How To Check & Adjust Steering Head Bearings Harley Davidson M8 Softail

Here I show the methods and discuss the considerations of checking your steering quality, the condition of the bearings and how adjustments are best made to ensure the steering is within tolerances.
#RevelatorAlf #HarleySoftail #HDSteeringBearings
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Пікірлер: 36

  • @RevelatorAlf
    @RevelatorAlf2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for watching. Let me know what you think in the comments below. More videos like this here: kzread.info/head/PLmgCmljtdCzWMExyPXgSeeJZYwOA1Ocj7 Click To SUBSCRIBE bit.ly/RevelatorAlfSubscribe

  • @keithlomino9829
    @keithlomino98292 жыл бұрын

    Very good and knowledgeable, thank you

  • @RevelatorAlf

    @RevelatorAlf

    2 жыл бұрын

    Cheers

  • @Jazzhog
    @Jazzhog Жыл бұрын

    Is the fall-away test an simpler alternative?

  • @andrewvickers4487
    @andrewvickers44872 жыл бұрын

    Thanks Alf, first time I've come across this new method just browsing around. I wonder what changes were made if any to bring those tolerances down.

  • @RevelatorAlf

    @RevelatorAlf

    2 жыл бұрын

    Yep not sure why they made the changes to be honest.

  • @johnnaunton221
    @johnnaunton221 Жыл бұрын

    Love your videos Alf - wanting to do more of my own maintenance any links / suggestions for workshop manual - 2012 sport glide

  • @RevelatorAlf

    @RevelatorAlf

    Жыл бұрын

    thanks so much John. What year is that you're after? Not an M8 Sport Glide?

  • @johnnaunton221

    @johnnaunton221

    Жыл бұрын

    @@RevelatorAlf 2021 M8 sport glide

  • @RevelatorAlf

    @RevelatorAlf

    Жыл бұрын

    @@johnnaunton221 Ah ok that makes more sense. Yes there are various places. Not sure if Harley are doing the manuals these days of the 2021 bikes, but there are some online that I saw a while back

  • @nachotorres2211
    @nachotorres2211 Жыл бұрын

    First of all, thanks for your videos, you have gained a subscriber. One question, on my FXBB 2022 how can I grease the Steering Head Bearings, where is the valve? I can't find it. where can i get a service manual for this bike or a similiar one? . thanks guy!!

  • @RevelatorAlf

    @RevelatorAlf

    Жыл бұрын

    Cheers. Yes there isn't one but there should be of course. As for the service manual, try looking online as there are some available

  • @nachotorres2211

    @nachotorres2211

    Жыл бұрын

    ​@@RevelatorAlf thanks. Are you going to make a tutorial of that one day?

  • @tennesseebound6597
    @tennesseebound6597 Жыл бұрын

    do you need to raise the back end as well to make the bike level? or just raising the front is ok?

  • @bmwdan3445

    @bmwdan3445

    Жыл бұрын

    Wander why he never responded, he’s usually very good about that.

  • @trevornelmes9331
    @trevornelmes93312 жыл бұрын

    Hey mate. Any idea where I can get a pdf service manual for my 2021 Softail Standard from (I found two on eBay)? I have the 2018 manual in PDF form, but that does not contain the FXST model.

  • @RevelatorAlf

    @RevelatorAlf

    2 жыл бұрын

    There is the Harley service portal and you can subscribe to that or even try ordering via a dealership but I haven’t looked myself for 2021 pdfs but there are many manual providers online it might just be a case of time when someone uploads it I’m afraid. Sorry can’t be more help

  • @trevornelmes9331

    @trevornelmes9331

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@RevelatorAlf I had to spring for a paper manual. Got one from a dealer at a decent price after shopping around.

  • @notonyourlife7939
    @notonyourlife79392 ай бұрын

    I'm not new to riding, but I am new to Harleys, and I've been enjoying your videos. I have a new '24 Breakout, and I've noticed that the washer around fork stem bolt spins freely. I mentioned it to the dealer at the 1K service recently, and it was returned to me snugged down, everything allegedly OK. 150 miles later, it's loose again. Obviously the bolt is backing off enough for the washer to move. What if anything is this doing to the bearing adjustment? Are they getting loose issue the stem as a result? I haven't don't the force test yet, but it's on my list for this weekend. Any assistance is appreciated. Thanks for your time! Love the channel👍

  • @DarwinsTruth

    @DarwinsTruth

    2 ай бұрын

    Found the same on my ‘24 Breakout tonight. Tightened it back up, but didn’t check any further. No idea how long it has been this loose. Some of the fork pinch bolts also needed tightened.

  • @notonyourlife7939

    @notonyourlife7939

    2 ай бұрын

    ​@@DarwinsTruthWell from what I've managed to figure out talking to the mechanic at the dealer and various other mechanically inclined folks on the forums, it's the pinch bolt below the center stem screw that's the crucial part. The center bolt is only used to set the pre-load on the stearing head bearings. Once that's done, it's the pinch bolt that holds everything together... so if that's loose you've got a problem. But as long as the pinch bolt is torqued to spec, the center bolt and washer could actually be removed completely, and nothing would be affected. At least that's what I've been told by more than one knowledgeable source.

  • @robertprosser6856
    @robertprosser68562 жыл бұрын

    Should I take my Fat Bob to a Harley Davidson dealership to get it stage1 tuned or elsewhere?

  • @RevelatorAlf

    @RevelatorAlf

    2 жыл бұрын

    Not a necessity but you can do this yourself if you feel confident enough. But just shop around at different places to get the best deal

  • @robertprosser6856

    @robertprosser6856

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@RevelatorAlf that may be good advice as Harley Davidson seem to be well known for extremely high labour costs. I'm getting Vance and Hines chrome short shots fitted. So all I'll need is someone to fit/tune the bike i.e. FP3 as the standard air filter is a high flow one. Am I correct?

  • @richardadams6821

    @richardadams6821

    2 жыл бұрын

    My 2018 114 fat Bob is stage 2 and dyno tuned . Got it done at V twin in rye .

  • @richardadams6821

    @richardadams6821

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@robertprosser6856 extremely high is an understatement, they wanted to charge me 2 and half hours just to change front discs and pads

  • @robertprosser6856

    @robertprosser6856

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@richardadams6821 £93+vat per hour. I had my Rinehart slip ons fitted for £40.

  • @garyh5176
    @garyh51762 жыл бұрын

    Hearing you run thru the HD model designations was comical. Not you of course, just HD's usage. Thank you for this video!

  • @RevelatorAlf

    @RevelatorAlf

    2 жыл бұрын

    Ha ha oh yes tell me about it

  • @trevornelmes9331
    @trevornelmes93312 жыл бұрын

    Have you yet taken the front apart to lubricate the bearings? The manual says 30,000 miles. Notice how they have deleted the lubrication nipple the head used to have. Also, the pull force table in the latest manual I have seen for softails, does not have my model, the FXST, so that's useful (not). Still waiting for my copy of the 2021 Softail Service Manual, 10 weeks after I ordered it. Dealer says it didn't arrive when their system said it would (they have a load on order), and they now have no date. Insane. Given how long it will take to strip down and reassemble the head, it would make better sense to simply order and fit new bearings. Disposable society.

  • 2 ай бұрын

    RTFM first, not well intentioned you tube videos. No offense intended.