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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Any of you ever hear a squeak from the front tire?
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Message started by MrPazloe on 10/03/13 at 06:59:19

Title: Any of you ever hear a squeak from the front tire?
Post by MrPazloe on 10/03/13 at 06:59:19

Hey gang, greetings to all!

Any of you ever hear a squeak coming from the front tire?? Mine squeaks when I roll slowly, like at a light. It's a squeaky sound like our brakes make. Could it be the steering nut under the triple tree?? Or the front axle?? It doesn't squeak steadily when the tire spins, only seems to be one spot that squeaks when the tire makes a revolution.

I put the bike on the lift and spun the tire- No noise. Only squeaks when I'm sitting on the bike (I weigh 155lbs soaking wet). Any thoughts?? Bike has 2000+ miles so I doubt it's a bad bearing..

Title: Re: Any of you ever hear a squeak from the front t
Post by WD on 10/03/13 at 07:51:02

Dry axle shaft. Pull it, grease it, bet the sound goes away... It's pretty normal, my bike makes all kinds of odd squeaks, thunks, rattles, always has and I bought it brand new in 98.

Title: Re: Any of you ever hear a squeak from the front t
Post by Dave on 10/03/13 at 07:59:12

It might also be the brake pads on the rotor. My front brake would squeek with the original equipment pads.

Title: Re: Any of you ever hear a squeak from the front t
Post by MrPazloe on 10/03/13 at 10:56:43

Thanks for the input WD, Dave, I just got home from work and will be spraying some brake quiet on there. Easy stuff first right. If squeak persists I will do what WD recommends and grease the axle. I'll make sure to report back in a day or so.

There is a certain charm to these big singles, I can't quite put it into words, all I know is that I will take these simply perfect thumpers over fancy Harleys every time 8-)

Title: Re: Any of you ever hear a squeak from the front t
Post by Dave on 10/03/13 at 11:29:32

I know for me and my neighbors......the sound of my bike doesn't seem to intimidate anyone and may well disquise my speed. The bike just quietly motors along and doesn't make much of a fuss about it. When I am out riding and see someone in their yard working or playing ball with the kids.....I give a friendly wave and they wave back. I don't feel the same way when I hear a snarly sportbike approaching.....even though the rider may be a really nice guy. Somehow that sound high revving snarly exhaust tone just puts me on edge....especially when there is a group of them all blipping the throttle.

Title: Re: Any of you ever hear a squeak from the front t
Post by Rush-rks on 10/03/13 at 11:42:00

They do rattle, sqeak, buzz vibrate. When you think you got them all quiet another starts ;D If its nothing serious just chalk it up to its charm. I'm betting its your rotor/brake pads. Mine doesnt squeak when you spin the front wheel off the ground but do get a noise from the brakes..

Title: Re: Any of you ever hear a squeak from the front t
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 10/03/13 at 14:15:12

Pry the brake padaway from the rotor/ slide the caliper to create a gap /both sides of the rotor, roll it,, see if its brakes or axle.
If you could jack the tire up it would be good.

Title: Re: Any of you ever hear a squeak from the front t
Post by MrPazloe on 10/03/13 at 14:58:00

Okay, so, I jacked up the bike and backed the brake pads off some so there would be plenty of space between rotor and pad. While I was there, I sprayed brake quiet on the pads and rotor. Big Mistake! Now the brakes squeak BIG TIME. Part of the reason I went with these EBC pads is because they barely make a peep.

So, the previous squeaking was coming from a dry axle?? WD may be dead on. I'm gonna go pick up some grease, but my question is this.. If the tire doesn't spin directly on the axle, why would I need to grease the axle??? Am I to grease the ends of the axle, to benefit the bearings??

Title: Re: Any of you ever hear a squeak from the front t
Post by WD on 10/03/13 at 16:32:25

Nope grease the whole thing. Sometimes even new bearings have a bit of a tight spot and the axle will try to turn in the race instead of just supporting it. Usually goes away after the bearing gets warm and the grease disburses. BUT, sometimes the bearing was just made or installed wrong, greasing the axle lets the race spin on the shaft instead of dragging on the shaft.

It is an old old old Harley riders trick when nothing else seems to work. And I'll take a basketcase Knuckle, Pan, UL/VL or JD over a running Savage, no problems no second thoughts. Trying to get my 1957 HD sent from western WA, but it needs roughly $28K in parts and labor to be perfect again... my Savage just needs the wiring finished.

Title: Re: Any of you ever hear a squeak from the front t
Post by MrPazloe on 10/08/13 at 10:39:08

PROBLEM SOLVED! Thanks WD, that old school Harley trick worked nicely. I greased the entire axle and squeak disappeared.