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B1250 Front End Knock

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PhilS

PhilS

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Ok - I'd like to revisit this if possible. (also posted on Max-Suz)

I have a knocking/ticking sound that I can hear and feel through the handle bars. It does not seem to do it going over bumps but only when hard braking. It will be a clink/knock feel similar to if someone hit your forks with a screwdriver and you could feel it and hear it. When on the center stand I can rock the bike back and forth and make the front end come off the ground and re-hit the ground and it does NOT do it. With that, I am mentally eliminating the steering head nut. I checked all the brake stuff and all seems well. I am re-considering loosening all front end bolts to free everything and re-torque it all up in an organized fashion and remove stiction from the equation as well. I have read on the 650 websites that guys are hearing and feeling this as well...........almost as it's a systemic Suzuki budget suspension issue.....but I'm not settling for that answer. This did not come on all the sudden and no work was done just prior to the noise, thus is does not appear to be "operator induced". Heck - it could the factory risers!!!! I'm lookin'.

Anyone got an technical thoughts or similar experiences?
 
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Re: B2150 Front End Knock

Ive had them same noise for a long time and thought maybe the steering head bearings were loose. I checked mine and they were a little loose but after tightening them the noise continues. I only hear mine when Im pulling out of my garage while sitting on bike and backing up then applying the front brake and the forks extend up and then when pushing forward and compressing forks. I really think this is the springs binding in some way and maybe changing them to a stiffer type would not allow as much movement and stop the noise. Ive never had any kind of handling issues and like the ride of the bike so unless I have a problem Im just going to live with it.
 
Re: B2150 Front End Knock

I have a simular noise emitting from the frontal area of the bike. I believe this to be coming from the fork springs. Could be time for a fork oil change and see if that cures it.

:rider:
 
Re: B2150 Front End Knock

When did you first notice this ? perhaps just after doing some type of maintenance where you had to take off the front wheel ?
 
Re: B2150 Front End Knock

Hey Phil,

I forgot to ask, did you install a big bore kit on your Bandit and forget to tell us, if so maybe it's the big bore kit. :-P
 
Big Bore Kit....Ha!! Hardly. Heck I can barely control the stage 2 as it is! I took the stem apart today and repacked top and bottom. Half way through reassembly. Will advise when I can ride again.

As to when it happened.....its kinda always been there. I'm just annoyed with it now.
 
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Re: B2150 Front End Knock

PhilS said:
Big Bore Kit....Ha!! Hardly. Heck I can barely control the stage 2 as it is! I took the stem apart today and repacked top and bottom. Half way through reassembly. Will advise when I can ride again.

As to when it happened.....its kinda always been there. I'm just annoyed with it now.
Click to expand...

The reason I asked is that the title of your thread reads, B2150 Front End Knock. :lol2:
 
Then yes - I did give it a big bore! HA! I noticed the top castle nut is definitely directional. The manual is not clear on this. I am guessing on this, but the bottom has a bigger ridge on it that looks like it fits well on to the dust cover.

Agreed?
 
Sometimes the brake pads make noise,the gap between the pad and the caliper.As the pad hits the rotor,it gets driven upwards into the caliper.Just a thought:ponder:
 
suz1k3 said:
Sometimes the brake pads make noise,the gap between the pad and the caliper.As the pad hits the rotor,it gets driven upwards into the caliper.Just a thought:ponder:
Click to expand...

You can also get a knocking noise from the disc's as they move on the pins on carriers the first time you apply the brakes.
 
I "think - in theory" I may know what's going on but this afternoon will tell if I fixed it or not.

The bottom bearing holds firm to the bottom race by the pulling force of tightening the top bearing in place with the castle nut and the top stem nut. The top stem nut also kinda crushes this all together when torqued to 47 ft lbs as spec'd - which feels like a lot. If you set up the bearing pressures without tightening the stem nut, it all crushes together when the stem nut is tightened and the steering is tight. This is true both in theory and in practice!! I was keeping the top stem nut kinda loose to keep a good bearing pressure for the last couple years. Well, there is play in between the steering stem OD and the ID of the hole in the triple clamp. If the stem nut is loose, that play can make the stem rock back and forth in the upper triple clamp hole when you hit the brakes like a snap or real hard. I held back on the bearing pressure setting and hit the stem nut at 47 ft lbs. It's a game between the two of tightening the castle nut then tightening the stem nut as they very much interact with each other.

It feels good, and in theory this will have fixed it, but today will tell...........
 
CURED!!!!!!

It was in fact the steering head bearing tightness. I took it all apart, relubed, tightened in combination the castle nut and the stem nut to 47 ft lbs and now I have zero knocking. I think the fact that my stem nut was always a little too loose as not crush the bearing was in fact the issue all along. I also hard bled the brakes with the clamped lever overnight trick and now the front lever is nice and stiff (giggady) and I did my first rear wheel stoppie today and the bike is very solid with no front end knocking.

Life is good. :clap::rider::clap:

Phil
 
PhilS said:
CURED!!!!!!

It was in fact the steering head bearing tightness. I took it all apart, relubed, tightened in combination the castle nut and the stem nut to 47 ft lbs and now I have zero knocking. I think the fact that my stem nut was always a little too loose as not crush the bearing was in fact the issue all along. I also hard bled the brakes with the clamped lever overnight trick and now the front lever is nice and stiff (giggady) and I did my first rear wheel stoppie today and the bike is very solid with no front end knocking.

Life is good. :clap::rider::clap:

Phil
Click to expand...

"and I did my first rear wheel stoppie today " !!!
Just how fast WERE you backing up !! :lol2:
Shotrod
 
Yea yea yea - whatever. Ok - my first FRONT WHEEL Stoppie. either way - nice tight front end, no noises, and the brakes are now wicked solid. I cant imagine how a good set of Brembo brakes feel on a sportbike if these feel this good.

Ok - we're done here. Thanks for the input.
 
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