Front end rattle

cocheese72 · 09-06-2010, 09:09 AM

Anyone ever get an annoying rattle on their front end. Sounds like two pieces of metal rattling. I have battened the hatches down on everything and cannot locate this. I am going to open up the headlight bucket to see if there is something in there doing it. The radiator shroud is tightened down, but the whole radiator moves back and forth in the rubber dampers. Is this normal? I think it may be that.

redjay · 09-06-2010, 09:37 AM

I put some draft excluder inside the shroud so it pushes the mesh against the rad.
Problem solved.

bugman · 09-06-2010, 10:04 AM

mine was the radiator screen, put a penny on both sides in between screen and cover, no more rattle

cocheese72 · 09-06-2010, 10:06 AM

A 2 cent fix. I will try it.

**ringadingh** · 09-06-2010, 11:49 AM

The wires in the headlight bucket are a common source for a rattle.
The loose rad in the grommetts makes more of an annoying squeek. I used silicone grease in the grommetts to cure that problem.

zoom45 · 09-06-2010, 04:53 PM

I had a little rattle this weekend but couldn't find anything loose. I finally bumper the headlight housing and could hear a rattle. Finally figured out the headlight was a little close to one side of the trim ring. I adusted it to get a more even fit and it fixed the rattle.
Zoom45

**Cajunrider** · 09-06-2010, 05:40 PM

I think I've mentioned this before, but for those who didn't see it, I chased a front end rattle for over a month before finding it. My wife can hear many times better than I can and she couldn't hear the rattle. It was driving me crazy. It was the front end of my helmet. The visor was rattling in the snaps. Sounded like it was coming from the front wheel area. I used a hammer and small drift to tighten the rivets and my "front end rattle" is gone.

**krash** · 09-06-2010, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cajunrider

I think I've mentioned this before, but for those who didn't see it, I chased a front end rattle for over a month before finding it. My wife can hear many times better than I can and she couldn't hear the rattle. It was driving me crazy. It was the front end of my helmet. The visor was rattling in the snaps. Sounded like it was coming from the front wheel area. I used a hammer and small drift to tighten the rivets and my "front end rattle" is gone.

I just found out the same thing this weekend ony the rattle sounded like it was behind me. It was my helmet visor, couple dabs of rtv fixed it.

cajun2wheels · 09-06-2010, 06:23 PM

I have noticed a rattle or maybe a scraping noise myself.Very intermittent and happens no matter whether I'm on a smooth or bumpy road and various speeds.Seems to be coming from the front right side.Thanks to this post I now have several items to check and will update my findings.

**ringadingh** · 09-06-2010, 06:32 PM

I had to fix the snaps in my visor as well because it rattled in the breeze, it must be a common thing.

mobandy78 · 09-08-2010, 02:20 PM

I've noticed a rattle on my front end also (Don't take that out of context). Come to find out, it is the chrome cover on the forks, just under the handlebars/windshield. I tried to tighten the bolts holding it on, but they are already tight. So now I'm stumped and just put up with it.

**Jared** · 09-08-2010, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MO

I've noticed a rattle on my front end also (Don't take that out of context). Come to find out, it is the chrome cover on the forks, just under the handlebars/windshield. I tried to tighten the bolts holding it on, but they are already tight. So now I'm stumped and just put up with it.

That is where my rattle was coming from also. I just put some rubber washers behind it and the problem's solved.

cocheese72 · 09-08-2010, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Utah Motorcyclist

Quote:

Originally Posted by MO

I've noticed a rattle on my front end also (Don't take that out of context). Come to find out, it is the chrome cover on the forks, just under the handlebars/windshield. I tried to tighten the bolts holding it on, but they are already tight. So now I'm stumped and just put up with it.

That is where my rattle was coming from also. I just put some rubber washers behind it and the problem's solved.

It maybe is that, but nothing up there feels loose enough to make the sound. I thought it was radiator related, but it sounds too loud for that. Really sounds like a big piece of metal hitting another. I keep searching.

bugman · 09-08-2010, 07:29 PM

thats what i heard,also, i pushed on the screen and it didnt feel that loose but with wind hitting it, it may have made that noise,, i did the penny trick and no more noise,,, learned that from kudzfarmer

cbutteris · 09-08-2010, 09:46 PM

Under the chrome cover at the top of the forks is where I finally located a rattlle / loud buzzing sound. Under the chrome cover is an inner plate and the gap between them would make a loud metallic buzz when the wind would hit it just right. Might be the same thing 'Utah' was talking about.

I slid a piece of cardboard in the space btween teh covers just to troubleshoot - problem resolved.

