When I yank the front wheel I put everything back together axle wise finger tight and bounce the front end several times with the front brake applied to make sure that the wheel is centered between the calipers. Not sure if that is part of your problem or not. Like some of the other posters I kinda lean towards that rotor being compromised in some way.

 

Anyone find a permanent fix for this issue?
I'm having the same exact problem.

My 2015 SGS had an issue with rotational slop on the left hand side front rotor(clutch side)
I installed new OEM front rotors and all associated OEM hardware, bolts, bushings, springs washers, etc but I re-used the brake pads.
I rode a 100 miles or so and I checked the front rotors, no problems, everything is still nice and tight.

I went to a cycle endorsement class / test over the weekend and pushed the brakes pretty hard during it. I haven't used the brakes that hard since I bought the bike.
About half way done with the class I noticed a new rattling noise coming from the front end. Loaded the bike back up after the course was done, went home and unloaded it and starting poking around.

The spring washers that I installed are completely missing from the left hand side front rotor (clutch side)
Now instead of rotational slop I have the opposite, in and out slop.
I was on the brakes pretty hard multiple times but still, this shouldn't happen. I'm trying to figure out the root cause.

Video below
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/g6jWDHeC_1Q

 

Are these washers available separately??If so does anyone have a part number? Have both 2015 and 2017 SGS and washers were either gone or in pieces. Mileage doesn’t seem to matter as 60,000 mile bike were in pieces while 38,000 bike they were missing.
Thanks

 

The spring washers are 41500019
To do the job by the book you should replace the bolts and also the bushings associated with the spring washer (41500018 and 41500020)

Here's a link to a good OEM parts microfiche

https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/e...23b5430034f3/y

 

Thank you

 

That's a good vid you put together to show what's going on.
So apparently the wavy washers have totally disintegrated in use? I have rebuilt my aftermarket rotors/carriers with success. I think there's a possibility that the OEM replacement washers are either too thin or too hard and are vibrating to death. This can be the only answer! I used Bellville washers (also called disk springs, conical springs, etc) instead of the wavy type. They can be bought in a million different sizes off the internet. If you measure with feeler gauges the gap between your rotor and the shoulder on the bolt spacers, you can figure out what thickness you need. The disk springs need to be just slightly collapsed after you tighten the mounting bolts so they don't rattle, but still leave a little room to collapse so the rotor can "float".
Here's a for example....https://www.mcmaster.com/9713K69/

Good luck

 

I don't think it's the axle to spacer/fork gap. If you try to squeeze the fork lowers together to remove the gap, then will be pushing the fork tube sliders into the bushings which will scar/wear them down in short order. I done this in the past and am waiting to see if I need to replace my fork tubes, if they start leaking....

 

I have a 2019 Electra Glide Standard. The week before I left home to ride to Milwaukee for the 120th, I discovered the spring washers (all 5) missing on the right rotor. I had new ones installed by a Harley dealership near my home. New bolts, bushings and spring washers. I rode approximately 800 miles on my way to Milwaukee and stopped for fuel. I heard a ticking noise while moving the bike and seen all 5 spring washers missing again. Rode to Phantom HD and had new spring washers installed, again. I told the mechanic that I just had these put on before leaving home. He swore up and down that they weren't put in because there was no way for them to come out. I didn't argue but know that they were installed. Anyhow, left there and made it to Milwaukee. The second day up there and before leaving motel, I checked the right front rotor and three spring washers were missing. Went to Milwaukee Harley. Tried speaking with a service person there. They were swamped. I finally got one to listen to me explain my issue and he said never heard of such a thing. He told me a factory engineer was at the dealership and advise me to speak with him. I met him, told him what was up. He asked to look at my bike. Walked out to the parking lot and showed it to him. He took several pictures and asked that I give him some time to make a few calls. About an hour later he gets with me and says he contacted several of the MoCo's engineers and nobody had seen this. They suggested maybe a bad rotor. There was absolutely no pulsating, no nothing to indicate anything wrong when applying the front brakes. Had I not heard the clicking when moving it around in my shop before I left Florida, I wouldn't have known they were missing until I serviced the front brakes or removed the tire. Anyway, he suggested I go to House of Harley, that they could probably check it for me since where I was couldn't get to it. Went over there, explained the whole thing to the service writer. I went ahead and had a new rotor, bushings, spring washers and bolts put on the right side. I rode around up there and headed home after the 120th ended. Once I got home, the right front rotor is missing two spring washers. I have no idea what I can do to correct this and apparently HD doesn't either.

 

Great thread.... awaiting further.

FWIW The spring washers are cracking and falling off?
Happening to too many bikes.
Is the gap too large allowing movement?
Double up the washers?

 

I road the bike for a 110 mile loop a week ago after I replaced the spring washers, but never really got on the brakes super hard.
All the spring washers are still there and intact, I'm thinking I have a stuck caliper pad and one pad is pushing on the rotor like mad when heavy braking is applied.

but I haven't road it since then, I went to the truck and tractor pulls last weekend in Armada, MI and met a new girl in the beer tent... you know how that goes!