I am experiencing a strange noise after recently having a tire replaced on my 07 FLHX. I first noticed it as I was moving my bike out of the garage. I heard a clicking noise and at first thought it was just my weight on the bike making a creak. However as I put it on the lift and rotated the rear wheel I could hear it as if it was coming from the IDS that I had installed 1.5 years ago.

I took it to the dealer and they replaced the bearing in the IDS and I thought all was good. However when I got home that day I backed it out of the garage again to wash it and the noise was still there. It sounds like it is coming from the hub area, not necessarily anywhere near where the belt is on the pulley.

Any ideas? The shop said they also inspected the wheel bearings and they looked fine. I am going to take it back in again, but I am out of town and if there were some things to look for I could check them when I get home prior to driving back to the dealer.

 

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Is the clicking sound only when the tire is turned in reverse?

 

No, it occurs forward or backwards equally. If you can imagine tapping two ball bearings together - that is what it sounds like. tap, tap, tap.

 

My clicking was a wheel bearing. The guy before me removed the bearings to chrome the wheel and re-installed the same ones. Didn't take long to go bad. You can't tell a bad bearing by 'looking' at it. You can feel a bad one.

 

Problem discovered.

While riding back to the dealership to have them investigate the clicking noise, i started hearing a louder and louder thunk noise like something was rolling around, grinding. You know, that sickening noise that sounds like money falling out of your wallet... I ride it for about 10 miles and the noise becomes unbearable so I decide I should just pull over. At this time I start rolling the bike forward and backwards and now the tiny click noise has been replaced with the thunking. I decide that I need to exercise my Road America through the Hog Club (best 19.95 per year I ever spent btw.), and call in the tow. I take it into the shop and they discover that the right wheel bearing is toast and that the entire rear wheel can be moved.

I guess other than spending some money today I was very lucky that I did not crash. Thanks to the big man for that

 

you stated you noticed the clicking after you had a tire replaced. seems to me a good mechanic would check the wheel bearings when replacing a tire. i would have my work done by someone else next time

 

+1

What he said!

 

How many miles are on the bad bearing?

 

Well bad bearing was at 19600.

However, the clicking noise that I started this thread with still exists. The bearings were replaced by a different dealership since I ended up having to be towed in. So now I have a new IDS bearing and two new bearings in the wheel. When I spin the wheel the noise sounds as if it is coming from inside the IDS unit.

When I had the IDS bearing replaced the tech said he checked the rubber inside the of it and they did not look worn. I am at a loss to what could be causing this issue...