Author Topic: DL650 Front wheel rubbing sound (Read 6972 times)

wurzel · « **Reply #20 on:** September 03, 2018, 22:31:27 »

It does not sound right to me if the spacer is free to slide on the axle, I think we need the advice of someone familiar with this model to ascertain what is going on.
Without seeing it in person it is not easy to asses any issues.

Ianmc · « **Reply #21 on:** September 03, 2018, 23:50:21 »

It seems to me that there is a little confusion about how these axles should fit,so I have been out and taken a couple of measurements from my Wee.There is no visible clearance as you would expect between the speedo sender and the NS fork leg (left).There is 52 thou. (1.32mm) between the offside (right) fork leg and the abs pickup holder.I would expect this clearance because the clamp must always be loose when the axle spindle is tightened,this gives the right hand fork leg a chance to self centralize before the clamp is tightened.If there was no clearance there are a couple of possibilities,it has been incorrectly assembled,or even one of the fork tubes is very slightly bent.It needs this clearance as there is only about 15thou.between the pickup and the reluctor ring,which near enough to get a good signal.I have fitted literally dozens of electronic governors and the rule of thumb when fitting the MPU is to turn it in until it just touches the flywheel tooth and then back half a turn.Which on a 5/8th UNF thread in not a lot of clearance.The spacer should not be free on the axle as it’s the clamping action of the axle bolt that keeps everything in line.Another observational is that the axle is not quite flush with the outer edge of the right hand fork leg,it’s just a smidge inboard,possibly 10 thou.I have never seen any bearing fitted in any hub that does not go in flush into its housing,even on taper rollers,the outer races go hard onto the shoulder and the inners are then adjusted up to them.Normally the length of the bearing spacer is the same as the distance between the two inner faces of the hub housing when fitted.There maybe instances where this is different but I cannot remember seeing one,that’s my two pence worth.Sorry it’s a long read,any comments or additions to throw any more light on the subject.

wurzel · « **Reply #22 on:** September 04, 2018, 03:55:10 »

Ian is right,the spacer should not be free to slide, the axle should clamp the assembly up tight when torque up.
This as said, leaves the other side with clamp bolts to line up then pinch onto the axle.
It is so much more complicated trying to see what is going on here without hands on .

UK_Vstrom650 · « **Reply #23 on:** September 04, 2018, 09:28:31 »

Here's two old pictures I have on my phone of how the front should sit. I'll try to take some better pictures shortly.

When I had a gap issue on the pinch bolt (clutch side) I could fit a cable tie between the spacer and fork leg.

The service manual (download section) shows the order that the bearings need to be installed. The first one on both wheels seats fully into the hub and the second one sits against the inner spacer, allowing for the inner spacer to move side to side slightly - this is not fully in its housing. Greywolf gave me this warning before I changed my bearings and said that it's a common mistake to drive bearings fully in on the wrong side first which causes alignment issues on both front and back.

UK_Vstrom650 · « **Reply #24 on:** September 04, 2018, 10:34:48 »

Hopefully these pictures will help...

(And yes the bike needs a clean)

paulo · « **Reply #25 on:** September 04, 2018, 15:20:13 »

Thanks again everyone, the pics are fantastic and confirm what I thought - there shouldn't be a gap between the spacer and the fork leg (the 'clutch' side is the one I'm looking at mainly). I have loosened the front wheel and removed the brake calipers. I then tightened up the front wheel spindle and everything looks OK to start with and then as I carry on tightening for the last third, a gap appears between the 'clutch' side spacer and the fork. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but this to me means the bearings are still not correctly installed. I removed the wheel again, and there is NO movement in the internal spacer that sits in between the two bearings in any direction. I know this was not the case before the bearings were replaced. As I said in a previous post, I think the bearings were installed in the incorrect order, and then in order to rectify the clutch side spacer protusion, the 'clutch' side bearing was tapped home. This presumably shuffled the internal spacer and 'brake' side bearing along a bit. So what's the problem now? Page 2D-3 of the workshop manual shows an unspecified clearance 'a' between the 'brake' side bearing and the internal spacer. How can this be achieved? Do you think the bearings should be removed and the whole procedure carried out from the beginning in the correct order? Beats me how an independent mechanic would know about the correct procedure in this particular case

paulo · « **Reply #26 on:** September 04, 2018, 16:29:42 »

A piccy (not great) that shows the in 'gap' daylight

paulo · « **Reply #27 on:** September 04, 2018, 16:37:07 »

Sorry, this one shows it better

UK_Vstrom650 · « **Reply #28 on:** September 04, 2018, 22:41:16 »

You should be able to push the inner spacer sideways slightly but not back and forwards toward the bearings. If it won't move it's too tight and may show why there's a gap I.e. not seated properly.

