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Bike squeaking at low speeds when rolling

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  • #1

    Bike squeaking at low speeds when rolling

    I have a problem with a squeaking noise coming from the front tire area when I'm coasting at low speeds. I noticed it first when pushing my bike 6 blocks after the throttle cable broke on me . Is there something up there that should be oiled/greased that might not be? The PO doesn't look like he did a good job keeping up with regular maintenance. I don't think the front disk brakes are grabbing since I'm not noticing any unusual resistance when pushing it or at low speeds when taking off.

    It's more of a nuisance than anything since I'm not noticing any performance degradation due to this noise. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
    78 E - 2to1 exhaust, dynatek coils, special headlight [SOLD!]
    79 F - gas tank refurb, headgasket change, straight pipes, late model carbs, virago lowering shocks, special headlight and gauges, TC fuse block, GSXR-1100 carbs (WIP)


    "May my tires not fail me, nor my engine grow cold"
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Sounds like maybe the current owner could do some regular maintanance as well?

    Probably your speedo drive attached to the left side of your front wheel. (Or the cable itself needs greased.. in which I'd just replace it) You'll have to take the wheel off to get it and clean/grease the speedo drive. While you're there, new front wheel bearings with some fresh grease is a really cheap insurance. Most riders can handle a rear wheel emergency. Most CAN'T handle a front wheel emergency. The peace of mind that comes with the knowledge that your front bearings aren't running down the road at 70+ mph with a mixture of cosmoline/rust/sand type mixture on your bearing surfaces? PRICELESS!!!
    Last edited by trbig; 08-21-2013, 11:38 AM.
    Try your hardest to be the kind of person your dog thinks you are.

    You can live to be 100, as long as you give up everything that would make you want to live to be 100!

    Current bikes:
    '06 Suzuki DR650
    *'82 XJ1100 with the 1179 kit. "Mad Maxim"
    '82 XJ1100 Completely stock fixer-upper
    '82 XJ1100 Bagger fixer-upper
    '82 XJ1100 Motor/frame and lots of boxes of parts
    '82 XJ1100 Parts bike
    '81 XS1100 Special
    '81 YZ250
    '80 XS850 Special
    '80 XR100
    *Crashed/Totalled, still own

    Comment

    • #3
      If the front brakes a re grabbing that's probably where the noise is coming from.

      Being a survivor of a front wheel emergency trbig has good advice there also.
      Greg

      Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”

      ― Albert Einstein

      80 SG Ol' Okie;79 engine & carbs w/pods, 45 pilots, 140 mains, Custom Mac 4 into 2 exhaust, ACCT,XS850 final drive,110/90/19 front tire,TKat fork brace, XS750 140 MPH speedometer, Vetter IV fairing, aftermarket hard bags and trunk, LG high back seat, XJ rear shocks.

      The list changes.

      Comment

      • #4
        Originally posted by trbig View Post
        Probably your speedo drive attached to the left side of your front wheel. (Or the cable itself needs greased.. in which I'd just replace it) You'll have to take the wheel off to get it and clean/grease the speedo drive.
        Not on my 79F. Unscrew the cable from the back of the speedo. Pull the cable out of the cable housing. Wipe it down with a clean cloth to clean off the old grease. Apply good quality grease to the cable and slide it home. Reattach the cable to the speedo. Done.

        You MIGHT have to twist the cable around a few times to get it to slide home in the drive at the bottom and it can be a bit irritating to get it to go home in the speedo as well, but it has always went home with no real issues for me.

        If the cable won't come out the top (depending on how the ends are crimped on, it is possible the cable will only go in one way and it was installed with "the way" pointing up instead of down...) In that case, unscrew the cable from the drive next to the front wheel and do as above. It IS a bit harder to feed the cable UP the housing, but no big deal...
        -- Clint
        1979 XS1100F - bought for $500 in 1989

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        • #5
          Yes, even on yours. All you're doing is lubing the end of your cable, which will get a small amount of grease between it and the speedo drive gear, but to clean and properly regrease the speedo drive, you aren't going to get that done from the little cable hole. That's like saying you regreased your wheel bearings by slathering some onto the axle before reassembly, or changed your oil because you topped it off a half quart, or greased your u-joint because you squirted some grease into the fitting on your driveshaft housing.
          Try your hardest to be the kind of person your dog thinks you are.

