Front end "click"

[qslim]

A few weeks ago I noticed a 'click' when I was slowing to pull into my driveway. I did a quick check of everything in the front end and it all looked in order, so I didn't think much of it. Now it happens almost every time the right handle is applied. I can even duplicate it by just moving the bike forward under my own power and breathing on the front brakes. It's immediate, also, before the forks even compress. I thought the front calipers may be the issue, but they're tight in their mounts and the pads don't seem loose. I also think when I do this test (since I'm not wearing gloves) that I can feel a subtle pop in the handlebars, but this may be in my head from doing it over and over. I don't feel any freeplay in the bars, either by quickly turning the wheel or by pushing and pulling the bars back and forth. Any directions?
ps - this symptom arose on its own, not after any work or modifications.

[Billy Ricks]

A few weeks ago I noticed a 'click' when I was slowing to pull into my driveway. I did a quick check of everything in the front end and it all looked in order, so I didn't think much of it. Now it happens almost every time the right handle is applied. I can even duplicate it by just moving the bike forward under my own power and breathing on the front brakes. It's immediate, also, before the forks even compress. I thought the front calipers may be the issue, but they're tight in their mounts and the pads don't seem loose. I also think when I do this test (since I'm not wearing gloves) that I can feel a subtle pop in the handlebars, but this may be in my head from doing it over and over. I don't feel any freeplay in the bars, either by quickly turning the wheel or by pushing and pulling the bars back and forth. Any directions?
ps - this symptom arose on its own, not after any work or modifications.

Steering head bearings are at fault here.

[KGB]

I'm going with Billy on this one.

Put the bike up on the center stand, weight the rear so there is no weight on the front wheel.
Move the bars side to side, any click? Or feel where it hangs on the side to side movement?
If not grab the front wheel and try moving it front to rear, be careful you don't move it so hard it comes off the center stand.

[knotzilla]

I had the same click noise when braking too. It came from the front caliper. I smeared moly grease behind the pads and it went away. Ted

[qslim]

Steering head bearings are at fault here.

So is this generally a replacement issue, or are these bearings serviceable like adjusting preload on a trucks tapered bearings?

[courier11sec]

If they aren't damaged you should be able to repack them. I just did mine last week. Top bearing needed replaced, but the bottom one was okay. I just repacked it and buttoned it back up.

[Suzuki mad]

Both my GS and GSX click like this at the front and both have had new head bearings installed within the last 6 months! Even tightening them up didn't cure it nor packing them with grease.

I've just carried on riding and it only happens intermitently.

Suzuki mad
GS1000E 1981
GSX1100ESD 1983 Nearly back together.

[tfb]

In my experience, this 'click' under braking is the steering head bearings being worn and/or too loose. Of course, there may be other causes as suggested earlier in this thread... but I think the one to look at first is the condition/ tension of your steering head bearings.

Achieving the correct tension on steering head bearings is a bit of an art. It's easy to inadvertently apply tons of pressure with an extra 1/4 turn too far, but also very easy to come up 1/4 turn too short, and experience the 'click'.

1. If you're going to go to the trouble of pulling your front end apart, just get a fresh set of bearings anyway -- they're cheap if you get them from a bearing supply place. Get tapered roller types.
2. A painless way to remove the old bearing races is by running a bead of weld around the old bearing face with an arc welder. Then one light tap with a small hammer and they'll literally fall out.
3. Grease the new bearings well.
4. Tighten up the slotted collar really tight, then back off 1/4 turn. That should be about right.

A sign of over-tightened steering head bearings is a tendency for the steering to 'wander', ie. the bike doesn't want to hold its line.

[Billy Ricks]

Both my GS and GSX click like this at the front and both have had new head bearings installed within the last 6 months! Even tightening them up didn't cure it nor packing them with grease.

I've just carried on riding and it only happens intermitently.

Suzuki mad
GS1000E 1981
GSX1100ESD 1983 Nearly back together.

Did the races get replaced with the bearings?

[dtkid]

Will the races tap out without the arc-welder trick??

[Billy Ricks]

Will the races tap out without the arc-welder trick??

With a long enough drift you may be able to get at the back edges of the races.

[dtkid]

Good. I need to take the races out of a frame I have and put them in a Yamaha XS 650 that I am building for my wife.

I know how she drives her truck (new brakes every 3 months) so I need her to have more stopping power than the stock front end of the Yammy supplies (one disk).

[Suzuki mad]

Billy, yes both bearings and races top and bottom. GSX the top bearing and race came out with my fingers but the bottom bearing was in three peices. Took 2 hours to knock it out with a drift! What remained of the bottom bearing had to be cut from the yoke. To get them back in had to put the races in the freezer for a few hours and then tap them home. Tightened the whole lot up as per the workshop manual, still clicks!

With the GS I took her up to the main Suzuki dealer who did the job with a welder and a dremmel. She only clicks when on full right hand lock.

Suzuki mad

1981 GS1000ET
1983 GSX1100ESD nearly back together.