iiisecondcreep Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 I took the VFR out today for the first time since September. When I was going along I went over a few small holes in the road (1.5" deep, nothing major) and the front end was clunking loudly every time.I seem to recall the bike was much the same before it had the fork seals done in June. I put a cable tie on one of the forks and took it out again, when I brought the bike back the cable tie had been pushed up 85mm- this was easy going riding and only a mile along the road and back (and going over a couple of those shallow holes). I don't know how much the suspension is meant to travel but that seems quite a lot when I wasn't really doing much. The maximum fork travel for my bike is 120mm. First question - are the forks doing too much travelling for normal riding? If so what do I do about it?Second question - is this likely to be the cause of the clunking or could it be something else? If so, would there be any other symptoms? (the clunking whilst going over bumps is the only symptom atm).Thanks!Gayle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrbarry Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 Could be wheel bearing, fork bushes or steering head bearings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastanglianbiker Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 i would check for play in the steering head bearing first gayle put the bike up on the centre stand see how freely the handlebars move from lock to lock with front wheel off the ground then hold the forks and see if any forward and backward motion in them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 as EAB says was the fork bushes done with the seals? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iiisecondcreep Posted March 3, 2013 Author Share Posted March 3, 2013 Thanks guys, I'll try and check the steering during the week. How do I check the wheel bearings?Stu: yeah the bushes were done with the fork seals Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megawatt Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 If not steering head bearings, check fork oil levels. If both the same, add another 30ccs to each leg and try it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastanglianbiker Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 to check the wheel bearings get bike up on centre stand again and get the front wheel off the ground then hold wheel at top and bottom while at the side of the bike and see if there feels like there is movement sideways rather than forwards and backwards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iiisecondcreep Posted March 4, 2013 Author Share Posted March 4, 2013 Thanks Steve Alan, how do I check the oil level and is it easy to put more in? It was Honda that did the forks in June and they do have a 12 months parts warranty but not labour. How long should I reasonably expect the fork repairs (new seals, new bushes and new oil) to have lasted? (if that is the problem). Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiggie Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 my manual only tells me to inspect the forks every 20 months (or 5000 miles) so yours should last a damn site longer than 8 months Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voodoo Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 First thing I'd check is the huge nut on the top of the yolk. Very easy to check and it cured a mysterious clunking on one of my bikes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megawatt Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 Yep repairs should last longer than 8 months Gayle. Check fork oil levels as per a workshop manual. Check steering head bearings by putting bike on a paddock stand, lifting front off the ground with a jack. Grab bottom of fork legs with both hands and try pulling and pushing forward and back. If you feel a clicking, you need to tighten the two nuts under the top yoke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tango Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 Something that I've seen that looks and sounds like loose head bearings but isn't......the bobbins on the floating front disks wear and have a little bit of play in them......so if you rock the bike forwards and back with the front brake on you can feel a knock coming up through the steering......maybe worth checking as well Gayle..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iiisecondcreep Posted March 4, 2013 Author Share Posted March 4, 2013 Right, just been out and tried some of those things.Turning the bars from side to side is fine, nice and smooth. If I grab the forks at the bottom there is definite movement (maybe about 20mm?) but no clicking. If I try to move them at the top (slider? Eds suggestion) there is no movement.Checking the wheel was tricker but there seems to be side-side movement, very little (5mm?) but it does seem to be moving.Also as per above the stanchions are going in by 85mm under normal riding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hodgy Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 If you have that much movement then something is deffinately wrong, you need to get it checked out properly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tango Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 OK Gayle....sounds like the head bearings could do with adjusting....and maybe new wheel bearing time too.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iiisecondcreep Posted March 4, 2013 Author Share Posted March 4, 2013 If you have that much movement then something is deffinately wrong, you need to get it checked out properly Do you mean for all the things? OK Gayle....sounds like the head bearings could do with adjusting....and maybe new wheel bearing time too.... Ok, Ed thinks wheel bearings are easy as he has done them previously. He is less confident about the steering head bearings due to worrying about over tightening but we have a torque wrench so should be safe with that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hodgy Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 If you have that much movement then something is deffinately wrong, you need to get it checked out properly Do you mean for all the things? OK Gayle....sounds like the head bearings could do with adjusting....and maybe new wheel bearing time too.... Ok, Ed thinks wheel bearings are easy as he has done them previously. He is less confident about the steering head bearings due to worrying about over tightening but we have a torque wrench so should be safe with that? Yep for all things, although they may all be the same problem, if that makes sense? That's why it needs checking properly.You don't use torque wrench for head bearings, there done by 'feel' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tango Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 Yeah.....it's getting the adjustment nut so that there's no movement in the head bearings....but they're not so tight as to make the steering sticky. Just tighten the adjustment nut a small amount and then check the play in the forks....if there's still a bit of movement adjust it a little more. When it's right then tighten the lock nut...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megawatt Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 I thought Gayle said the forks felt alright at the top , but 20mm movement at the bottom? This could be fork bushes at the bottom of the stanchions. There was movement of the wheel? If so, remove calipers and spin the wheel , see if it is silent. If not sure,remove wheel and stick yer thumb in the bearing to feel for notchiness. If still not sure Gayle, gimme a bell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fast Eddie Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 Just to add to this, I'm not convinced there is as much as 20mm movement in the forks, but then I wasn't really looking for distance moved just if there was any. Might have to go out and check again when it's lighter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megawatt Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 Gimme a bell Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iiisecondcreep Posted March 5, 2013 Author Share Posted March 5, 2013 I thought Gayle said the forks felt alright at the top , but 20mm movement at the bottom? This could be fork bushes at the bottom of the stanchions. There was movement of the wheel? If so, remove calipers and spin the wheel , see if it is silent. If not sure,remove wheel and stick yer thumb in the bearing to feel for notchiness. If still not sure Gayle, gimme a bell.Thats right, didn't feel any movement whilst holding the forks at the top of the lower half Also agree with what Ed said, it was probably only about 10mm movementWheel removing will need to wait until the weekend, not enough daylight in the evenings yet :/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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