Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

Author Topic: Grease steering head?  (Read 1990 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

easttnrhino

  • Full CVO Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 141
Grease steering head?
« on: September 06, 2017, 08:18:50 PM »

 My 2010 and 2011 both had grease fittings on steering head so I greased the bearings. I now have a 2015 fltruse and i can cannot find the grease fittings do they still have them and if do not how do you grease them. Thanks
Logged

TN

  • 2.5K CVO Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2939
    • SC


    • CVO1: FLTRSE3
Re: Grease steering head?
« Reply #1 on: September 06, 2017, 08:44:18 PM »

Yes, but they require disassembly to do such. I guess you could install a zerk fitting on a 2015.


TN
Logged
Wut the hell was that maneuver

easttnrhino

  • Full CVO Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 141
Re: Grease steering head?
« Reply #2 on: September 06, 2017, 08:52:56 PM »

So that's why I cannot find fitting, it's not there. Thanks
Logged

grc

  • 10K CVO Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 14216
  • AKA Grouchy Old Fart
    • IN


    • CVO1: 2005 SEEG2
Re: Grease steering head?
« Reply #3 on: September 06, 2017, 09:34:00 PM »

Check your maintenance schedule.  The 2014 and later Touring models now require steering head service at 25,000 mile intervals, and it involves removing the front end, removing the bearings, cleaning and inspecting the bearings and races, packing the bearings with new grease, reinstalling everything, and then setting the bearing preload.  In other words, the same system that was used on the non-touring models.

Jerry
« Last Edit: September 07, 2017, 08:10:53 AM by grc »
Logged
Jerry - 2005 Cherry SEEG  -  Member # 1155

H-D and me  -  a classic love / hate relationship.  Current score:  love 40, hate 50, bewildered 10.

skratch

  • 1K CVO Member
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2003
    • LA

    • CVO1: 2013 FLTRXSE2 Roman Gold/Burnt Emerald
Re: Grease steering head?
« Reply #4 on: September 06, 2017, 09:34:44 PM »

Yes, but they require disassembly to do such. I guess you could install a zerk fitting on a 2015.


TN

installing a zerk fitting would do absolutely no good.  the bearings are isolated, so all you would be doing is filling a cavity with grease.
« Last Edit: September 06, 2017, 09:38:30 PM by skratch »
Logged
I understand the concept of reality, but find it too confining as a way of life

Twolanerider

  • 25K CVO Member
  • *****
  • Online Online
  • Posts: 50536
  • EBCM #1.5 Emeritus DSP # ? Critter Gawker #?
    • MO


    • CVO1: 2000 Triple Red Screamin' Eagle Road Glide
    • CVO2: 2002 Candy Brandywine Screamin' Eagle Road King
    • CVO3: 1999 Arresting Red FXR2
Re: Grease steering head?
« Reply #5 on: September 06, 2017, 11:45:00 PM »

Check your maintenance schedule.  The 2014 and later Touring models now require steering head service at 25,000 mile intervals, and it involves removing the front end, removing the bearings, cleaning and inspecting the bears and races, packing the bearings with new grease, reinstalling everything, and then setting the bearing preload.  In other words, the same system that was used on the non-touring models.

Jerry

I'm still surprised someone who has had to do this the first time and thought about doing it a second hasn't mic'd bearings and scoured a bearing catalog for a sealed bearing to replace the original bearing and race.
Logged

grc

  • 10K CVO Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 14216
  • AKA Grouchy Old Fart
    • IN


    • CVO1: 2005 SEEG2
Re: Grease steering head?
« Reply #6 on: September 07, 2017, 08:18:21 AM »

I'm still surprised someone who has had to do this the first time and thought about doing it a second hasn't mic'd bearings and scoured a bearing catalog for a sealed bearing to replace the original bearing and race.

Even better, I'm still amazed the rocket scientists at Harley haven't done the same.  They finally got pulled into the 20th century (yes the 20th, not the 21st) back in 2000 when they made the "huge leap" to sealed wheel bearings. Assuming they make it all the way to the year 3000 perhaps they'll make another huge leap to sealed head bearings.  Of course by that time everyone else on this and other planets will have dumped old mechanical bearings entirely in favor of electronic versions.  Harley likes to give newfangled stuff plenty of time for others to perfect it, before they copy it and screw it up.

