Does anyone know the best (easiest) way to adjust the neck bearings in a 2000 Road King. It has the big lock nut on top and then this funky nut under it that looks like you need a speical spanner wrench to turn. [&:]

 

There's a few different ways you will hear on how to do this but I like to do the fall away method as described in the manual. Just make sure to eliminate things like the windshield and what ever cables restrict it's movement to get an accurate adjustment.

 

Thanks TC, I'll give it a try.

 

If/when you need to loosen pinch bolts,a 5/8" torque adapter[dogbone] with the ratchet set to clockwise will help.To tighten bearing adjuster stand on the left side of bike and turn[punch] it clockwise using your punch/drift and hammer.Start with 1/8 to 1/4 turns.A guy almost needs to make a tool just for this job,like a 7/16 rod flattened at one end and slightly curved.Like TC says best to take off cable and shield and if you can raise the BACK of the bike so its level,this will assure a little more accuracy.Good luck,Bob

 

Here's something I've used. Got it off another board from a long-time HD mech.

Jack the front end of the bike off the ground. Tighten the adjusting nut until the front end is hard to turn. Next turn the handlebars back and forth, from stop to stop, through several cycles. Notice the front end becomes easier to turn. Back off the adjusting nut to a slightly loose fit, then tighten to about 9 ft-lbs torque. If the front end still wobbles after this (tire pressure good and tire in good condition, with no cupping, etc.) and the wobble occurs during deceleration, tighten the adjusting nut a bit more.

If you get a shimmy and more tightening does nothing to help, then suspect that the steering head bearings have shifted and the races are no longer parallel to the axis of the steering head. This is not unusual in HD bikes as they are relatively heavy. Modern bike head bearings tend to shift back and forth in the frame, especially on the heavier bikes, and this causes the bearings to become non-parallel. Any free play in the head bearings will compound this situation. This sets up torque forces that constantly try to correct themselves resulting in a shimmy, or head shake. The cause is not looseness; the bearings have shifted, and things ain't parallel. Pull the front end off and try to reseat the races in the frame neck.

Check the head bearings frequently IAW the service manual. Since these bearings do not move around like those on an axle, they tend to stay in one spot in relation to the race. Therefore every blow on the front end from road conditions tends to flatten the individual rollers or ***** ever so slightly. Over a period of time these flat spots can cause a condition whereby you point the forks straight ahead, and they tend to fall back onto the flat spot, causing a weave as you go down the road. If tightening the preload does nothing to correct the situation, suspect flat spots in the neck bearings.

Alpha Samuel (from MSN Harley Tech Tip Message Board)

 

Thats a good idea,nice work,thanks,though I dont quite get the reseating of the races in the frame.Does he mean they come loose?Or worn in one spot?Bob

 

I was thinking the same thing myself as I read it. They should be seated with any miles on the bike.

 

He was referring to the possibility of the races moving in the frame. I've seen a bike where the top race wasn't properly seated. Marks on the race showed that it had been seated at one time, but something happened and it moved and was cocked relative to the bottom race. Wasn't much, but enough that the front felt really tight.

 

Interesting,possibly there was a front end crash and cocked them/it and the crash-estimate guy missed them.A RK came in once and we could nt figure this clunking noise up front.Turns out the guy had powder-coated the frame with the races in and warped them slightly.Just enough for the bearings to move back and forth.Always something,Bob

 

I bent the tip of a cheap flathead screwdriver, and used it to tighten the adjusting nut. This worked very well, although there is no way to tourqe the nut without taking the upper tree off. I hope I didn't get it to tight, it seams to turn turn ok. I fiqured it would be better if it were a little tight than loose. I then greased it with a sythetic grease utill it started to come out the bottom. Does anyone think if they are a little tight that it will cause a problem. I figured since they don't move much that there is very little friction to cause any wear.