free website stats program How I made my top end noise disappear. | Harley Davidson Forums

How I made my top end noise disappear.

SoonerSoftail

SoonerSoftail

Active Member
Many of us have had the stock gas cap rattle issue. There's all kinds of threads on all the forums about how to fix that. Well, here's a twist. I installed the cam plate upgrade from Herko a few months ago. Ran great but seemed to have more valve train noise coming from the rocker boxes. Lengthened the pushrods a 1/2 turn and that seemed to help some. Still sounded more like my old Sporty than a Twin Cam though. Especially at cruising speed. Very quiet at idle. Sunday it occurred to me that at the same time I did the cams I installed chrome lower air deflectors. The ones that look like fangs. I tapped on them and they rattled a bit. So I took the whole windshield/deflector set up off and did away with the quick release and bolted everything to the trees solidly. Rode to work Monday morning and didn't hear a sound. The engine is every bit as quiet on the top end as it ever was. It was the deflector/windshield mounts that were making noise.
 
Thanks Sooner. I don't know how old you are but it seems the older I get the harder it is to determine where the noise is coming from.
 
backinthesaddle said:
I use ear plugs. they work great with wives and girlfriends. They are a very inexpensive fix.
Click to expand...

:hii Ear plugs...Here I was gonna say that I put louder pipes on my bike, solved all of the noise issues. I could have killed 2 birds with one stone, and saved about $300.00. Will ear plugs work for the mother-inlaw too.......She doesn't have to be within ear shot to annoy me it seems.
 
I had a similar experience. Heard this rattle from time to time. Couldn't figure out where it was coming from. When I'd lean left it sounded like it came from the left. Lean right, sounded like it was over there. No matter where I listened, I could hear the rattle while riding. At idle, smooth and quiet. Eventually found the rattle... it was the sun visor on my helmet. Yeah, it's gone now. :newsmile040:
 
Gotta hate those annoying rattles - way to be persistent & discover/fix the problem. Sometimes I just blame my age & tinnitus...;)
 
I had a similar vibration on my Fat Boy. Drove me and the dealer nuts trying to duplicate the noise in the shop. One day while riding down the road I stood on the floorboards and started searching for the culprit. It turned out to be the headlight ring. I replaced it with one off of e-bay and finally after 2 years the noise is gone.
 
Those annoying rattles and squeaks...glad you got it sorted. All of us remember that "last one"...mine was a loose baffle...had to gently tap around the exhaust system, and found it to be the rear most one...changed the fasteners to stainless, added a lock washer...GONE...YAY! The best sound is the clear *Potato*Potato*Potato* exhaust note, uninterupted by stray intermittant sounds...! AND the satisfaction of finding them if they appear! :)
 
The best sound is the clear *Potato*Potato*Potato* exhaust note, uninterupted by stray intermittant sounds...! AND the satisfaction of finding them if they appear!

Is that potato or pototo, LOL!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top