09-06-2010, 09:09 AM	#1
cocheese72 Advanced Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Nomad Posts: 524	Front end rattle Anyone ever get an annoying rattle on their front end. Sounds like two pieces of metal rattling. I have battened the hatches down on everything and cannot locate this. I am going to open up the headlight bucket to see if there is something in there doing it. The radiator shroud is tightened down, but the whole radiator moves back and forth in the rubber dampers. Is this normal? I think it may be that. __________________ 12 Victory Cross Country 08 Vulcan 900 Custom Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

09-06-2010, 09:37 AM	#2
redjay Top Contributor Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ontario Posts: 7,017	Front end rattle I put some draft excluder inside the shroud so it pushes the mesh against the rad. Problem solved.
	0

09-06-2010, 10:04 AM	#3
bugman Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: spring hill florida Posts: 477	Front end rattle mine was the radiator screen, put a penny on both sides in between screen and cover, no more rattle
	0

09-06-2010, 10:06 AM	#4
cocheese72 Advanced Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Nomad Posts: 524	Front end rattle A 2 cent fix. I will try it. __________________ 12 Victory Cross Country 08 Vulcan 900 Custom
	0

09-06-2010, 11:49 AM	#5
ringadingh Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Newmarket Ontario Canada Posts: 35,387	Front end rattle The wires in the headlight bucket are a common source for a rattle. The loose rad in the grommetts makes more of an annoying squeek. I used silicone grease in the grommetts to cure that problem. __________________ 2002 Nomad aka Bountyhunter VBA #27 VROC #18951 Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

09-06-2010, 04:53 PM	#6
zoom45 Sr. Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Terry, Mississippi Posts: 1,434	Front end rattle I had a little rattle this weekend but couldn't find anything loose. I finally bumper the headlight housing and could hear a rattle. Finally figured out the headlight was a little close to one side of the trim ring. I adusted it to get a more even fit and it fixed the rattle. Zoom45 __________________ Bobby Risher Terry, MS Kawanow member # 124 South Central Group 2000 Nomad 1500 (carbed) 128,000 miles
	0

09-06-2010, 05:40 PM	#7
Cajunrider Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: (SE Louisiana) Posts: 8,340	Front end rattle I think I've mentioned this before, but for those who didn't see it, I chased a front end rattle for over a month before finding it. My wife can hear many times better than I can and she couldn't hear the rattle. It was driving me crazy. It was the front end of my helmet. The visor was rattling in the snaps. Sounded like it was coming from the front wheel area. I used a hammer and small drift to tighten the rivets and my "front end rattle" is gone. __________________ 2016 Electra Glide Ultra Limited CVO Palladium Silver / Phantom Blue 110 cu in SE 2012 Electra Glide Ultra Limited (Traded 6/22/16) Tequila Sunrise / HD Orange Vance & Hines true dual headers Rinehart 4" slip ons Screamin Eagle Super Tuner Screamin Eagle Stage 1 intake Dyno tuned H.O.G.# 4514015 2007 Nomad 1600 (Traded 6/23/12) VBA #482
	0

09-06-2010, 06:23 PM	#9
cajun2wheels Advanced Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Alexandria La. Posts: 636	Front end rattle I have noticed a rattle or maybe a scraping noise myself.Very intermittent and happens no matter whether I'm on a smooth or bumpy road and various speeds.Seems to be coming from the front right side.Thanks to this post I now have several items to check and will update my findings. __________________
	0

09-06-2010, 06:32 PM	#10
ringadingh Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Newmarket Ontario Canada Posts: 35,387	Front end rattle I had to fix the snaps in my visor as well because it rattled in the breeze, it must be a common thing. __________________ 2002 Nomad aka Bountyhunter VBA #27 VROC #18951
	0

09-08-2010, 02:20 PM	#11
mobandy78 Sr. Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Owasso, OK Posts: 1,485	Front end rattle I've noticed a rattle on my front end also (Don't take that out of context). Come to find out, it is the chrome cover on the forks, just under the handlebars/windshield. I tried to tighten the bolts holding it on, but they are already tight. So now I'm stumped and just put up with it. __________________ Matt "Mo" Moore Owasso, Oklahoma VBA #1250 2005 Nomad 1600 - Darkside "There is no normal life, there's just life. So get on with it." - Doc Holiday
	0

09-08-2010, 07:29 PM	#14
bugman Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: spring hill florida Posts: 477	Front end rattle thats what i heard,also, i pushed on the screen and it didnt feel that loose but with wind hitting it, it may have made that noise,, i did the penny trick and no more noise,,, learned that from kudzfarmer
	0

09-08-2010, 09:46 PM	#15
cbutteris Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Dodgeville, WI Posts: 240	Front end rattle Under the chrome cover at the top of the forks is where I finally located a rattlle / loud buzzing sound. Under the chrome cover is an inner plate and the gap between them would make a loud metallic buzz when the wind would hit it just right. Might be the same thing 'Utah' was talking about. I slid a piece of cardboard in the space btween teh covers just to troubleshoot - problem resolved. __________________ 2014 HD Electra Glide Ultra Classic 2005 Kawasaki Nomad 1600 Classic Tourer 1980 Kawasaki CSR 650 1976 Honda 750 Super Sport
	0

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