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[FLSTFI Dave]

I never had an issue at any speed or deceleration with my hands off the bars.  Even tested several times right after I got the bike to see if it would do the tank slap with the bars when coasting down from 50.  It never did.

At the 5K service, they are suppose to check your neck bearing with there fall-a-way test.  According to the test mine needed adjustment. 

So the day after the 5K service, I am coasting up to a light.  Take my hands off the bars and as I was decelerating at about 43 or so the bras started to shake and by 40 it was violent.  Tried several more time and did the same thing each time.  Took the bike back to the dealer, as I was not happy.

I learned a few things.  One the test for the 15 is different than the 13 and earlier.  So that calmed me a lot, as it was not a they typical dealer mistake on the older road glide neck bearings.

They did the test adjusted again, and mechanic test road, again tank slap.  Another mechanic did the test, adjustment and test ride, again tank slap.  4 different mechanics worked on it trying to get it right.  They finally moved the bars back to as close as they could get it to stock with out the pin, did the test and adjustment and then move the bars back to where I had them.  Now the tank slap is 99% gone, been able to get it to do it once in 500 miles.

So the position of the bars affects the test, due to how much weight is behind the neck, move the bars forwards and their is not as much weight behind the next.  May also be why the shorter bars on the non CVO RG have weights on their clutch and brake clamps.

I will be interested to see if others who have moved bars have issues.  Has me worried as I have 14" Monkey Bars on order.  How will they adjust with them?

Why the heck can't harley give a torque spec?  You know going down the line they have a set torque for the neck bearing.  They do not have time for this bull crap method.

[grc]

...
Why the heck can't harley give a torque spec?  You know going down the line they have a set torque for the neck bearing.  They do not have time for this bull crap method.

It definitely is a bull crap method (always has been), but I assume they publish these BS methods, rather than use a proper torque method, just to save money on claims.  Doing it the right way would most likely require partial disassembly of the front end and a lot more time than the Mickey Mouse swing test or fall away test they've had dealerships use.  For old timers like myself, thinking back to how we had to set bearing preload and over center adjustments on the old automotive steering gears, the steering arms had to be disconnected from the gear to make those adjustments so all you had was the torque necessary to rotate the actual gearbox components.  To do that on a Harley steering head would require a lot of disassembly.  Just thinking out loud here btw.

If anyone has a 2015 Shop Manual for a Trike, I'd love to see what Harley recommends for that bike.  The info I've seen said the Trikes don't use the swing test or fall away test, but in fact use a torque method. 

Jerry

[graygus]

Wow that is disturbing. I fought the tank slap battle for a couple of years on my 2011 before getting it right. Thanks for the info.

[porthole]

For old timers like myself, thinking back to how we had to set bearing preload and over center adjustments on the old automotive steering gears, the steering arms had to be disconnected from the gear to make those adjustments so all you had was the torque necessary to rotate the actual gearbox components. 
If anyone has a 2015 Shop Manual for a Trike, I'd love to see what Harley recommends for that bike.  The info I've seen said the Trikes don't use the swing test or fall away test, but in fact use a torque method. 

Jerry

I wonder how many even know what that is Jerry. I probably have done 100+ when I worked for Chrysler dealers.

And I thought I read somewhere on here that the 15 RG doesn't use the fall away anymore 

[grc]

I wonder how many even know what that is Jerry. I probably have done 100+ when I worked for Chrysler dealers.

And I thought I read somewhere on here that the 15 RG doesn't use the fall away anymore 

    Yup, I really tell my age when I mention recirculating ball steering gears, and I doubt many people under the age of forty have any idea what it is/was.

The 2014 and later Touring models no longer use the swing test, and they don't actually use the fall away test that's been used on the Dyna's and Softails either.  They have a third test which is a variation on the fall away test instead, called the swing back method.  Except for the Trikes, which uses a torque method.  I would think it would be much simpler for H-D to just use a torque method for everything.  And if they actually got it right 99.9% of the time during assembly, the warranty cost to fix the very few bad ones in the field wouldn't be a big deal.

Jerry

[grc]

Continuation of swing back method:

Jerry

[FLSTFI Dave]

Jerry,  does this procedure go on to give some value that the measurement sould fall with in?  What you have posted does not say what to do with the measurement.

I can sure see where the position of the handlebar could affect this new swingback method. In the factory position the grips are way back of the neck.  Adjustest up they are much more in line with the neck.

I talked with the service manager ysterday.  He told me they have been givien specific instructions to only use factory approved bars and only use the bars pined.  He is not happy with this new method. 

[grc]

The actual specification for the distance is listed in the appropriate service manual, and will likely vary by model similar to how the swing test spec varied between batwing and road glide versions.

I personally think this new method is every bit as flaky as the old swing test method, since the results will vary depending on the factors you've mentioned (bars) as well as any accessories added to the bars, possibly the weight of the wheels and tires, changes to aftermarket fenders, etc..  And there is even more potential for problems with the batwing bikes due to fairing mounted accessories.

We can always hope that Harley eventually hires some real engineers with enough brains to figure out how to set steering head bearing preload accurately and consistently, and then figure out how to cure the instability/wobble problems without using bearing preload as a damping agent. 

Jerry

[FLSTFI Dave]

Thanks for the Information Jerry.

Bike was perfect until they did this new swing back method.  So that tells me if I knew the factory torque spec when they built the bike, it would be easy to get it right.