts. That defeats the whole process by not allowing the lower tree to float on the tubes and thus compress the bearings. These are the guys that end up re-torquing the head bearings over and over again and the adjustment never seems to "stick".
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Club Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 145,895
Likes: 821
From: 40 miles Northeast of Indy..
Found this in the bulletin
This service bulletin is to inform dealers of updated parts and
service procedures to eliminate loss of clamp load on upper
steering stem nut. Normal warranty applies for service performed.
Motorcycles Affected
• 2006-2007 Dyna models
• 2008 and earlier FXDWG
• 2008 and earlier FX Softail models
• 2008 and earlier VRSC models
What I am seeing then is it doesn't apply to the FL's... Don't know if there diff or not.?????
This service bulletin is to inform dealers of updated parts and
service procedures to eliminate loss of clamp load on upper
steering stem nut. Normal warranty applies for service performed.
Motorcycles Affected
• 2006-2007 Dyna models
• 2008 and earlier FXDWG
• 2008 and earlier FX Softail models
• 2008 and earlier VRSC models
What I am seeing then is it doesn't apply to the FL's... Don't know if there diff or not.?????
Last edited by oct1949; Aug 19, 2011 at 11:58 AM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 38,460
Likes: 6,378
From: Honah Lee
Back up in post 12 at least for my04 Duece if that is M1215 that nut will not work for my bike. Mine has a drilled hole in tree that the bent washer lock tab drops down in. Then you tighten nut and bend tab up to secure nut from turning. Bent tab washer is sitting on top of tree. Nut on top is just as wide as bearing adjuster under top tree and as big as bearing. There is noting to flex here, at least on my 04 design and of course just my opinion.
Last edited by Jackie Paper; Sep 14, 2018 at 07:49 AM.