Jerry
Logged
Jerry - 2005 Cherry SEEG  -  Member # 1155

H-D and me  -  a classic love / hate relationship.  Current score:  love 40, hate 50, bewildered 10.

ultrarider123

  • Guest
Re: Grease steering head?
« Reply #7 on: September 07, 2017, 08:34:17 AM »

Even better, I'm still amazed the rocket scientists at Harley haven't done the same.  They finally got pulled into the 20th century (yes the 20th, not the 21st) back in 2000 when they made the "huge leap" to sealed wheel bearings. Assuming they make it all the way to the year 3000 perhaps they'll make another huge leap to sealed head bearings.  Of course by that time everyone else on this and other planets will have dumped old mechanical bearings entirely in favor of electronic versions.  Harley likes to give newfangled stuff plenty of time for others to perfect it, before they copy it and screw it up.
Jerry

may I add a "harrumph" to that statement, Jerry..... ;D

When changing tires on the pre 2000 models, I would always say words that I would have to ask forgiveness for.  I still believe that the engineers and/or bean counters that shunned sealed wheel bearings for all those years have a special place in Hades changing Harley tires for eternity.... :devil:
« Last Edit: September 07, 2017, 08:36:44 AM by Haird »
Logged

iski

  • 10K CVO Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 10251
  • EBCM 007
    • FL


    • CVO1: 2007 FLHTCUSE2 Screamin' Eagle Ultra - Light Candy Cherry and Black Ice - Traded
    • CVO2: 2010 FLHTCUSE5 Screamin' Eagle Ultra - Crimson Mist Black/Dark Slate - Traded
    • CVO3: 2017 FLHTKSE CVO Limited - Black Garnet & Electric Red Pearl w/Carbon Dust
Re: Grease steering head?
« Reply #8 on: September 07, 2017, 08:37:01 AM »

Harrumph here as well.

Sealed head bearings.....not exactly new tech.

After 10 years+ on this forum am beginning to sort of catch the drift that Harley is not cutting edge, near that edge, or even looking at that edge from a reasonable distance, of some (lots?) of the not newer technology.  Worked with companies like this in my old career.  At some point, competition overtook most of them because they were too stuck in the past.  Then they became former companies - usually bought out by somebody who liked the brand and figured they could do something better with it. 

Logged
"I had the right to remain silent, but I didn't have the ability." ~ RW

Twolanerider

  • 25K CVO Member
  • *****
  • Online Online
  • Posts: 50536
  • EBCM #1.5 Emeritus DSP # ? Critter Gawker #?
    • MO


    • CVO1: 2000 Triple Red Screamin' Eagle Road Glide
    • CVO2: 2002 Candy Brandywine Screamin' Eagle Road King
    • CVO3: 1999 Arresting Red FXR2
Re: Grease steering head?
« Reply #9 on: September 07, 2017, 10:37:52 AM »

Even better, I'm still amazed the rocket scientists at Harley haven't done the same.  They finally got pulled into the 20th century (yes the 20th, not the 21st) back in 2000 when they made the "huge leap" to sealed wheel bearings. Assuming they make it all the way to the year 3000 perhaps they'll make another huge leap to sealed head bearings.  Of course by that time everyone else on this and other planets will have dumped old mechanical bearings entirely in favor of electronic versions.  Harley likes to give newfangled stuff plenty of time for others to perfect it, before they copy it and screw it up.

Jerry

I'm not at all surprised Harley hasn't done it.  Would almost expect them to continue a practice that racks up billable shop hours for tasks that all too often will be either minimally done or not done at all.  I'm significantly surprised someone hasn't come up with part numbers to make the retrofit on their own.  It may speak to just how often people really are (or are not) actually doing the prescribed neck service on the big bikes. 
Logged

J.D.

  • Guest
Re: Grease steering head?
« Reply #10 on: September 07, 2017, 11:41:54 AM »

At least the wheel bearings are easily accessible.  This neck bearing service on a touring bike takes alot of time (if done carefully and correctly).
Logged
 

Page created in 0.268 seconds with 21 queries.