While servicing my bike a couple days ago, I decided to do an overall inspection on the bike, besides changing my fluids. Among other things I checked the grease in the steering head and couldn't find any either at the top or bottom of the neck. This of course caused me some concern, because the steering head should have been properly greased before the bike left the factory, Dealer Prep and also checked at the 1000 mile service.

As I attempted to fit the grease gun on the Zerk fitting I noticed the angle of the fitting made it impossible to attach my grease gun because of the fairing/forks which were in the way. This got me thinking....unless HD has a special angle grease gun, how could they service the steering head? Hmm.....did they service the steering head? Since I couldn't attach me grease gun with the OEM zerk fitting, I replaced it with a 45 degree angle Zerk fitting. The fit was perfect and I was then able to attach my grease gun.

Nomally after attaching a grease gun to the Zerk fitting, it should only take 3-4 pumps before you begin to see grease at the top/bottom of the steering head (neck). Mine took so much grease, I stopped counting after 15-20 pumps. Darn thing must have been nearly dry/empty. I theorized that neither the factory or Dealer serviced it because it was empty/near empty and was impossible to reach.

A friend of mine who services his own Street Glide and also a mutual friend's Street Glide noticed the same problem. So now all 3 of us have 45 degree angle Zerks on our bikes. I suggest that everyone check their steering heads and consider replacing the Zerk with a 45 degree angle fitting.

 

Not sure why they even waste $$ putting that fitting there. I've disassembled numerous Harleys to the bare frame and have NEVER seen a steering neck bearing problem, not one. None of the necks were loaded with grease which is what happens when you pump grease into that fitting. Unless you drove your bike under water I see no need to grease that fitting, the bearings are packed at the factory before they are installed and should remain happily lubricated for the life of the bike.

 

Be careful how much grease you put in there. On a hot day it will run and end up on your frame and tank. It happened to me when i rode to Palm Springs.

 

it is possible to get a flex line to that grease fitting, takes a bit of bending and twisting but it will go on the zerk, did mine awhile ago since new and it made a big difference on how easy the forks turn from side to side now, I too wonder if there was ever grease in there

 

Interesting thread. So the factory puts zerk fittings on the neck and never fulls them and the dealer ignore these as well. Texas SG states they are a waste of space/money to have in the first place and he speaks from experience (I assume an HD technician). FXDSEWANNABE says you can overfill these fittings and get it all over the tank and frame during hot days.

Not sure what to do at this point...

 

Mine too around 20 shots of grease too. Must have been NO grease in there from the factory!

On the RK the stock grease fitting was easily accessed and used with a flexible hose on my grease gun. It must be the bikes with fairings that have problems with access.

 

I found on my FLHT that if you remove the 4 bolts that hold the crome cover and passing lamp bracket you can get on the factory grease nipple ( zerk fitting ). I just need to figure out how too on my Road Glide now

 

Just think of your car's wheel bearings. They go 40K or so miles (and maybe more) without getting any 'extra' grease, just what was packed in them....and they do a heck of a lot more work than neck bearings. Just my thoughts...

 

The only grease that makes a difference is the grease that is actually on the bearing itself. All that grease you packed into the void space between the bearing is a waste and it fills the space that would normally allow for a bit of heat expansion, now with no place to expand you can expect a mess on hot days.

As someone else said, they are the same type of bearing used in car wheel bearings that spin at high speed for 40,000 miles with the weight of a car, without repacking, so the head bearings that should last forever.

 

I guess regardless how unimportant it is thought to grease these bearings I will still continue to do so per manual spec intervals.