Feb 2008 - Forks, Keys, Arms, Pands & Leaks - Harley Forum

Buzz Kanter · #1 12-17-2008, 09:57 AM

Forks, Keys, ’Arms, Pads, and Leaks

Got a problem with your stock H-D that your local dealer can’t fix? Well, put away that hammer, grab a pen, and let our resident pro get you back on the road! That’s right, frustrated ones. You can now get your perplexing problem answered with a simple snail mail or e-mail to AIM.

Leading off this month is Internet Mark aboard his 2004 FXD Super Glide. Seems that things are really clicking for Mark, and that’s the root of his cycling worries. Next up, we hear from Jim Donaldson across the Atlantic, telling us that he’s all keyed-up about his Sportster’s single key. Fear not, JD, it’s a lock that we can offer some valuable advice. Back stateside, Ed Tyson writes in from Alaska with a general swingarm inquiry concerning Dynas and Wide Glides. Moving southeasterly on the map, we come to Clarence Collister in Missouri. Need we say that CC’s rider is a 2003 Fat Boy, and he needs a break from being all broken up about the brake gremlins his Boy is experiencing? And finally, we’ll share a note from the dreaded Mr. Anonymous, who claims to have a scoop for us regarding leaky 2007-08 CVO 110s. No worries, time to take a leak and provide some insight on the purported problem.

Anyone wishing to submit a question to our H-D expert should send in as much info about the problem and bike as possible, which definitely includes the bike’s year, model, and mileage, to Hog Helpline, c/o American Iron Magazine, 1010 Summer Street, Stamford, CT 06905, or e-mail it to ChrisM@AmericanIronMag.com. Ready for the disclaimer? Unfortunately, we can’t answer all of the questions that we receive or respond directly to the submitter, owing to volume. Select questions will be answered only through this monthly column.

Q: I ride a 2004 FXD Super Glide with 8,400 miles showing. If I hold the front brake and compress the forks, I hear a clicking sound coming from the front area. If I hold the rear brake alone and compress the forks, it doesn’t happen. I’ve checked the headlight mounting area and any other possible loose items as well. My first guess was the fork springs, but since the noise doesn’t happen when I use the rear brake, I’m guessing it’s the front brake. Also worth mentioning, this clicking happens when I go over bumps, with or without applying the brakes.
Mark
Via Internet

A: Sounds like maybe you have a loose steering head bearing, Mark. Another indicator is if the front end wobbles a little when you’re slowing down from 40 to 30 mph. The clearance in the bearing is what you may be hearing. When you hit the front brake, the wheel slows down before the frame does. The frame moves forward, taking up the bearing clearance and clicks or clunks when it stops. When properly adjusted, there will be a slight amount of preload or drag on the bearing with no clearance. If you can, support the front wheel off the floor and pull forward on the front of the wheel. If there is too much clearance, you’ll feel it, and will probably hear the same click. Try tightening the fork stem nut enough to take away the click. You should have it checked at your dealer to make sure it’s adjusted right. Too tight and you could wind up with a wobble at high speed.

Q: Last October, I bought my Sportster from Robin Hood Harley in Nottingham, It only had one ignition/steering lock key, and though the dealer promised to obtain another key, it now seems he’s unable to do so. My key appears to be different (thicker) to all the other keys the dealer is familiar with. Is it possible to shed any light on this problem, or give any advice? It’s now summer, and I’m getting nervous relying on the one key. Surely my Sportster is not that unique!
Jim Donaldson
Via Internet

A: It should not be that difficult to get keys for your bike. The picture you sent looked to be of a normal Sportster key. It’s possible that the replacement sent to you was just made wrong. Are you sure it was ordered from Harley, or did the dealer have a local shop try to duplicate it? The parts book shows your key number, so there should be no problem getting it. Is it possible the previous owner changed something? The other option is to order a whole new lock set. It will come with the ignition switch, fork lock, and two new, matched keys.

