Greasing the steering knuckle.....
Tourer
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 275
Likes: 0
From: N.W. Pa.
Used a flex hose on the grease gun, took 20 or so pumps before I saw it coming out around the bottom bearing.
I use Kendall super blue hi-temp grease, never had a problem with it running out.
Do they put any grease in from the moco?, it sure did not seem like much if any.
I use Kendall super blue hi-temp grease, never had a problem with it running out.
Do they put any grease in from the moco?, it sure did not seem like much if any.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 2,590
Likes: 31
From: Western Illinois, land of bad roads, and corrupt politicians
When in doubt.... grease it.
A friend bought a used 100th anniversary Sporty 2 years ago. The neck was DRY. Not a speck of grease in it.
This was a USED bike. The dealer supposedly did the original pre-delivery, and the then did a recondition service on it when it was sold USED to my friend.
The dealer never bothered to pump some grease into the neck either time. At that point my friend and I went over every inch of that bike. We pulled the trees, and the bearings were indeed dry as a bone....... luckily no rust.
A friend bought a used 100th anniversary Sporty 2 years ago. The neck was DRY. Not a speck of grease in it.
This was a USED bike. The dealer supposedly did the original pre-delivery, and the then did a recondition service on it when it was sold USED to my friend.
The dealer never bothered to pump some grease into the neck either time. At that point my friend and I went over every inch of that bike. We pulled the trees, and the bearings were indeed dry as a bone....... luckily no rust.
Last edited by shooter5074; May 16, 2011 at 02:35 PM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 25,292
Likes: 2,427
From: Eastern NE
Neck bearings are pretty much "hand greased" fm factory so they do need a good grease job pretty much from new ownership. Agree w/swapping to 45 or 90 degree zerks (fm any auto store) and recommend marine-grade grease. Good luck!
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 20,616
Likes: 4,440
From: anacoco, la
I pumped my head full untill i could see it top and bottom coming out. Will my Timken bearings ever rust? No! Does it drip on the fender and blow on my engine gaurd and left side cover? Yes! HD multipurpose grease and when it gets hot it drips a liquid on the lower tripple tree and out the pinch area slot onto the fender. Maybe it will stop in a couple years.
Road Captain
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 709
Likes: 1
From: Maine
If you fill the neck up so that both Timkens get the grease it will ooze. Even high quality greases seem to have a liquid that seeps out of them. I use Mobile 1 synthetic grease in a lot of my vehical steering linkages in the front ends and it drips a red fluid even out of the bottom of the grease gun hanging on the wall. If you open up a tube it looks like it could never drip but it does. I'm willing to bet if you fill your head up all the way so that it gets on the upper and lower bearings you will find some sepage on the bike. I have probably 15 types of grease and can't put my hands on one that does not have a liquid that seeps in the heat. Of course if you just pump a little in that big old empty steering head you probably would never notice it. I filled it with the HD multipurpose and i have a chunk of paper towel wedged in the lower triple tree soaking up the seapage before it drips down the fender. Takes a while to pump the head full enough to get both bearings and it will show out one bearing long before it gets to the other i know this because i sealed off the bearing that i saw it come out of first with a hose wraped around it and pumped till i saw it come out the other oh yea one shows grease long before the other gets it. Flex hose goes right on the Zerk with the fixed Road Glide fairing.
Tourer
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 253
Likes: 1
From: S E Michigan
While my Limited is on the lift upright and level, I get a bungee cord and pull the handle bar fully to the right. The zerk fitting is easy to access. I bought a cheap $10 grease gun from Autozone with an 8 inch angle applicator tube. Fits nicely. Just make sure that you are on straight or it will bypass everywhere but where you want it to go. My initial application took quite a lot of pumps. Nearly half the tube of HD Multipurpose grease. When the grease oozed out of the bottom, it oozed out of the top at the same time. Maybe because it had no weight on it. I have to continue to monitor the lower triple tree as grease still oozes out a bit. Not a real deal breaker. I would rather have something in there extending the life rather than nothing. So, what's a little grease.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,954
Likes: 148
From: Augusta, GA
I grease my bearings at the 1000 mile service and have not had any issues with leaking grease. I used the HD recommended grease. If you add incompatible grease, you can make the grease liquify and it will really leak out.
