vibration

[1workinman]

 My 13 Road Glide starting out a few weeks ago developed a vibration that was noticeable in the seat at certain rpms under load. I tried to think of the different things that could be the cause of this and I thought that I would start in the primary because on my 12 Street Glide that I just finished the primary up on it  the goal was to install a new billet black ops basket , new bandit hub , compensator , chain and fix the tensioner so it could not over tension and it was very tight when I pulled it down . . So upon seeing how tight the primary was on the 12 Street Glide I thought that here could be a tight primary chain in the road glide . Up on inspection of the Road Glide I found some witness marks of a couple of rubs that was on the primary cover and inspection cover close to the sweep of the lock up clutch weights . I could not tell if I for sure found the rub marks on the titanium weights or not . So I cleaned the area and gave both runs some clearance with a flapper wheel and then spayed the area with Persian blue , cleaned and reassembled . I used the same fluid as I did in the 12 Street Glide which is very quiet now .  Thanks for the tip on that one Ray . Took the bike out and damn the same thing . Any way I though I need to just check motor mounts ect now . Looking at the exhaust there is a bracket that supports the exhaust on the transmission and the bolt was there but not nut or washer .  Cleaned the bolt and replaced the washers and nut and used lock tight . Gone is the damn vibration . It started out as a slight vibration and got worse . It took all of the fun out of driving the bike thinking I guess the damn transmission is next . Any way a learning experience and now the fun is back ripping the bike . Got the bike home and noticed that the chain adjuster was bent on the chain side so I pulled it down and going to add material to that side to add strength to it .  Finding the vibration was a deal and reminded me of doing that trouble shooing at work damn lol

[RKRuss]

Well done on getting it sorted 1WM - don't you love the cheap and simple fixes! Sometimes I think we're all guilty of overthinking things on these bikes.

Anyway, it's 11.30am on Christmas day here down under - so I'm wishing you a merry Christmas as well!

Cheers,

Russ.

[1workinman]

Well done on getting it sorted 1WM - don't you love the cheap and simple fixes! Sometimes I think we're all guilty of overthinking things on these bikes.

Anyway, it's 11.30am on Christmas day here down under - so I'm wishing you a merry Christmas as well!

Cheers,

Russ.

Thanks Russ as some point spending money takes the fun out of it lol .  Merry Christmas also

[guido4198]

GOOD CATCH..!!!!
Going over the bike occasionally with a couple of wrenches in hand...just "snugging things up" is rarely time wasted.
I'm not actually tightening fasteners that are properly torqued...just looking for loose ones. ESPECIALLY on the exhaust system where so many "issues" have developed  over the 34 yrs I've been riding this bike (1985 FXRS).

[1workinman]

Yes that's very good advice . I had a few learning experiences on these bikes . I every now and then check the bolts going to the head on the exhaust just to be sure there snug. Thanks 

[bobrk1]

Had a vibration  on my 12 ultra  it started  on first  ride  of  the  year  was  fine  when  I  parked  it . It started  when  I  was  slowing  down  around  2500 or so  felt  like  going  over  a rumble  strip  thought  I  had  a  flat , pulled  over  it was  fine  but  felt  like  back  tire . Checked  bearing  on  wheel  and  pulley  replace  the  pulley cushion , checked  everything  in primary  motor  mounts  look  good , one  was  a  little  out  of  shape  not  bad ,changed  it and  was  fine .  Surprise  me  as looked  ok changed  it  because  ran out  of  ideas . Like  I  said  really  felt  like  coming  from  rear of  bike  all vibration  was  in the seat not  handlebars .

[1workinman]

Had a vibration  on my 12 ultra  it started  on first  ride  of  the  year  was  fine  when  I  parked  it . It started  when  I  was  slowing  down  around  2500 or so  felt  like  going  over  a rumble  strip  thought  I  had  a  flat , pulled  over  it was  fine  but  felt  like  back  tire . Checked  bearing  on  wheel  and  pulley  replace  the  pulley cushion , checked  everything  in primary  motor  mounts  look  good , one  was  a  little  out  of  shape  not  bad ,changed  it and  was  fine .  Surprise  me  as looked  ok changed  it  because  ran out  of  ideas . Like  I  said  really  felt  like  coming  from  rear of  bike  all vibration  was  in the seat not  handlebars .

Yea I was going to replace the motor mounts if I had not found the missing exhaust support bolt on the mega cat . its a mid mount support I think

[Hossamania]

Good find! I always start with exhaust when chasing vibrations, rattles, ringing, squeaks, ticks, leaking head sounds, or generally anything that seems a little off.

