Front end wobble : V-Twin Forum: Harley Davidson Forums

Haunyawk · 04-11-2007, 12:37 PM

Front end on my 2001 roadglide wobbles when I slow down. Rode my buddies roadking, it feels way better. He road my bike too and said the front end handles funny. He thinks my rear end is lowered. It does look lower than his, maybe the guy I bought it from lowered it and didn't tell me, also I am running about 5 psi front in front 10 psi rear for shocks, any suggestions?

Ultra89Rider · 04-11-2007, 02:37 PM

First, to see if the front and rear wheels are aligned, use a string along the front to rear wheel. There should not be a gap on either side of both wheels. Align the string off the ground so it hits above the meat of the tire and there are two points of contact on each wheel.
Next check it there is play in the steering neck. If you apply the front brake, try to rock the bike forward and back. If it is loose, it will move and you should feel it. The bearing might be bad or the neck bolt needs to torqued to specification. Check the manual if needed.

hdxbones · 04-11-2007, 05:43 PM

Check rear tire for cupping. Uneven wear, usually from underinflation, will cause front end wobble during deceleration.

route66paul · 04-11-2007, 06:00 PM

Roadglides come with shorter shocks.

hdxbones · 04-11-2007, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by route66paul

Roadglides come with shorter shocks.

Streetglides come with lowered shocks, Roadglides have standard shocks

onephsyco1 · 04-11-2007, 06:12 PM

I was getting A pretty good wobble from the front end as I was slowing down.
Usually 33 mh was the worst .
A new tire fixed mine !

Jack

Haunyawk · 04-11-2007, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by onephsyco1

I was getting A pretty good wobble from the front end as I was slowing down.
Usually 33 mh was the worst .
A new tire fixed mine !

Jack

A new front tire or rear?

Paniolo · 04-11-2007, 07:59 PM

My '01 Ultra did the same thing too. I had a horrible wobble at 80mph once and that woke me up. So I added a Ride-Str8, kept vigilant watch on the shock and tire pressures, and checked the swing arm and wheel alignment too. Those things helped, but the low speed wobble was still there.

Then I discovered that the polyurethane steering stem bushings were loose. I tigheten them up, and tightened the handlebar bolts too. That seems to have solved the problem for me.

xxxflhrci · 04-11-2007, 10:09 PM

If you got 'em, check your rear spokes.

onephsyco1 · 04-12-2007, 06:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Haunyawk

A new front tire or rear?

Front tire !

Jack

mtmtrspt · 04-12-2007, 06:55 AM

Reading that various others having front wheel wobble problems at low speed may mean I'm not nuts after all. My '06 FLHTCUI rides and handles great at any speed above 10 or so but will tend to wobble when coming to a stop if the tire is traversing uneven ground. Riding two up and loaded seems to aggravate it. Three different dealers have checked it out (steering head adjustment, spoke tighteness, frt motor mount, loose parts, etc...) but to find nothing. They all say it's fine. Maybe so... could it be it's not the steering that wobbles, it's my head???

Tom

roofeditor · 04-12-2007, 07:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hdxbones

Check rear tire for cupping. Uneven wear, usually from under-inflation, will cause front end wobble during deceleration.

Under-inflation is VERY common and results in very negative handling situations and is very dangerous. Also check the triple tree pinch bolts and upper and lower steering bearings for wear and torque. Tire wear and cupping also fits right in there.