Steering head grease - those who do their own servicing
#51
#52
When the bike is NEW...I'd follow up with a tube of HD grease cause the factory only puts a very small amount in the neck to get the bike out the door. The dealer should be filling it up before you get the bike. BUT........................as times would have it...the only way your going to know for sure is if you pump it in yourself and see it start to ooze out....
So back to the origional question....Does it matter what grease goes in there...??
It will matter if you pump something else in there that counter acts with the grease thats already in there...
IMO...Unless your a chemist...why screw around. Pump what the factory pumped in there unless you know someone who know's more than the average Joe.....
Dawg will know......Dawg...what ya think?
So back to the origional question....Does it matter what grease goes in there...??
It will matter if you pump something else in there that counter acts with the grease thats already in there...
IMO...Unless your a chemist...why screw around. Pump what the factory pumped in there unless you know someone who know's more than the average Joe.....
Dawg will know......Dawg...what ya think?
#53
You should be more concerned with the "drag" that a higher viscosity grease causes. The reason H-D recommends their grease is that the front steering head bearing torque is gauged by the swing away test listed in your service manual.
High Viscosity (thicker) grease will not provide the same results when adjusting the steering head components to factory specs.
Thus, depending on what the viscosity is of the grease you are using....steering head bearings can be adjusted incorrectly...too tight or too loose which could result in a stability or handling problem.....
I dont like the leakage at higher temps either...but I do want to be safe.
High Viscosity (thicker) grease will not provide the same results when adjusting the steering head components to factory specs.
Thus, depending on what the viscosity is of the grease you are using....steering head bearings can be adjusted incorrectly...too tight or too loose which could result in a stability or handling problem.....
I dont like the leakage at higher temps either...but I do want to be safe.
#55
When the bike is NEW...I'd follow up with a tube of HD grease cause the factory only puts a very small amount in the neck to get the bike out the door. The dealer should be filling it up before you get the bike. BUT........................as times would have it...the only way your going to know for sure is if you pump it in yourself and see it start to ooze out....
So back to the origional question....Does it matter what grease goes in there...??
It will matter if you pump something else in there that counter acts with the grease thats already in there...
IMO...Unless your a chemist...why screw around. Pump what the factory pumped in there unless you know someone who know's more than the average Joe.....
Dawg will know......Dawg...what ya think?
So back to the origional question....Does it matter what grease goes in there...??
It will matter if you pump something else in there that counter acts with the grease thats already in there...
IMO...Unless your a chemist...why screw around. Pump what the factory pumped in there unless you know someone who know's more than the average Joe.....
Dawg will know......Dawg...what ya think?
#56
Neck Grease
You should be more concerned with the "drag" that a higher viscosity grease causes. The reason H-D recommends their grease is that the front steering head bearing torque is gauged by the swing away test listed in your service manual.
High Viscosity (thicker) grease will not provide the same results when adjusting the steering head components to factory specs.
Thus, depending on what the viscosity is of the grease you are using....steering head bearings can be adjusted incorrectly...too tight or too loose which could result in a stability or handling problem.....
I dont like the leakage at higher temps either...but I do want to be safe.
High Viscosity (thicker) grease will not provide the same results when adjusting the steering head components to factory specs.
Thus, depending on what the viscosity is of the grease you are using....steering head bearings can be adjusted incorrectly...too tight or too loose which could result in a stability or handling problem.....
I dont like the leakage at higher temps either...but I do want to be safe.
Excellent point. I never knew that.
#57
#58
#60
i would suggest a high temp grease, because in the heat of summer, regular grease would become almost a liquid. i know it does even in my grease gun, and if i don't keep one of my grease guns with the nozzle pointed down, i have to purge air out of the system before it will start pumping again. i've heard of guys putting almost a whole tube of grease in the neck. wow. a poor design where the grease zert is located because the bottom bearing is the only one which will get greased if gravity still works the way it used to.