[1workinman]

Hoss experience is a good teacher  good advice

[1workinman]

Well I carried the chain tensioners and axle to work to modify the  left hand bracket it was bent under the stress or load from the torque rise of the 145 inch motor I assume lol  The chain tensioners are a huge step up from the stock units that gave it up at every turn of the 145 inch but they seemed to work with the out put of the stock 143 . I assume that every thing has limits . Not that the 143 really is a lot more power than a well made 124 some but not much really . Different story with the 145 from my prospective . The torque rise is really nice and even two up it really comes on no problem getting western as hell or flashing the rev limiter in the lower gears . Just the way I prefer a motor to run . So the stock unit is .250 so I added anougher .250 to it on the side and welded it in place and then drilled out the hole with a 63/64 bit . Removed .125 from one of castle nuts on the face and then left off the washer on the other side for now and reassembled . Set chain , tighten ect . Seems to hold up now . I ride 2 up and have no problems letting the hammer down . Not stupid crap but straight line acceleration . Roll on hard in 3 get loose and hang on lol GF is not impressed normally

[No Cents]

   Jim...is the tensioner set up your talking about the same one that Steve made a video of ?
Your going to have to constantly be checking those big inch monsters you got for bolts loosing up and just basically constant maintenance on them...especially if your going to be flogging on them.   
  Nice job on finding your vibration cause...and the fix on your tensioner too. 

[kd]

 

[1workinman]

   Jim...is the tensioner set up your talking about the same one that Steve made a video of ?
Your going to have to constantly be checking those big inch monsters you got for bolts loosing up and just basically constant maintenance on them...especially if your going to be flogging on them.   
  Nice job on finding your vibration cause...and the fix on your tensioner too. 

I think so on the tensioner for the rear chain . The right  side was ok and it was the left side and of course that is the chain side that got bent . it was just from rolling on hard never the rev it up and drop the hammer from a stand still . Probably from riding 2 up and rolling on hard in second and blowing off rear tire and the same in third lol flash the rev limiters if not damn careful  So I added twice the material. and we shall see . Yea I do lol its fun . I used your advice on the tensioner on the Street Glide and the Golden Spectro . The primary is very quiet now on both . .  . gone is the hot start problems with the 145 from the twin power battery and the bigger cables thanks KD on that . Yea it will require more maintenance but damn it fun lol . So far the motor has held up ok

[No Cents]

     Jim....I took the chance on my bike yesterday.    It got to over 60* here for a late December day...a real rarity for here. So I decided to get a little oil in the top end of it because it hadn't been started in over a month and a half with all the cold shitty weather we have had here lately. The roads were mostly clear of all the road salt...so I put it in the wind and took a little spin.     Damn...that ride was like taking a good shot of medicine for me.
   This will be my fourth or fifth season on the Twin Power lithium battery....I'd have to dig the receipt up to know for sure. It's hell getting old.     For the first time I did have the battery plugged into the maintainer the whole time it sit. Usually I would put the maintainer on it for a few hours, and then unplug it and let it sit for a week or two...then plug it in again. It cranked the engine over like the plugs weren't even in it. I'm very impressed with the battery. The bike ran flawlessly...and is extremely fun to ride.    
    I know you have to be enjoying both your bikes. 

[1workinman]

     Jim....I took the chance on my bike yesterday.    It got to over 60* here for a late December day...a real rarity for here. So I decided to get a little oil in the top end of it because it hadn't been started in over a month and a half with all the cold shitty weather we have had here lately. The roads were mostly clear of all the road salt...so I put it in the wind and took a little spin.     Damn...that ride was like taking a good shot of medicine for me.
   This will be my fourth or fifth season on the Twin Power lithium battery....I'd have to dig the receipt up to know for sure. It's hell getting old.     For the first time I did have the battery plugged into the maintainer the whole time it sit. Usually I would put the maintainer on it for a few hours, and then unplug it and let it sit for a week or two...then plug it in again. It cranked the engine over like the plugs weren't even in it. I'm very impressed with the battery. The bike ran flawlessly...and is extremely fun to ride.    
    I know you have to be enjoying both your bikes. 

I pleased with the Twin Power battery , I let it apparently drop below the proper voltage for what ever reason and when I installed the charger it did not seem to do any thing so I installed my charger that I used on my truck welder back hoe or what ever and gave it a try and it went to charging then I installed the proper charger and that was a over a month ago . So it apparently did not crater the battery damn. To be honest the Twin Power makes a huge difference on the 145 . I have always thought that a really good running 124 like yours is a better deal than a 143 motor and I very close in performance . May be at wide open but part throttle the 124 with the 630I  is to me hand down the winner as I am not a fan of the 635 cam shaft .

[No Cents]

   to tell you the truth...if you didn't buy that bike from Randy when you did...I would have probably ended up buying it. I kept telling myself I didn't need it, and I'd buy me a new an M8.     In hindsight...that might of been a mistake on my part. I'm still holding out on the M8.   
   I always did like that bike you got from him!   

[1workinman]

   to tell you the truth...if you didn't buy that bike from Randy when you did...I would have probably ended up buying it. I kept telling myself I didn't need it, and I'd buy me a new an M8.     In hindsight...that might of been a mistake on my part. I'm still holding out on the M8.   
   I always did like that bike you got from him!   

I have given the m 8 some thought but until the sumping is history I going to pass . The 4 valve has more curtain area lol more potential but when you have a 124 that is at the place your in I not sure what is the up side . The bigger motors have more potential but as some point ring seal I think is a deal breaker. When I was a kid there was and I think he is still there a fellow that had a record holding G Gas car and he told me that he lost hp when He went over a .020 over on his motor . I had a set of .060 pistons that was given to me and almost new so I used them and it ran good . I did not turn the motor 10500 either I held to 7500 so I might of helped there but this was a learning thing at some point over bore cylinders have diminished results in my option