Comments on: Steering Head Bearing Adjustment https://www.fixmyhog.com/post/steering-head-bearing-adjustment/ Wed, 23 Aug 2023 15:01:23 +0000 hourly 1 By: Curtis LUDEMANN https://www.fixmyhog.com/post/steering-head-bearing-adjustment/comment-page-1/#comment-2496561 Wed, 23 Aug 2023 15:01:23 +0000 http://www.fixmyhog.com/post/steering-head-bearing-adjustment/#comment-2496561 In reply to Curtis LUDEMANN.

Oh Bearing swap was done between 2014 to 2015 years. Timkens were in 2014 models. FYI

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By: Curtis LUDEMANN https://www.fixmyhog.com/post/steering-head-bearing-adjustment/comment-page-1/#comment-2496560 Wed, 23 Aug 2023 14:58:30 +0000 http://www.fixmyhog.com/post/steering-head-bearing-adjustment/#comment-2496560 In reply to Rick.

Rick I had the same problem on a 2015 Limited and the reason behind it is HD’s fault. I had just had my 1000 service done at stealership. When about 200 miles into riding the bike after service it went into a death wobble at 75mph on a curve. After going off concrete onto gravel shoulder I was 100% sure a slide out was going to occur. So with every ounce of strength I had I crank the bars right to jump off into the ditch. Landed so hard I face planted on top of windshield but kept her upright banking off the opposite side of the ditch. Center of ditch was pretty rain soaked ground and weight of the bike was slowing quickly with the ruts it was making. Got stopped in center of ditch 150ft farther down the ditch. To soft to turn around so looked up ditch to the best place to attend back onto shoulder,2 city long farther up ditch. Got to the place and just about made the climb up out of ditch but back tore spun out. Thus laying bike over on side, gently though. Have heat shield scars trying to guide bike down. Luckily 2 Amish young men helped me pick up bike and pull onto roadway. Called around to different dealers and found out HD quit using Timken bearings in neck in exchange for cheaper Chineese ones. They compressed and left alot of play in neck, thus death wobble. HD put out to dealers to retighten neck bearing bolts at 1000mi service. My stealer said they did this but it takes book 3.25hrs to do and I waited on my service while being done in 1.5hrs. So it wasn’t done. The dealership came to my house 90miles away,picked up bike,retorted entire M/C front to back, buffed out a couple scratch marks,and detailed it better than when I purchased it. Plus delivered it back to my garage 90miles, all free of charge. Come to find out I could of got into a class action law suit with other victims but didn’t. Never took the bike back there again till dealership changed to new owners who I know personally. So heads-up it will be a continuing problem with more miles added to bike. Started a slight wobble again around 15,000 miles on a 3500mile run, so put in Timken bearings while on the trip in Gillette WY dealership. Good people out there and had the T Bearings on hand. Put bike in servicing stall stall within 15mins. 5hrs later I was rolling again towards Beartooth Mountain Pass. Problenless still to this day and never touched by a wrench again. Have 123,000 miles on it now. But everyone please put some Timken Bearings in your neck and get rid of those collapsing China junk bearings. I always wondered how many people weren’t around due to death from wobble who’s voice was never heard in the class action law suit!!!!!

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By: Rick https://www.fixmyhog.com/post/steering-head-bearing-adjustment/comment-page-1/#comment-1586089 Fri, 14 Sep 2018 23:03:20 +0000 http://www.fixmyhog.com/post/steering-head-bearing-adjustment/#comment-1586089 I had the exact same symptoms on my 2016 CVO Limited after putting on approx 2000 miles. Went to the dealer, explained the symptoms and the dealer said the neck bearings needed adjustment. They were right. When I got the bike back, it was immediately apparent that was the problem, handling was so much better. BTW – dealer didn’t charge me for the adjustment.

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By: Bob https://www.fixmyhog.com/post/steering-head-bearing-adjustment/comment-page-1/#comment-545123 Fri, 24 Jun 2016 03:38:55 +0000 http://www.fixmyhog.com/post/steering-head-bearing-adjustment/#comment-545123 Hi Guys, My ’08 Ultra is at 50K miles, and the maintenance schedule indicates it’s time for steering head bearing adjustment. I watched the premium video. Questions are: a) should the bearings necessarily need to be replaced at this point, or just adjusted, assuming no galling, or bad bearings? b) I assume the radio needs to come out, too, to get at the adjustments. Anything else I should know with a fairing up there, to be able to make the task as easy as possible? I know it is a tight space. Are there any detailed instructions for doing this on an Ultra? I do have the factory service manual, too, and will reference that, as well.
Thanks,
Bob

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