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Klunking noise in front end

11K views 24 replies 13 participants last post by  kent soignier 
#1 ·
I noticed the front end making a klunking, best word I can come up with, sound during my weekend fire road ride. It was pretty bad toward the end of the ride. If I lock the front brakes and push down on the suspension, I can hear it. It is totally repeatable in the first 2-3 inches of travel. The bike is '05 with only 900 miles on it. I bought it new about 6 weeks ago....What's a boy to do...steering head bearings? Some problem with the forks? Trip to the dealer and let him sort it out under warranty?... HELP...Thanks....
 
#4 ·
It is important to loosen the top fork clamps before you tighten the steering stem nut. This allows the entire clamp to move down instead of compressing the center of the triple clamp.

Wish the old forum was around with Patman's write up. It will be restored soon I think.

TW
 
#11 ·
Noticed a clunk in mine too! Found the 27mm(1 & 1/16) nut under the handle bars dead loose, moveable with finger tips, would have came off if not for handle bars. Just got thru retightening it and the bearing load nut under the top triple tree clamp. Any one else experience this? I've been around bikes for a while and never seen one loosen any of the triple tree clamp bolts, even the 67 BSA Spitfire I had, and the mirrors were uselss after about 50 mph.
 
#14 ·
I tightened mine up, along with a little locktite, seems as if Kawasaki and the KLR is gonna keep lock tite in business, I use it every time I find a loose bolt. This seems to be another "do hickey" type thing, that Kawasaki needs to address if the steering head comes loose like this. And from the few that mention it how many do not mention anything and say nothing about it? Yeah, my "do hickey" spring was broke when I checked it, replaced it all, so I do have a good stock do hickey in the drawer in the garage, won't guarantee how long it will be good though.
 
#16 ·
You got off easy, I had to replace my bearings and races because a few simple turns of the nut didn't fix mine. It wasn't much fun. Now every time I do a check up I test those bearings. Put it on the lift, grab the forks and try to make them clink. No clink = good to go.
 
#17 ·
Any ideas out there about drilling a hole for a 1/8 inch pipe tap and putting a zerk fitting in the neck and grease it every now and then, this is the way my Harley is set up? I know you have to be EXTREMELY careful about getting the chips out, but seems as if this would be the way to go.
 
#18 ·
Search this and any other forums you access, I have viewed a complete photo and text thread that covers it for swing arm and that can easily be used for steering head applications. Key words, zert, swing-arm;

Ard
 
#20 ·
Can't find the thread again, I should have saved it. If you do some research you'll find the info. Sorry
 
#21 ·
klunking noise in the front end

So hey, if I may chime in:
the steering head bearings don't get loose because the nuts back off. They get loose due to "settling in" of the bearing races and normal wear. And neglect. Loctite on the adjuster nuts will only make adjustment very difficult.
And pumping the steering head full of grease is not the answer either. Harleys have a very small diameter steering neck that only takes about a pound of grease to fill. (still not a very good solution)
The klr neck is much larger and will require alot more grease. The bearings only require a little grease to cushion them and to keep them from rusting. Too much grease becomes a problem in the form of excessive drag, causing wobbles and head shakes in some cases.
There are reasons the oem's only use a little grease as new.
Grease zerks in the swingarm and suspension linkage is a very good idea. In the steering head; not so good.
We (at GMDATL.com) used to think we were doing the right thing by packing sthdbrgs like we would a wheel bearing, result; stiff steering. wobbles, wiggles, etc. bad.
Now we lightly grease them, seat the races carefully after diligent cleaning of the bearing pockets, then proper adjustment which means just lightly preloaded. Then a follow-up check for clunk-clunk free play that can develope in the first 50 miles of riding. Re-adjust if needed at that point. Usually after that they will remain good for many miles.
just my humble opinion
 
