Voltage regulator wiring problem
Judging by the poll being conducted here on the forum I'd say there is some statistical likelihood that my dealer has seen dozens of these failures. My bike's build date 12/11, code on my VR 5111 (51st week 2011?) I REALLY like my bike and hate having the ownership experience tainted with this crap!! (As does everyone else in the same boat.)
Account Suspended
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 399
Likes: 2
From: Orange County, CA
I am a little disappointed in my dealer's treatment of the VR issue. The service manager pretty much played dumb on the issue. I expressed my concern with some specific detail learned here and I was assured that everything checked ok in the charging system. I was also told that there was no knowledge of any problems and no TSBs issued.
Judging by the poll being conducted here on the forum I'd say there is some statistical likelihood that my dealer has seen dozens of these failures. My bike's build date 12/11, code on my VR 5111 (51st week 2011?) I REALLY like my bike and hate having the ownership experience tainted with this crap!! (As does everyone else in the same boat.)
Judging by the poll being conducted here on the forum I'd say there is some statistical likelihood that my dealer has seen dozens of these failures. My bike's build date 12/11, code on my VR 5111 (51st week 2011?) I REALLY like my bike and hate having the ownership experience tainted with this crap!! (As does everyone else in the same boat.)
My previous dealer sounds like yours. They would always give the runaround. This dealership that I went to was fabulous, and it definitely makes a huge difference in customer satisfaction. I am incredulous at the attitude of indifference and arrogance exhibited by some dealerships. They don't seem to understand the market they are in or the link between customer satisfaction and a healthy business.
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,644
Likes: 224
From: Coeur d'Alene
I'm just going by memory but I think Harley reported that the forecast for MC sales for MY 2012 is about 240,000 units. Of that number, I've got to believe at least 60% are in the touring segment....or about 145,000 bikes or about 12,000 per month. So if they've only shipped bikes with shitty regulators from ~ the 35th week of '11 (3511-4911) basically to the end of the year, that's about 4 months....maybe a little less. My point is HD would have to have at least 40,000 regulators in the pipeline to do an official recall as so many want. Just don't see that happening
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Road Captain
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 679
Likes: 120
From: Fairbanks, AK.
Post #9 above indicates what he was told by his dealer...3911 through 5111. That's likely the case pending any official documentation from HD, which may not happen.
It appears some dealers are willing and able to get some support info. Verbal?, written?, as noted we don't know at this point. But they apparently do.
Gary
It appears some dealers are willing and able to get some support info. Verbal?, written?, as noted we don't know at this point. But they apparently do.
Gary
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With the lousy weekend weather we had and not being able to ride I decided to use the time to crawl under the right side of my bike as Gary suggested in the OP. I located the bundle coming out of the VR, routed over to the right side of the bike's frame, past the engine mounting bolt Gary mentioned. In my case there was clearance between the bolt head and the wire bundle, and no sign of chaffing of course.
But, being a proactive sort, and wanting to do SOMETHING positive to reduce my VR anxiety I decided to pull the bundle over as suggested. While I was crawling around I had my cellphone sitting on the running board in case someone called. I used it to snap a couple of pictures and thought I'd share with you guys.
There were 3 bundles in all, including the VR wires and the crank position sensor wires. I grabbed all 3, pulled them to the right, away from the mount bolt head and secured with a tie. This is the tied-up bundle.
I took my little mirror and setup the following shot so you can see the clearance that now exists between the bolt head and the bundles. Maybe there would have been a problem eventually, maybe not. But I got the satisfaction of knowing I did something.
Maybe in a few days the weather will clear and I'll stop polishing the Road King and crawling around under it -- and go ride it!!!
But, being a proactive sort, and wanting to do SOMETHING positive to reduce my VR anxiety I decided to pull the bundle over as suggested. While I was crawling around I had my cellphone sitting on the running board in case someone called. I used it to snap a couple of pictures and thought I'd share with you guys.
There were 3 bundles in all, including the VR wires and the crank position sensor wires. I grabbed all 3, pulled them to the right, away from the mount bolt head and secured with a tie. This is the tied-up bundle.
I took my little mirror and setup the following shot so you can see the clearance that now exists between the bolt head and the bundles. Maybe there would have been a problem eventually, maybe not. But I got the satisfaction of knowing I did something.
Maybe in a few days the weather will clear and I'll stop polishing the Road King and crawling around under it -- and go ride it!!!
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Road Captain
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 679
Likes: 120
From: Fairbanks, AK.
Good Pics and thanks for the documentation. My wife's camera was in her purse as usual when the time came to fix.
My VR wire was jammed between that silver bolt head and the frame below. The motor rocks in the rubber mounts and that bolt shakes as well. It wore through the outer cover and was getting it on with the wire insulation. There's a gray plastic fastener on the frame below the bolt head that held mine there as well. The FR wire has a smooth cover, not the ribbed one that's seen as well.
The nylon tie is just what I did. If in replacing the regulator you need some wire slack, undo the tie, do the replacment and plug-in, then secure it back to the right frame as shown.
Good Job! Your RK obviously needs a mud puddle or two and a few smashed bugs to get broken in right.
Gary
My VR wire was jammed between that silver bolt head and the frame below. The motor rocks in the rubber mounts and that bolt shakes as well. It wore through the outer cover and was getting it on with the wire insulation. There's a gray plastic fastener on the frame below the bolt head that held mine there as well. The FR wire has a smooth cover, not the ribbed one that's seen as well.
The nylon tie is just what I did. If in replacing the regulator you need some wire slack, undo the tie, do the replacment and plug-in, then secure it back to the right frame as shown.
Good Job! Your RK obviously needs a mud puddle or two and a few smashed bugs to get broken in right.
Gary
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