[ragingBULL]

I have used the search and can't find what I was looking for... I apologise for yet another thread about the infamous clunk :hidesbeh:

I have read somewhere in one of the many threads about this that HD came out with a new design for that big nut that sits in the neck. Aparently that nut now seat little deeper and solves the problem :

1. Did I fantasise reading about this?
2. If not, anybody has the P/N or link to the thread?
3. Has anyone had this replaced under warranty (it's design flaw right?)

Thanks for the help!

 

[Max]

The 08 v-rod has a steel stem shaft, it should be available for all v-rods anytime to replace the aluminum shaft which apparently has enough stretch to it that it allows the clearance to be hard to maintain.

 

[ragingBULL]

Thanks Max...

Any chance of a P/N? You know the dealer don't like to open his big book and look it up for me... Usually easier to answer "don't know what you are talking about".

That's the answer I got when I asked last week.

Any chance of having this fixed under warranty? Is it a big job to change myself (i'm good mechnaic but not very well equipped). Do you need a press or any special tools?

 

[Pondo]

It's not a warranty issue, it's an upgrade. Like ABS, it's considered an improvement not a repair.
The steel stem is sold assembled with the lower tree. Just remove the old one and replace - it's a direct bolt on.
You can just keep tightening the AL one too.

 

[ragingBULL]

Sh*t I've had my triple tree chromed...

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

Would have been very convenient since I'm taking it appart soon to put in progressive springs.

Thanks

 

[Pondo]

Sh*t I've had my triple tree chromed...

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

Would have been very convenient since I'm taking it appart soon to put in progressive springs.

Thanks

If you had it pressed out before you could do it again, assuming that the bores are the same. then you can use the old tree lower. Or just tighten the neck every 6 Mos. or so.

 

[NightRoder]

Bolt and nut p/n

Sh*t I've had my triple tree chromed...

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

Would have been very convenient since I'm taking it appart soon to put in progressive springs.

Thanks

Hi Mat,

I got the part number for the bolt and nut that's supposed to solve the clunk from someone on the board. It's 45736-07

Untill today I hadn't heard of this upgrade. Maybe you can try the bolt and see if it solves the problem before doing a big upgrade on the tree. That's what I will do, for now anyway! You don't want to waste that nice chrome one......

Good luck.

P.S. I still have that can of denim black paint in case you decide to paint your skins.

 

[ragingBULL]

I did not do the chrome job... So I never actually had the tripple tree in my hands... The bike got messed at car wash ( i know i know) and all the aluminum part got stained real bad (swing arm, triple tree, controls.. had to replace all the skins as well!). So chroming was the cheapest fix for the owner of that car wash. (8500 $ repairs if you can imagine)

OK, back on topic, can I simply remove that plastic cap and give a 1/4 turn on that nut?

Because I have the 5 pages (or so) fallaway adj. procedure (BY skirod if i remenber right) printed out..

Thanks for the help pondo!

 

[ragingBULL]

Hi Mat,

I got the part number for the bolt and nut that's supposed to solve the clunk from someone on the board. It's 45736-07

Untill today I hadn't heard of this upgrade. Maybe you can try the bolt and see if it solves the problem before doing a big upgrade on the tree. That's what I will do, for now anyway! You don't want to waste that nice chrome one......

Good luck.

P.S. I still have that can of denim black paint in case you decide to paint your skins.

Thanks a bunch peter... I'll run this by the dealer and see what surfaces!!

And you're funny guy you know that?? I have sanding paper for your denim black if you ever come to your senses :stilpoke:

Thanks man!

 

[mwdhand]

Did I miss read in the motorcycle cruiser article on the VRSCX that the rake has been changed to 36 degrees from 38? I don't have the article handy so I may be talking crap here, but I think they said that the 07s have a steeper rake by 2 degrees over previous models, if so what's the rake of the replacement part that we're talking about here?

 

[Pondo]

I did not do the chrome job... So I never actually had the tripple tree in my hands... The bike got messed at car wash ( i know i know) and all the aluminum part got stained real bad (swing arm, triple tree, controls.. had to replace all the skins as well!). So chroming was the cheapest fix for the owner of that car wash. (8500 $ repairs if you can imagine)

OK, back on topic, can I simply remove that plastic cap and give a 1/4 turn on that nut?
Because I have the 5 pages (or so) fallaway adj. procedure (BY skirod if i remenber right) printed out..

Thanks for the help pondo!

No problem - I talked to the engineers at the plant way too much.
No, the nut on the top does not tighten the neck bearings.
What I do is:
-Loosen or remove the top stem nut.
-Loosen the upper triple tree clamps. I use a big screwdriver to pry the gap open a bit and jam a few washers in there to hold them open. Mine are powdercoated so that is necessary.
-Use the screwdriver and a small hammer to tighten the adjustng nut that is beneath the upper tree. That's what sets the neck preload. It is like a nut on a electrical box fitting. It has tabs all around it and you can tap on them with a flat tip screwdriver to tighten it up. You can set the fallaway per specs by following the directions you have, but I just tighten it up until it feels tighter than it was - WTF, I'm gonna be doing it again in a few months anyways. As long as it is tighter but still falls away before 20 degrees a side I'm good to go.
-Remove washers, tighten everything back up to specs. ***TIGHTEN THE TOP STEM NUT FIRST BEFORE THE FORK CLAMPS***
-Repeat as necessary when the clunk returns

 

[Pondo]

Did I miss read in the motorcycle cruiser article on the VRSCX that the rake has been changed to 36 degrees from 38? I don't have the article handy so I may be talking crap here, but I think they said that the 07s have a steeper rake by 2 degrees over previous models, if so what's the rake of the replacement part that we're talking about here?

