Let's back the turnip truck up a little bit. Since when are the Goldwing's front wheel bearings inferior or inadequate? Those bearings go bad about as often as a blown engine, which is nearly never.
Gotta hand it to All Balls. They have a great marketing department.
Larry I know you don't get the chance to work on many mechanical things as I do on a wing,but trust me No turnip truck was involved in what I said.
I still have my stock front wheel bearing to show guys that YES stock bearings go out,and how it's hard to detect which of the four is the culprit?.
Mine went out at 47K (left outer) the other three are as smooth as glass.
My Point apparently you missed wasn't demeaning the stock front wheel bearings at all.It was directed at the weaker design of the smaller contact area (to get a light feeling from the bars) of ball bearings vs roller bearings that carry the load of such a heavy bike easier/smoother that help mask a wobble.
I perferred the double sealed All Balls bearings to keep the grease where it belongs,vs how I saw very little grease in my own stock bearings when I took them out.
How did this turn into a steering head thread? This is about whine and helping him identify it. Yes, if he replaces everything that might cause it, it may or may not go away. I'm recommend identifying it and repairing it according. Yes if he can't, then he may need to replace likely possibilities. But he hasn't yet !!!
It was an anology you also missed!:shrug:
Rotating a wheel may tell you if either of the brake calipers are dragging,But does nothing to tell you which of the front wheels four wheel bearings may be the culprit.
I take the 5th on aftermarket parts. They are an aftermarket part and have a probability of being packaged wrong, or deffective right out of the box and aftermarket parts will rearly out last OEM. Any mechanic that worked for a dealer knows that. The others are less likely too ... they mostly install aftermarket and have a higher comeback ratio as a result. That also means that he may put in a set of defective bearings and taking out a good set of OEMs. I am not saying that's always the case. Certainly, tapered steering head bearings is an example of such.
You have no idea how many NEW OEM parts I have installed that didn't work right out of the box.most were eletronic related.
As for mechanical--I know of one vehicle where three OEM water pumps poured coolant right on the ground.We had to go to an aftermarket pump so the customer could use his vehicle.(that was just one example of many I can remember)
It doesn't matter if it's OEM or Aftermarket,If you repair vehicles long enough you'll see defective parts out of the box from both divisions.
All-Balls does seem to have a good marketing department. Good enough for me to stock 3 sets of their steering head bearings, but when it comes to fork seals or wheel bearings I stock OEM. And no I don't stock the fork seals that brag about having a triple seal either.
I don't buy into Marketing hype.Never have.
I buy what works best,and if it fails I try the next product.
All Balls bearing work better than OEM for the triple trees.No doubt about it,only draw back as I describe to customers is they slow the steering feel down a bit,the bars don't feel as light.I have never had a customer say,"You know I like the feel of the OEM bearings better-can you put them back in?"
As for the Rest you sound like Dealer-"We only use OEM"
If OEM was so great there wouldn't be as many failures.failures are why dealers are in business.
Yeah I know things wear out,But some wear out faster than other brands too..lol
Yes I too use many OEM parts,but there are a few exceptions where aftermarket parts are the way to go.
All balls Triple lip seals vs a double lip OEM seal is the better way to go if you the customer has had a couple seal failures in a couple years.
I think it's cycledude who has had the triple lip seals in the longest in his own bike and no more leaks.
I only suggest the All Balls seals "IF" a customer has had repeated OEM seal failures after I closely inspect his fork tubes for scratches.Because a OEM seal isn't working on that bike!
It's not bragging about a product if it cures the issue over what the OEM can't! That's called helping a customer solve his problem.
Why use a OEM seal that can't fix the customers "repeated" problem??.
It's wasting my time and their money,and :wrong:
I stand behing my labor for six months! Most dealers are 90 days.