#23 ·
So hey, if I may chime in:
the steering head bearings don't get loose because the nuts back off. They get loose due to "settling in" of the bearing races and normal wear. And neglect. Loctite on the adjuster nuts will only make adjustment very difficult.
And pumping the steering head full of grease is not the answer either. Harleys have a very small diameter steering neck that only takes about a pound of grease to fill. (still not a very good solution)
The klr neck is much larger and will require alot more grease. The bearings only require a little grease to cushion them and to keep them from rusting. Too much grease becomes a problem in the form of excessive drag, causing wobbles and head shakes in some cases.
There are reasons the oem's only use a little grease as new.
Grease zerks in the swingarm and suspension linkage is a very good idea. In the steering head; not so good.
We (at GMDATL.com) used to think we were doing the right thing by packing sthdbrgs like we would a wheel bearing, result; stiff steering. wobbles, wiggles, etc. bad.
Now we lightly grease them, seat the races carefully after diligent cleaning of the bearing pockets, then proper adjustment which means just lightly preloaded. Then a follow-up check for clunk-clunk free play that can develope in the first 50 miles of riding. Re-adjust if needed at that point. Usually after that they will remain good for many miles.
just my humble opinion
Aren't the bearings preloaded like wheel bearings? Before they are sent out to the customer, as far as being to much grease, well unless there is some hydraulics involved that is not involved in other motorcycles, the amount should have nothing to do with it, I don't know the compression of axle grease, not high temp wheel bearing grease, the bearings are just not put thru that much of a load of the 3000 to 10000 rpms coming out of the wheels of a car.If you overtighten the steering head bearings and back off and then readjust the bearings, just like wheel bearings, I can't see any problem at all?
I still see if they need lube once they are set right, a zerk fitting would be a continous supply, boat trailers have zerk fittings, some of them anyway, the smaller diameter tires turn a lot faster than the larger car/truck tires. I do agree the bearings don't need as much attention as a wheel bearing, but, still I have never had a triple tree clamp on any bike I have ever had get loose, I did go from ball bearings to roller bearings in an old GL1000 and the handling improved more than I have room to describe it here, but even it didn't get loose.
 
#24 ·
On another note....it seems that you got away with a simple fix.
Great, thats my favorite price...lol. Alot of people like to change from ball bearings which are somewhat crude to caged bearings for the fork stem bearings. As the balls are inherantly low-budget OEM stuff and sufficient, they are used. But those of us who 'know' typically include this in suspension modifications as a run of the mill mod. In other threads here, others have mentioned instability at high speeds. A couple of factors that come into play are the type of tires used. Semi-knobby on-off road verses something more suited for road work. The more knoby, the more the wobbley feel as speeds rise, due to tire contact patch on the road surface. Also road grooves mess with you too. Not much to be done about that, but a more street oriented tire would give you a better 'feel' and less vagueness. What my original thought was,......was that caged bearings 'should' give you a more 'silky' feeling by virtue of less vagueness in tolerances of the two types of bearings. As I recall, most bearing swaps are around 40-50 bucks, and far cheaper if you can find out what races and bearings are used and buy from a bearing dealer, like say 'Grainger', a supplier of about anything mechanical or internal combustion oriented. Many of you will recognise 'Grainger'. But this modification should help the feel becone 'planted' at high speeds
 
#25 ·
As a 40 plus year pro motorcycle mechanic, almost 20 years of that as a motorcycle chassis specialist, I have seen the oem's go from loose, uncaged ball bearings (in the '70's and pre) to caged balls (in the 80's)to tapered roller bearings (in the 90's) BACK to caged ball bearings (presently) as standard equipment from the factory on new bikes. Talking about steering head (neck) bearings here.
Why is this, you might ask? I think, because they are idiot proof, and simple to install, and are very adequate if maintained.

I used to agree strongly with the commonly held opinion that changing to tapered rollers was an automatic upgrade and enhancement.

In my business we straighten frames, triple clamps and swingarms everyday. Current and vintage bikes, of all types and brands.
We take front ends off of every bike that we put through our frame jigs for straightening. I inspect, clean, grease, adjust and/or replace steering head bearings in bikes almost every day. We keep a range of inventory of both ball type and tapered roller kits that cover most common apps.
There are situations where we must use tapered rollers for reasons which I will not get into here.

We have learned a few things, we try to NOT have to use tapered roller bearings because:
First; if over packed with grease tapered rollers makes for lots of drag, too much. Just enough grease to keep the rollers and races from rusting and provide a little cushioning is all that is needed. NOTE; this excess drag can cause big instability in high speed straight line riding. WOBBLES

Second; we have learned that over preloading tapered rollers creates too much drag. There is a very critical, fairly finite point of adjustment to eliminate freeplay (clunk clunk) without creating too much drag. Target is no looseness and little drag. Too much of either causes WOBBLES at speed.

Thirdly; ball bearings seem to be idiot proof where, a little preload by way of adjustment and they are good to go. No finicky adjusting like tapered rollers require. Very seldom requiring follow up adjustments. Improper setting here causes WOBBLES at speed.

Fourth; no matter how diligently prepared and installed and adjusted, the tapered rollers frequently/commonly require a follow-up adjustment after things settle in, within about 50 miles on them. If this is not recognized/done, you get dents and beds at each roller(or ball) element beat into the races from the slight hammering from the 'clunk clunk' movement, this will ruin new bearings in a few miles. Guess what? WOBBLERS
Excessive amounts of grease on them provides absolutely no benefit.

I repectfully disagree with the belief that ball bearings are crude compared to roller types.
As far as I know almost all of the current ball type bearings in modern motorcycles are 'caged' ball types.

Well there you go, that is a little of what I know about steering head bearings and their affect on motorcycle handling.
BTW, there are many other reasons for motorcycles to wobble.
Solving handling problems for motorcycles is the heart of my business.
 
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