3000psi and falling
Zone Head
Posts: 848
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posted April 14, 2009 01:16 PM
Help with steering head
This has happend once about 8000 miles ago, and the dealer "fixed it". Here is whats going on, my 08 ZX14 makes a popping sound that you can feel through the handle bars when I break hard from any speed, or when I hit a small bump in the road at speed. I can also get it to make the same sound just by pushing the bike by hand forward and stabing the front breaks. I'm sure something is worn or loose in the steering head, there is no play in it though.
I went to the dealer today and they said it would be 3or 4 weeks before they could look at it. I'd like to just fix this myself. I have the shop manual and a good mechaical knowledge and the tools. But I would like some input on why it is doing this again. And what to do.
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08 ZX14, 2010 Persimmon Red bodywork.
Flies pulled, 16-42, BMC street, 8" extensions, drag shock, cut pan, Cycle Concepts Drag Pack and springs, muzzy m14 w/ oval can, lowered, Shinco usoft rear, pcv with autotune, leightweight Shori 18ah battery, throttle meister. 500lbs at bandimeres scales with half tank of juice.
  
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Sticks_n_Stones
Needs a job
Posts: 3930
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posted April 14, 2009 01:25 PM
Had the same issue myself, but wasnt quite as bad as yours: it would only do it when going to full lean in a corner, and again when standing it up coming out of the corner.
Checked everything on the suspension front and rear, no luck. Finally when changing my front springs I had a chance to check the tightness of the steering head nut. Fucking finger lose!! It actually took over 1/2 a turn before it even bit, then I was able to get another 1/2 turn out of the nut with a screwdriver and hammer. I stopped there, not wanting to over tighten it until I had the proper spanner wrench to use on it with my torque wrench.
Glad you brought this back up, cuz honestly i totally forgot to finish tightening that stupid nut! Wonder how lose it has gotten again on me. .... damnit....
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'06 zx14
Muzzy M10/M14
PCIII w/ Muzzy map
Flies out K&N in!
bits n pieces...
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3000psi and falling
Zone Head
Posts: 848
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posted April 14, 2009 01:49 PM
ok, i removed the handle bars and this is what i have going on.. Of the 2 nuts stacked on eachother the top one is finger loose (i can wiggle it back and forth before the special washer stops it). But the bottom one is tight. Is that correct?
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08 ZX14, 2010 Persimmon Red bodywork.
Flies pulled, 16-42, BMC street, 8" extensions, drag shock, cut pan, Cycle Concepts Drag Pack and springs, muzzy m14 w/ oval can, lowered, Shinco usoft rear, pcv with autotune, leightweight Shori 18ah battery, throttle meister. 500lbs at bandimeres scales with half tank of juice.
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3000psi and falling
Zone Head
Posts: 848
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posted April 14, 2009 02:35 PM
Well, checking the stering head play and adjusting it by the book did not help. Must be a bad bearing or something.. So ill have to wait and have the stealership look at it. Wonder what there going to scratch or fuc# up this time...........
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08 ZX14, 2010 Persimmon Red bodywork.
Flies pulled, 16-42, BMC street, 8" extensions, drag shock, cut pan, Cycle Concepts Drag Pack and springs, muzzy m14 w/ oval can, lowered, Shinco usoft rear, pcv with autotune, leightweight Shori 18ah battery, throttle meister. 500lbs at bandimeres scales with half tank of juice.
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3000psi and falling
Zone Head
Posts: 848
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posted April 15, 2009 01:18 PM
Wait, the weight has to be off the forks to tighten the steering play right?
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08 ZX14, 2010 Persimmon Red bodywork.
Flies pulled, 16-42, BMC street, 8" extensions, drag shock, cut pan, Cycle Concepts Drag Pack and springs, muzzy m14 w/ oval can, lowered, Shinco usoft rear, pcv with autotune, leightweight Shori 18ah battery, throttle meister. 500lbs at bandimeres scales with half tank of juice.
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3000psi and falling
Zone Head
Posts: 848
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posted April 15, 2009 02:20 PM
Ok, with the weight off the front end I grabed the bottom of the forks and pushed in and out. I did not feel and freeplay but I did here lots of creeking from the steering head. Im thinking that the bearings are not tight enough? The bars did turn side to side smoothly with no resistance at all.
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08 ZX14, 2010 Persimmon Red bodywork.
Flies pulled, 16-42, BMC street, 8" extensions, drag shock, cut pan, Cycle Concepts Drag Pack and springs, muzzy m14 w/ oval can, lowered, Shinco usoft rear, pcv with autotune, leightweight Shori 18ah battery, throttle meister. 500lbs at bandimeres scales with half tank of juice.
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Sticks_n_Stones
Needs a job
Posts: 3930
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posted April 16, 2009 06:34 AM
Sorry for not replying any sooner, wasnt at work yesterday. Weight must be off to tighten correctly, and you need the special tool to torque it. The lock nut (the one you moved with your fingers) is supposed to be tight. Mine was loose and the tabs were not bent up far enough to stop it from coming loose. Factory fucked up.
Dealer it if you still have a warranty, if not take your forks apart yourself and check/lube your steering head bearings, then retorque. Good Luck
____________
'06 zx14
Muzzy M10/M14
PCIII w/ Muzzy map
Flies out K&N in!
bits n pieces...
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3000psi and falling
Zone Head
Posts: 848
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posted April 16, 2009 08:12 AM
I ordered a new locking washer, and the flange seal (the dealer must have broke it last time they worked on the steering head). The parts should be here in a few days, im going to use a spaner wrench from my ATV tool kit that just so happens to fit the nut fine.. Thanks for the help, ill keep you updated
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08 ZX14, 2010 Persimmon Red bodywork.
Flies pulled, 16-42, BMC street, 8" extensions, drag shock, cut pan, Cycle Concepts Drag Pack and springs, muzzy m14 w/ oval can, lowered, Shinco usoft rear, pcv with autotune, leightweight Shori 18ah battery, throttle meister. 500lbs at bandimeres scales with half tank of juice.
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dubious
Needs a life
Needs more time to ride!
Posts: 8442
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posted April 18, 2009 06:10 AM
Make sure the top clamp is loose at the forks when you tighten the last / top steering nut, then torque the top clamp to the forks.
If the forks are already tight it will torque up the top clamp, and eventually the 2 bearing lock nuts will work loose again.
Do many wheelie's? that will wear out the bearings prematurely, along with fork seals
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natural selection.....
destiny will overcome intervention.
Some are not worthy of the effort.
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3000psi and falling
Zone Head
Posts: 848
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posted April 27, 2009 06:35 AM
It was the upper right motor mount! lol, It was at the right tourqe but I could see where the bolt was moving from the slight scaring. I had to over tourqe it a bit to keep the bolt from popping in the mount. Done!
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08 ZX14, 2010 Persimmon Red bodywork.
Flies pulled, 16-42, BMC street, 8" extensions, drag shock, cut pan, Cycle Concepts Drag Pack and springs, muzzy m14 w/ oval can, lowered, Shinco usoft rear, pcv with autotune, leightweight Shori 18ah battery, throttle meister. 500lbs at bandimeres scales with half tank of juice.
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