Q: Could you tell me why the swingarm is attached to the transmission on the new Harley Dynas, and why did the Lowrider lost the 32 degree rake? I understand that a shorter wheelbase equals better handling, but now nothing separates the Lowrider from the rest of the Dynas, with the exception of the Wide Glide. I think the 1999 Lowrider was one of the best handling bikes Harley ever made. Was the company trying to save money on frames?
Ed Tyson
Alaska

A: The swingarm has always been attached to the transmission housing on the Dyna Glide models. Just like the FXR models, this makes the whole powertrain one unit, which increases stiffness and stability. The frames changed as a result of the customers’ desire for that fat tire on the back. Tire size dictates the contact patch, which determines the center of gravity for the motorcycle. The rake had to change to maintain stability after all these other changes. The Wide Glide is different because of the 21” front wheel.

Q: I have a Stock 2003 Fat Boy with 17,000 miles on it. I needed new brake pads, so I went to a custom builder and had new rear pads put on. Within 20 miles, they started squeaking like a dump truck, metal on metal. The brakes never squeaked before. I went back to the custom builder several times, but the problem couldn’t be fixed. I thought to myself, “That’s what I get for not buying Harley-Davidson pads.” I took my bike to the local Harley dealer, and had new pads installed, but they still squeaked badly. Then I was told that the rotor needed to be replaced with a new unit. The squeaking remained. Then it was decided that the caliper needed to be rebuilt, which the dealer did, with all H-D parts. Still squeaked. Next, we tried another set of H-D pads. Still squeaked. Now everything has been replaced with new parts, and it still squeaks (only at low speeds, usually 5 mph or less). When I approach a stop sign, people in cars think that I’ve locked up my brakes and am sliding into them. The techs at my local H-D dealer contacted the H-D Tech line and were told to fill the holes in the rotor with foam to deaden the sound. This just doesn't sound like a bona fide fix. Do you have any idea as to what else to try? The guys at the Harley dealership have been great, but we've run out of options.
Clarence Collister
Lake Ozark, Missouri

A: We get many complaints about brakes, and it seems there's never a definite answer. Could be a sticky master cylinder that causes the pads to drag and make noise at low speed. If you lift the wheel off the ground, can you feel excessive drag when you try to turn the wheel? Are the wheels stock? If the rotor isn’t centered in the caliper, it will cause a slight drag, again making the noise at low speed. If the anti-rattle clip above the pads is bent or loose, it may be rubbing on the outer edge of the rotor.

Q: Here's a scoop your magazine might be interested in. There is a high percentage failure rate on the 2007-08 CVO 110s in both Road Kings and Ultra Classics. The problem is an oil leak on the rear cylinder due to either a failed head gasket or a problem with the cylinder liner. Many owners, myself included, have had multiple failures. A recent poll on CVOHarley.com showed that nearly 75 percent of the poll respondents have suffered this problem at least once. Harley came out with a revised gasket (16801-07A) and that didn't help. It looks like the real problem may lie in cylinder-liner separations, due to the excessive heat generated in this generation of lean-burning, EPA-compliant bikes. Lots of people have had cylinders replaced, and the leak still came back. You can't fix it if you don't understand it.

Repeated attempts to repair the problem have, as of yet, been unsuccessful. H-D is slow to take ownership of a problem, and up until now met each complaint with, “Wow, that's a new one on me.” Well, we've made it high enough up the chain (Ron Hutchinson at the H-D Town Hall Meeting in Knoxville, Tennessee) that the Motor Company can no longer claim it’s an “isolated, low-percentage” issue that it hasn’t heard of. I called Heavy Duty Cycles to find out what they know. They’ve heard it’s a problem, and are thinking liners, too. Maybe Donny will do a piece on it in the near future? I hope so. This is a situation that needs some press to get H-D to address the issue with its crown jewel. I hope this interests you, and you run with it.
Name withheld
Via Internet

A: First of all, I’d like to know what your high percentage of failures is. Second, how many motorcycles make up that 75 percent of respondents? At my local dealership, there have been zero percent failures on the 110” engines sold, and 100 percent satisfaction with those models. That said, I have seen some leaky crankcases on a couple of Twin Cams that only appeared to be leaking from the cylinders. The cylinder liners are cast into the barrels, not just pressed in. I believe it would take a heck of a lot more heat than the 110” generates to separate them. Has your mechanic checked the cylinder head for flatness? I’d be more inclined to say you have a poorly machined head gasket surface, or possibly a porous casting. The porosity may be small and only show up when the engine is at operating temperature. Like you said, you need to understand what the problem is before you can fix it.