[dw]

It seems like theres been a number of posts on this topic in regard to dealing with wobble.

Have we concluded that:

A: Wobble is due to certain tire designs ( wobbles with this tire and not with that )
B: Wobble is inherent with tire wear
C: Wobble can be eliminated by adding tappered head bearings and keeping them snug.

Or is the topic come to settle?
Thanks
dw

 

[salyzyn]

F T F

 

[richard h]

dw,

I don't know where you are.

If you have a non-riding season, it might be a good project.

The tapered bearings are superior to ball bearings and it would be better to have them. There are too many angles of load exerted on the bearings to make me happy with the application of ball bearings.

Both bearings need a bit of preload on them but the tapered bearings have a greater capacity for distributing the load.

The discussions about tires causing the wobbles are valid. Sometimes that is what causes it. Sometimes, retorqueing the steering head has taken care of it.

If you have a wobble you might correct it at your next tire replacement. Sometimes they have been fixed with a front tire replacement, sometimes with a REAR tire replacement.

 

[TxGoldWing]

It seems like theres been a number of posts on this topic in regard to dealing with wobble.

Have we concluded that:

A: Wobble is due to certain tire designs ( wobbles with this tire and not with that )
B: Wobble is inherent with tire wear
C: Wobble can be eliminated by adding tappered head bearings and keeping them snug.

Or is the topic come to settle?
Thanks
dw

Do it! Made a GREAT difference to my bike. Much better feel. Of course I found my stock bearing barely finger tight when I took them out.

 

[IDWingrider]

Replacing the steering head bearings with the tapered bearings did it for me. No recurring wobble when I put E3's on to replace the stock tires.
Go fer it!

 

[gcgst1]

Another vote for tapered bearings. You trade increased stability for slight decrease in quickness, but you can still sling it around if you want to.

 

[DrtiBird]

dw,
I think this issue still gets mixed reviews, but new tapered steering stem bearings worked very well for me. I didn't have the nerve to do it myself, I paid a shop about $300 including the bearings for the job.

I do ride the twisties here in N GA, TN and NC but not to the extremes that some do, so if there was any loss of handling it was not enough for me to notice. :wink:

Good Luck!

 

[dbaucum]

replaced bearings; seemed to help some at first, but wobble is back big time. Must be more than just bearings causing the problem. Doesn't bother me that much; no wobble as long as hands are on bars. Can't tell bike handles much better.

 

[LAW]

Wobble only happens when you take your hands off the handlebars. Why would anyone do that?

LAW

 

[WB0SPL]

It seems like theres been a number of posts on this topic in regard to dealing with wobble.

Have we concluded that:

A: Wobble is due to certain tire designs ( wobbles with this tire and not with that )
B: Wobble is inherent with tire wear
C: Wobble can be eliminated by adding tappered head bearings and keeping them snug.

Or is the topic come to settle?
Thanks
dw

I just replaced my 14k miles Stones with Dunlop 250's. Not by choice but by necessity. I had no wobble with my 14k Stones, I do have with new Lop 250's. Go figure! :evil:

 

[ldrider]

Wobble only happens when you take your hands off the handlebars. Why would anyone do that?

LAW

That is not true. There are two types of 1800 wobbles. Yes, the common deaccelaration wobble with your hands off the bars, but mine wobbles so bad cruising or accelerating it feels as though the handlebars are trying to rip out of your hands.

In my case, the problem is the tires as once I had new Metzlers installed, the wobble was introduced immediately. I actually left the shop, rode less than 2 miles and went back and if they would have had my old tires yet (no others available), I would have switched them back!

So you can't say this is only a problem taking your hands off the bars on deceleration - on some, it happens ALL the time. I have a 2001 1800 in Chicago that does not wobble but my 2004 is just plain nasty. You would not want to ride my down the road at a steady 35 mph. The bars will be fighting you as you cruise down the street.

My 2004 1800 is in Vegas and I am in Chicago so this might be late October before I can get back out and set up a place to meet, but before I have new tires installed, I am willling to set up a date for anyone on this board with an 1800 that wants to ride a true wobbler to see what a bad one feels like. You are also welcome to try my 1800 after the tire switch to see if that cures it (which I am assuming different tires will as before the Metzlers were installed, I was wobble free).

Mike

 

[Great White Wing]

I don't know the cause of the wobble but I know it's not unique to the wing.

I don't know if tapered roller bearings fixes the problem or simply masks it but it helped mine.

"Wish I didn't know what I didn't know then" or something like that. LOL

 

[TxGoldWing]

Wobble only happens when you take your hands off the handlebars. Why would anyone do that?

LAW

I could also feel it (slightly) with hands on the bars in the wobble zone (30-40mph). Made for a better feel with hands on the bars also. LOW speed parking lot handling feels more secure to me. I didn't even have a BIG slapper wobble as some have. Feels better... no doubt. If you have a wobble that u can feel...do it.

 

[Werfa]

When I was seaking with the Avon rep at the factory, he told me that all front tires were going to eventually cup and that we could only try to delay it. He said the best way was to install the tapered bearings and proceeded to give me the engineer's explanation why, which I've since forgotten. Nevertheless, I did have them installed, my wobble disappeared and my front Avon looks great after 11,000 miles.

 

[Pigeon Roost]

I purchased the AllBalls bearing way back when they were first introduced and intended to use them to replace my OE bearings that I had discovered were pretty much devoid of greese. BUt, I had repacked the OEs and have had no wobbles other than when when my rear tires have been worn-out. I've got no wobbles and my steerig pre-load is holdin gup well, so I have no reason to do the change -- yet. The head bearings are not typcally the cause of the wobbles, unless they are worn-out or damaged, but the tapers have enough resistance to mask minor wobbles. There seems to be many different things that contribute to initiating a dose of the wobbles - that is why there is no clear consensus on the cure.

prs

 

[Ellary]

Before you do anything check Stu_O's explanation of the problem. Essentially the problem is inherent in the fork design on all bikes due to the compromises the engineers have to make. Ball bearings provide a sportier feel, hence their use in the GL1800. Roller bearings don't cure the disease, they just mask the symptoms.

 

[mudbug]

ELLARY, you da man, at last someone who knows something about the Wobble.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :croc: :biker: :biker: :croc:

 

[Roadie]

If it's the decel wobble you are trying to cure, try installing some Traxxion fork springs in your bike first to lift the front end up so the bike doesn't ride at the bottom of it's fork travel. It only cost around 135 dollars, is a much easier job then replacing the steering bearings and you will like the results.

 

[jburd]

salyzyn,

I keep coming back to your post trying to figure out what "FTF" means............help!

 

[LAW]

Thanx for the info. I labored ubder the delusion it only happened under decel. Didn't know it was present all the time on some.

LAW