May be worth speaking to the garage and asking them to redo the bearings again.

crazyhorse · « **Reply #29 on:** September 07, 2018, 17:51:23 »

Hello
I think your worrying about nothing.
I say this, as this afternoon I fitted a new tyre and new brake pads on the front of my 650 L2.
This is a picture taken a few minutes ago after buttoning everything up to the required specs.

Cheers
Crazyhorse

blobstrom · « **Reply #30 on:** September 08, 2018, 13:21:00 »

I had a wurring noise from front of bike between 15 -40 mph, after thinking it was wheel bearings and caliper it turned out to be the speedo drive needed cleaning and re greasing. All fine since.

UK_Vstrom650 · « **Reply #31 on:** September 08, 2018, 20:51:07 »

Well, mine doesn't have that gap near the front wheel. It did have it once, but it was also possible to force the gap closed and while holding the fork leg in, tighten the axle pinch bolt which held it in place. However as I was sure that I shouldn't be forcing the fork leg towards the wheel, I undid the pinch bolt, loosened the axle, removed the fork brace and loosened both bolts in the lower triple clamp/steering yoke. I then bounced the front end up and down a few times, then tightened the axle to spec which closed the gap. I then tightened the pinch bolt, the both bolts in the triple clamp, and refitted the fork brace. That gap has remained closed ever since.

Whilst you probably can ride the bike without issue, my OCD wouldn't let me, and I doubt any manufacturer would design that gap to be there - they'd surely want the spacer to be flush to the fork leg??

Olivier · « **Reply #32 on:** September 08, 2018, 21:05:47 »

You should try to grease the contacts between wheel axle and bearing / spacers, a little.

The Border Riever · « **Reply #33 on:** September 09, 2018, 09:25:49 »

I experienced this whilst changing my Front tyre recently, and ended up with a small gap (2mm) and this was after bouncing the forks etc, And I used a speed clamp to pull in the gap before tightening the pinch bolts, I've had this on previous bikes Yamaha TDM900 etc, It's not uncommon but an excessive gap is something to be investigated, loosening the fork yolks bolts and centralising things again usually sorts it.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/irwin-quick-grip-18-quick-change-bar-clamp/82300

Brockett · « **Reply #34 on:** September 09, 2018, 15:05:45 »

Speaking for myself I would never use a clamp to force the fork legs. I would be concerned that this would put pressure on the sliders and bushes and cause undue wear.

wurzel · « **Reply #35 on:** September 09, 2018, 18:18:19 »

You are correct Brockett, it will put friction onto the bushings in the forks that they are not designed to take, they often have a thin coating yo reduce friction, and that can soon be worn away.

Olivier · « **Reply #36 on:** September 09, 2018, 22:31:57 »

On my new V-strom 2018, I have too this space of 2 mm.

The Border Riever · « **Reply #37 on:** September 09, 2018, 22:33:47 »

And how much pressure do you think will be applied????? I merely use as a hands free aid whilst you tighten the pinch bolts, If put in the correct position through the wheel at a lower level It's several inches below where the bushing is located!!!!!
And what coating is on the bushes please??? I can only think of oil myself as the bush is made of one material only!
And What pressure will there be if the bearings, spacers, are all OE equipment and fitted correctly and the lower fork legs are butted up against them? these factors dictate the pressure on the fork legs..........So is it such a good post after all??????

wurzel · « **Reply #38 on:** September 09, 2018, 23:12:14 »

The bushings are normally coated about 50 microns thick with copper, or Teflon, or both depending on the bushings.
The base material will be a harder material, if the coating wears through the harder base metal can wear other parts, such as the chrome plating.
The idea is to have the forks running parallel to each other to reduce friction, and premature wear of the coating,if the forks are pulled in to ' bow leg ' them it can, as the forks compress, side load the bushings.
Its no big deal, but those are the facts as I understand them,the normal procedure is to compress or bounce the forks a few times to let them find parallel,then tighten the pinch bolts, the axle having been tightened first should preload the spacer and bearing inner shells to hold their position via the axle collar.
I do apologise if I caused you to flutter over the exclamation cursor, I had no intent to be disparaging.
I am somewhat autistic, and at times can be clumsy in my mannerisms,no excuses, just the truth, you would laugh at the mess I get into sometimes, I have to!

mustafarian · « **Reply #39 on:** February 10, 2023, 23:12:47 »

Hi Paulo,

Did you finally manage to sort out that gap? I changed my bearings on a 2018 DL650 and noticed a similar gap.