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Posted by lumper
- June 02, 2011, 19:48:24 PMhmm, thats interesting.
Troll I have the same tires as you front and rear, the me880 metzlers marathon.
They are pretty new the front one still has those rubber spikes on the sidewalls especially and I almost thought looking at the wheel I can see where it might ride "rough" when I lean but I thought thats just too simple, with my luck it must be something broken, lol.
I would be relieved to find out its normal I have nothing to worry about.
If we ever get together anywhere I will have to ask one you guys to take my bike for a quick ride and tell me what you notice or feel.
Anyone going to Laconia?
Lump
Posted by chief
- June 02, 2011, 13:01:47 PMI agree with Troll... on my hd's the vibration masked all sorts of things, and the big fenders on the drifter amplifies some noises that I would never have heard on a bike with a regular fender.
I've had that sort of vibration on the drifter - replaced the tire and it appeared to go away. I have had cupping problems on some tires... tire pressure and tire mfg seems to make a difference.
Posted by Troll
- June 02, 2011, 07:29:08 AMProbably not a wheel bearing. These front ends seem to be more sensitive to tire wear than either of my last 2 H-Ds. I have some chevron wear on my front ME880 that would not have been noticeable with my TourGlide, or maybe just the native vibration was masking it. If I am going straight, there is no problem, but as soon as I start to equalize the tire wear, I feel and hear the front tire, and maybe some rear, as well.
Posted by lumper
- June 01, 2011, 22:08:46 PMyeah a little paying attention would have done the trick, I was all stressed taking so many parts off the bike at once without a good reference in a small and messy garage with no set up for working on the bike yet, parts every where, that when I got to something I knew I must have been distracted cause I know darn well it doesn't take many turns before they are tight from having taken them off a few times now.
One thing I love about this bike is how user friendly it is when you need to work on it, everything is well thought out and made simple for even a modest wrencher who can read.
I need to get the front wheel off as I have a vibration when I lean in either direction most noticeable when I am coasting say through a turn, to me it feels like a bearing but after reading I see it can be any number of things so thats my next project, get the front wheel off and see if it is balanced, bent at all, worn strangely, or if I do in fact have a bad bearing, something loose, etc..
I also have some rattling but I am 99% sure it is in the headlight after adding a visor the thing shakes pretty badly at times and I have found if I reach up there and lay my hand across it when I hear it I think it muffles it although it is hard to say with the wind going and traffic not to mention the distraction of driving while doing this, lol but I think it is just in the headlight, the wheel vibration bugs me cause I dont want a wheel problem when I get to Laconia in a week or two.
I am hoping to make it through that and then I am pulling the engine to deal with a valve cover gasket and anything else I find I can do while it is out.
Anyway thanks again, love this bike.
I just installed some replica 1959 tail lights as rear turn signals by the way, looks really cool, every single time I take the bike out I get compliments everywhere I go, people just love this bike.
Lump
Posted by chief
- June 01, 2011, 18:14:17 PMBeen there... taught me the true value of a TORQUE WRENCH!!
Posted by lumper
- June 01, 2011, 16:01:01 PMLocal dealer has to order it, takes a week to come in and costs 3.25 each.
SO I have one on the way and will wait until I have it in my hand before I pull the pipe and take the old one out.
Thanks for all the answers, again lol
Lump
Posted by lumper
- June 01, 2011, 15:46:54 PMWell I have quite a bit sticking out still, so I should be able to grab it with a pair of channel locks and unscrew it?
I wonder if my local Kawi shop can order me a new one?
I was planing on going there tomorrow.
I have vance and hines pipes, I removed them to paint them and a few times to get them out of the way for various things I have done to the bike.
The other day when I was pulling the rear fender they had to go again.
Its usually no problem, 4 bolts for each pipe, 2 at the cylinder and 2 at the side mount by the passenger foot peg and they pop right off.
For some reason, and I never do this, I must have overtightened them and before I had a second to think, hmm this should be tight already, it snapped.
Thanks for the info, that sounds great as long as I can get a new one.
Thanks
Lump
Posted by Troll
- June 01, 2011, 14:37:38 PMI always liked the welding on a nut solution, but in this case, it might be out of the question. Cutting a slot might work, but the access is restricted. I guess it all boils down to how much thread he has sticking out. Looks like they are 8mm, so there should be some beef there to work with.
Posted by griz01
- June 01, 2011, 14:26:04 PMThat is a stud that screws into a blind hole in the cylinder head.Ther are several options to use.
1. If there is any part sticking above the head, cut a slot in it, use an impact driver and hope it comes loose. Impact driver is a must, you need the shock. If that fails;
2. still have some stud sticking up, slip a nut over the stud, a tight of a fit as possible is best, weld nut into place through the hole in the nut, back out stud with a wrench;
3. if no stud stick up or 1 & 2 have failed drill a small hole and some some kind of extractor, I like the newer power extractors over the older styled so called "Easy Outs"
4. as a last resort, drill and retap the head. the steel in the stud is harder than the Alum head, so be very careful not to damage the head
troll- guess you type faster 
Posted by Troll
- June 01, 2011, 14:22:55 PMThey are threaded in. Did you snap it off flush with the head?...Better question might be why did you remove it in the first place. The manual says to remove the muffler, at the prechamber, not the system at the heads. If you snapped it off flush with the surface, that is going to be a problem best left to an expert. If you have some sticking out, you can heat the stud with a propane torch, let it cool a little and unscrew it with perhaps a pair of small vice grips. either way, the head pipes will have to come off. Steel studs into aluminum heads are always a tricky situation.
Posted by lumper
- June 01, 2011, 13:09:32 PMHi all,
I was tightening my exhaust after taking it off to work on the rear wheel and I over tightened and snapped off the front cylinder top nut/bolt.
I dont see anything in my manual about it or whether I can pop it through like a stud on a disc brake on a car, or not.
Anyone know how to replace these?
Do I have to drill it out and use a nut and bolt?
Any help would be great, I would like to fix it before it starts leaking a lot.
Any info would be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance.
Lump