Clicking in front end

[Buell_Cru]

I have a clicking sound when I move my bars from left to right. It's not in the middle, it's when it touches from side to side. No recent mods and I have checked to see if there are any obstructions. When I was pulling into my driveway yesterday i heard the same thing. We have rolling curbs so if kind of quickly compresses the suspension and I do know the sound is not coming from the suspension. Everything is tight and no cracks. It sounds like flexing metal.

 

[LeFox]

there's no play in the stem?

 

[stopie20]

Hey, I just noticed the same thing on my 12s... This noise is the steering head bearings, and typically means your bearing preload is incorrect (too loose) and you just retorque the taper roller bearings by tightening a spanner nut....... But I quickly discovered that our Buells have a set of sealed ball bearings instead of taper roller bearing [mad]... Soooo my bike still has like 9 months waranty left and will be going in for service as soon as the weather permits.

If your out of waranty it shouldnt be a huge job to change them, but sealed bearings can be very easy to damage if installed improperly.

 

[Buell_Cru]

I wheelie quite a bit. Think that may have something to do with it?

How hard of a job is it for someone that has done it themselves? Do I need a bearing press? I'm sure I need a bearing puller.

 

[stopie20]

Well first I do alot of wheelies, jump train trax, and lots of stopies and it makes me wonder since we boyh have the same problem...[smirk]

As far as the job changing the bearings the hardest part will be suspending the bike so you can remove the forks, but the bearings them selves should be fairly simple... bearing pullers work ok, bu I have found in my line of work that a brass punch and some patients works very well for removal of bearings that are seated on the outer race. Installing the bearings can be done using a nylon, or dead blow hammer to start and then switching to a socket that matches the diameter of the outer race of the bearing, be sure that the socket does not hit the seal portion of the bearing or you will be doing this twice... SKF does make a special tool for this, but they can be very expensive. One other option is detailed in the service PDF using threaded rod, nuts and plates to "pinch" the bearings into the steering head simoteanously... I dont like this method, because it doesnot allow you to see that the bearings are not cocked in their seats, and has the potential for a disasterous outcome if you wreck the machined serface of the frame.

 

[Buell_Cru]

Gotcha, Sounds like something I could tackle with a half days worth of work.

 

[Buell_Cru]

I just went by the dealership. They don't think the bearings need replaced, just adjusted. I will be doing that this evening. Hopefully that's all it is.

 

[stopie20]

well If you figure out how to adjust let me know cuz I didnt see any way to do it..... So they think the whole bearing is shifting in its seat?[confused]