The rake was changed in the neck, not the trees. I was told that all but the '06SE's use the same trees. I could be wrong though, I had a few beers in me at the time.

 

[ragingBULL]

No problem - I talked to the engineers at the plant way too much.
No, the nut on the top does not tighten the neck bearings.
What I do is:
-Loosen or remove the top stem nut.
-Loosen the upper triple tree clamps. I use a big screwdriver to pry the gap open a bit and jam a few washers in there to hold them open. Mine are powdercoated so that is necessary.
-Use the screwdriver and a small hammer to tighten the adjustng nut that is beneath the upper tree. That's what sets the neck preload. It is like a nut on a electrical box fitting. It has tabs all around it and you can tap on them with a flat tip screwdriver to tighten it up. You can set the fallaway per specs by following the directions you have, but I just tighten it up until it feels tighter than it was - WTF, I'm gonna be doing it again in a few months anyways. As long as it is tighter but still falls away before 20 degrees a side I'm good to go.
-Remove washers, tighten everything back up to specs. ***TIGHTEN THE TOP STEM NUT FIRST BEFORE THE FORK CLAMPS***
-Repeat as necessary when the clunk returns

Thanks a lot Bro... I will give this a try when I switch my front springs and see what comes up on the front of the P/N supplied by Peter

 

[stever975]

The rake was changed in the neck, not the trees. I was told that all but the '06SE's use the same trees. I could be wrong though, I had a few beers in me at the time.

The specification information I've seen is different. I thought all the VRSC frames have a 34° steering head angle except the VRSCR that is 30°. The earlier VRSCs have 4° rake in the trees (38° in the fork tubes). The rake in the trees was removed when the 240 rear tires were introduced. I think all three current VRSC road bikes are 34° in the frame 0° in the trees.

 

[ragingBULL]

I got the part number for the bolt and nut that's supposed to solve the clunk from someone on the board. It's 45736-07

I called the dealer with that P/N and it's not in the system :sad:

 

[Pondo]

The specification information I've seen is different. I thought all the VRSC frames have a 34° steering head angle except the VRSCR that is 30°. The earlier VRSCs have 4° rake in the trees (38° in the fork tubes). The rake in the trees was removed when the 240 rear tires were introduced. I think all three current VRSC road bikes are 34° in the frame 0° in the trees.

That is absolutely false from everyone I have spoken with. All of the trees are either 2 or 4 degrees. Where did you get that info?

 

[stever975]

That is absolutely false from everyone I have spoken with. All of the trees are either 2 or 4 degrees. Where did you get that info?

I'm getting my info from the specifications published by HD.

I think we agree on the earlier bikes: 34° in the frame 4° in the trees = 38° in the tubes. Although by you highlighting the "(38° in the tubes)" I posted you seem to be saying I'm wrong there also yet the 2002 specifications clearly state that the fork tube angle is 38°.

The later VRSC specifications for 2007 and 2008 don't specify the split between the trees and the frame so I may be wrong in my interpretation of the HD wording which states: "Rake Steering Head 34°". If some of the 34° is in the trees (or if there is additional 2° rake in the trees making the fork tubes 36°) then the HD posted specifications don't mention that.

 

[Pondo]

I'm getting my info from the specifications published by HD.

I think we agree on the earlier bikes: 34° in the frame 4° in the trees = 38° in the tubes. Although by you highlighting the "(38° in the tubes)" I posted you seem to be saying I'm wrong there also yet the 2002 specifications clearly state that the fork tube angle is 38°.

The later VRSC specifications for 2007 and 2008 don't specify the split between the trees and the frame so I may be wrong in my interpretation of the HD wording which states: "Rake Steering Head 34°". If some of the 34° is in the trees (or if there is additional 2° rake in the trees making the fork tubes 36°) then the HD posted specifications don't mention that.

I misunderstood that you meant the fork tubes, I've never heard it said like it being "in" the tubes, the tubes have no rake "in" them, just the frame and the trees. My fault, I should have read it more closely. I was told directly by an engineer that the new stem was a bolt on mod, that the tree rake was the same except for the '06SE's, and he didn't mention the VRSCX's. (And the R's, but that's obvious)
Can you point me to your info source for the specs? I'd like to check it out. I thought I had it straight. Got a link or something?

 

[Pondo]

Oh, and I was also told by Ray Connors that all VRSC trees are 2 or 4 degrees.

 

[stever975]

I misunderstood that you meant the fork tubes, I've never heard it said like it being "in" the tubes, the tubes have no rake "in" them, just the frame and the trees. My fault, I should have read it more closely. I was told directly by an engineer that the new stem was a bolt on mod, that the tree rake was the same except for the '06SE's, and he didn't mention the VRSCX's. (And the R's, but that's obvious)
Can you point me to your info source for the specs? I'd like to check it out. I thought I had it straight. Got a link or something?

I checked a pdf file that has the update information for 2006 and that might clear some of this up. On page 16 of this pdf (attached) it says the VRSCD has 36° fork tubes that increase the trail. The published trail for the VRSCA in 2006 was 3.9" and for the VRSCD it was 4.6". The 2007 and 2008 bikes have trails of 4.5". This is info on the HD web page: it's a "flash player page so I'm not sure how to post the link. I opened this page (http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/2008_Motorcycles/2008_Motorcycles.jsp?locale=en_US&swfsection=family&swffamily=vr) and then clicked on VRSCAW and then clicked on "VIEW FULL SPECS FOR THIS MODEL".

So I think you're right that the new trees are 2° with a 34° steering tube angle = 36° fork tubes. I don't think the frame (steering tube) angle has been changed except for the now defunct VRSCR.

I tried posting the entire pdf but received an error that it was too big to download.