front end clunk when braking

svnxchamp3

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Jun 17, 2013
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2014 street glide special I have 14000 miles and started noticing a clunk noise low down near the calipers. dealer told me this is normal. what gives here? anyone else experience this issue? if so how do you get rid of it?
 
Not normal on any Harley I've owned.Find another opinion/dealer.:confused:
 
Strange enough, I notice it on my 16SG. It usually happens on the first or second time I apply the brakes.
 
Maybe it's the floating rotors? Mine will clunk when polishing the front wheel. As they are not held tight by the bolts, they hav a little wiggle room. Chris
 
I have a 2015 Street Glide Special, same problem here. Has been like this for over a year. Do not know what it is, have checked all bearings and bolts.
 
My 2015 SG does the same thing on first or second time I apply the brake as well. Still haven’t figured it out.


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I have 16000 on now and am going to put on new brakes and see if it goes away. don't know really what else to do
 
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I have the same issue the first or second time I brake. Does not happen again after that. I just went over 2500 miles.
 
I have a 14 and mine does the same thing. First pull on brake it does it. I put new pads all around and still does it. It seems like the capiler is pulling the pads back further so there's a bit more gap between the pad and rotor. When applying brake for the first again just my opinion I think the pad is slapping the rotor.
 
Hello front brake "clunkers". Welcome to my world. I have changed all hardware on my 2014 Brake Rotors and after 300 miles the clunking started again, the wave washers are gone. I purchased the bike used and just found out that the stock wheels were sent out and chromed and the rotors were polished. The rotors are designed to float, a spring (wave) washer is installed between bolt and and disc so the disc should not move with normal hand pressure. If yours rattle and are loose you'll here a chug,chug,chug at low speeds that goes away with front brake application. I am still trying to pinpoint my issue: It could be warped rotor, to much chrome build up on wheel where rotor mounts. I'll keep you posted.
 
Hello front brake "clunkers". Welcome to my world. I have changed all hardware on my 2014 Brake Rotors and after 300 miles the clunking started again, the wave washers are gone. I purchased the bike used and just found out that the stock wheels were sent out and chromed and the rotors were polished. The rotors are designed to float, a spring (wave) washer is installed between bolt and and disc so the disc should not move with normal hand pressure. If yours rattle and are loose you'll here a chug,chug,chug at low speeds that goes away with front brake application. I am still trying to pinpoint my issue: It could be warped rotor, to much chrome build up on wheel where rotor mounts. I'll keep you posted.

My dealer told me they all do it when I asked about a year ago. I have yet to ride a touring bike that doesn't.
 
Brake rotor loose

Brake rotor loose

Hello front brake "clunkers". Welcome to my world. I have changed all hardware on my 2014 Brake Rotors and after 300 miles the clunking started again, the wave washers are gone. I purchased the bike used and just found out that the stock wheels were sent out and chromed and the rotors were polished. The rotors are designed to float, a spring (wave) washer is installed between bolt and and disc so the disc should not move with normal hand pressure. If yours rattle and are loose you'll here a chug,chug,chug at low speeds that goes away with front brake application. I am still trying to pinpoint my issue: It could be warped rotor, to much chrome build up on wheel where rotor mounts. I'll keep you posted.

Hello All Clunkers,
I installed a new polished rotor and hardware. Rode to Daytona and when I returned spring washers all missing and rotor loose again. Talked with a retired tech I ride with and he suspects some kind of spacing issue with bearings. I'm going in deeper so I'll keep you all posted. This sucks!
 
Hello All Clunkers,
I installed a new polished rotor and hardware. Rode to Daytona and when I returned spring washers all missing and rotor loose again. Talked with a retired tech I ride with and he suspects some kind of spacing issue with bearings. I'm going in deeper so I'll keep you all posted. This sucks!
 
I had a similar problem on a Lowrider. I eventually tracked it down to loose petrol tank mounting bolts - whenever I hit a bump or the brakes the tank bounced against the frame. Two minutes with a spanner and job done.
 
On other bikes I've owned, what I found when I got that clunking on braking was loose steering head bearings.... Worth a look...
 
My bike does that also, I have new brakes all around, including brake fluid changed, new wheel on the front (went with 21") and still has that clunk. It only does that once or twice in slow moving, both Dealer and another shop told me that's normal and nothing is wrong with the bike. I remember the same clunk on my previous bike (ZX12R) and other bikes I owned, I think it's the brake calipers traveling in slide delay mode.
 


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