FLHT Front wobble Help "Tank slapper"
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1st Gear
Joined: Jun 2010
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FLHT Front wobble Help "Tank slapper"
I have a 2007 FLHT that i bought brand new and have put 36k on it since i bought it. About 6000 miles ago i noticed a slight wobble at 25-40 MPH and of course i took my hands off the bars to see just how bad it was and yea it almost slaps the tank if i let it go. Nothin wrong at high speeds. Dealer drove it when it first happened, and of course they claimed nothing was wrong and greased the steering stem calling it good. But its not. I did the fall away adjustment, still no go.
Has anyone else experienced this with the front end? Tires have good tread and they are Metzler 880's. I have heard about swing-arm bushings being the cause, fall away, tires, and steering stem bearings, etc.... But before i go drop a grip of money throwing parts at it I need some advice. Please help!
Has anyone else experienced this with the front end? Tires have good tread and they are Metzler 880's. I have heard about swing-arm bushings being the cause, fall away, tires, and steering stem bearings, etc.... But before i go drop a grip of money throwing parts at it I need some advice. Please help!
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 791
Likes: 1
From: The Real World
I have a 2007 FLHT that i bought brand new and have put 36k on it since i bought it. About 6000 miles ago i noticed a slight wobble at 25-40 MPH and of course i took my hands off the bars to see just how bad it was and yea it almost slaps the tank if i let it go. Nothin wrong at high speeds. Dealer drove it when it first happened, and of course they claimed nothing was wrong and greased the steering stem calling it good. But its not. I did the fall away adjustment, still no go.
Has anyone else experienced this with the front end? Tires have good tread and they are Metzler 880's. I have heard about swing-arm bushings being the cause, fall away, tires, and steering stem bearings, etc.... But before i go drop a grip of money throwing parts at it I need some advice. Please help!
Has anyone else experienced this with the front end? Tires have good tread and they are Metzler 880's. I have heard about swing-arm bushings being the cause, fall away, tires, and steering stem bearings, etc.... But before i go drop a grip of money throwing parts at it I need some advice. Please help!
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 2,005
Likes: 53
From: ID Ho
99% of the time it is the neck bearing being loose. You dont do fall away on an FL front end, you pull the bars to one side and let go, it should swing twice and stop. If its more than 2 swings its loose and will give that tank slapper feeling in the 30-40 mph range. You also need to grab the foks at the bottom and rock them back and forth to make sure theat there is no free play in the bearings, if it rocks and your swing is correct then you have something binding and need to start from scratch with the bearing adjustment.
If the fronnt end is correct the next 2 things that cause it are low front tire pressure and a cupped tire.
If the fronnt end is correct the next 2 things that cause it are low front tire pressure and a cupped tire.
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 944
Likes: 12
From: New York
I had the same problem with my 02 UC after installing Avons put about 6k on them and had the same problem had whole bike checked by 2 dealers second dealer changed tires back to dunlops never had a problem after that...
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 191
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From: alabama
Had the same problem on an 06. Went through everything you are doing, even added a stabilizer, ended up being a cupped front tire. I couldn't really feel the cup in the tire with inspection, but it was about time for a new one anyway. Put on new dunlop and problem went away. I still had good tread on the old tire it was just showing some signs of deteriation.
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