creaking/ clicking from forks

My Blackbird sometimes makes a clicking/ crasking noise from the forks
when hard breaking. I guess that this could be the bolts on the yokes
not tightened up enough ( have not checked yet ) Is this
(potentially ) dangerous ? Could it be something else ?

 

Check head bearings for play and floating discs for rotor wear at the
mounting points

 

If these bolts were causing the noise, you'd probably be dead by now.

It's almost certainly the head bearings

 

.... Is the answer I was about to write out.

 

My CBR brakes make rattling noises when not applied, but every time I
check for wear or free play everything seems fine. I'll worry about it
when I'm sitting in a gravel trap.

 

After I changed my head bearings the front brake made an awful noise when
not being used. I thought I'd damaged something or not put the bearings in
properly. Turns out that caliper bolts which are barely finger tight will
not successfully prevent the caliper from flapping about.

 

.. It's always done it and has passed two MOT's since I've had it.. Oh
and the previous owner replaced (upgraded ?) the head bearing ISTR
him saying. So is it dangerous ? Easy to replace ? Wait until the fork
seals need doing at same time ?

 

My guess would be the bolts need greasing, not tightening. Strange
clicking noises under stress aren't uncommon where you're got a bolt
squeezing an open-ended clamp shut, i.e. clip-on handlebar & fork
clamps. Greasing the bolts stops it.

--
Krusty
www.MuddyStuff.co.uk
Off-Road Classifieds

'02 MV Senna '03 Tiger 955i '96 Tiger '79 Fantic Hiro 250

 

They still need adjusting periodically... especially if you've managed to
pop the odd minger on it.

My Fazer 600 was particularly good at the latter, and shit at the former as
a result.

Do you like involuntary tank slappers?

If so, leave it as it is and one should be along shortly to catch you out.

Reasonably so, but they probably just need regreasing / adjusting assuming
the previous owner did change them, and changed both the cups as well as the
races themselves.

Probably not - you'll have found a ditch way before then if said involuntary
tankslapper catches you out properly.

On a serious note: if you're mildly mechanically minded, then get a manual
for whatever it is your bike is and use this as a guide on how to correctly
adjust / replace the head races etc.

If you're a bit of a retard when it comes to mechanical stuff, then find
someone who isn't to check / adjust / regrease / replace the head races.

--
JackH

98 Honda VFR800FiW
05 Sachs Madass
03 VW Passat TDI Sport
89 Vauxhall Nova 1.3 Pearl

 

sounds very plausible, I'm gonna have to get the torque wrench and
Haynes book together with said grease before the next 'pre-flight
check' I think ;-) Thanks every one

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, mr p

Torque values given will almost certainly be dry. If you grease the
bolts, and shoot for the book values, you stand a pretty fair chance of
stripping the threads.