          You can live to be 100, as long as you give up everything that would make you want to live to be 100!

          Current bikes:
          '06 Suzuki DR650
          *'82 XJ1100 with the 1179 kit. "Mad Maxim"
          '82 XJ1100 Completely stock fixer-upper
          '82 XJ1100 Bagger fixer-upper
          '82 XJ1100 Motor/frame and lots of boxes of parts
          '82 XJ1100 Parts bike
          '81 XS1100 Special
          '81 YZ250
          '80 XS850 Special
          '80 XR100
          *Crashed/Totalled, still own

          Comment

          • #6
            What the time commitment/difficulty of changing out the front tire bearings? I plan to get a new front tire either this weekend or the next (dry rot galore) so I'm assuming that would be a good time to service the speedo and the bearings?

            Is there anything else I should be doing/looking for since I'm going to have that front tire off anyways?
            78 E - 2to1 exhaust, dynatek coils, special headlight [SOLD!]
            79 F - gas tank refurb, headgasket change, straight pipes, late model carbs, virago lowering shocks, special headlight and gauges, TC fuse block, GSXR-1100 carbs (WIP)


            "May my tires not fail me, nor my engine grow cold"

            Comment

            • #7
              Fairly simple really. You'll need a punch of some kind to tap the old bearings out from the opposite side. There's a tube spacer in between the bearings, so you'll have to get that cocked out of the way a bit to be able to catch an edge of the bearing with the punch. Then I like to take a grinder to the outer race of the old bearings until the slip easily in and out of the hub. Grease up your new bearings, (Yeah, they'll come LIGHTLY greased, but the little seal will come out with a pick, then pack the bearing with a quality grease) then using the old bearing on top of the new, tap them into place hitting the old bearing until they seat fully.

              Don't forget to put the spacer back in before seating the other side's bearing.
              Try your hardest to be the kind of person your dog thinks you are.

              You can live to be 100, as long as you give up everything that would make you want to live to be 100!

              Current bikes:
              '06 Suzuki DR650
              *'82 XJ1100 with the 1179 kit. "Mad Maxim"
              '82 XJ1100 Completely stock fixer-upper
              '82 XJ1100 Bagger fixer-upper
              '82 XJ1100 Motor/frame and lots of boxes of parts
              '82 XJ1100 Parts bike
              '81 XS1100 Special
              '81 YZ250
              '80 XS850 Special
              '80 XR100
              *Crashed/Totalled, still own

              Comment

              • #8
                Originally posted by D0wn5h1ft View Post
                What the time commitment/difficulty of changing out the front tire bearings? I plan to get a new front tire either this weekend or the next (dry rot galore) so I'm assuming that would be a good time to service the speedo and the bearings?

                Is there anything else I should be doing/looking for since I'm going to have that front tire off anyways?
                Yeah, look at your brake pads. Clean the dust off them and apply some stop squeak on the back of the pad where it contacts the caliper. While your at it, pop the dust cover on the caliper piston and see if they are gunked up. If you see varnish and rust you need to overhaul the caliper. Others have slotted their pad material with a hacksaw and that has eliminate the brake squeal during stopping...
                '79 XS11 F
                Stock except K&N

                '79 XS11 SF
                Stock, no title.

                '84 Chevy K-10 "Big Blue"
                GM 350, Muncie SM465, NP208, GM 10 Bolt with 3.42gears turnin 31x10.5 Baja Claws

                "What they do have is an implacable, unrelenting presence and movement that bespeaks massive power lurking behind paint and chrome. They don't wail like a screeching ninja, the don't rumble like a harley. They just growl like a spactic, stressed out badger waiting to rip your face off and eat your soul." Trainzz~RIP~

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