not front brake clunk - front FORK clunk?

[BeerGarage]

edit - not the front brake, the front fork? 

The front brake assembly clunks around up there pretty good when I go off a curb or give the tire a good kick.  The brake mounting bolts are tight, but there is a decent amount of floating play.  IIRC pads have maybe 2mm warning track. 

Should it float that much?  Ideas?

So just run out to the garage and give your bike a swift kick and see what kind of noise it makes.  Thanks.

[utgunslinger13]

Considering that I have a broken 5th metatarsal, my screaming would probably be louder than any noise the bike made.


Can you pinpoint the noise a little more?  Have you checked all the bolts in the brake assembly? Any loose wires or brake lines that are hitting something making the click?  I know its a longshot but sometimes the easiest explanation is often overlooked!

Nick

[BeerGarage]

I believe the noise is not in the front brake, but in the forks.

I removed and inspected the front brake.  All parts are working, adequate pads, nothing broken or loose.

I am able to reproduce this clunk just by pushing down suddenly on the handlebars.  I wrapped the front brake in a towel and this made no difference in the sound.  So this leads me to believe the noise is from the front forks.

The PO put in progressive springs.  I got the feeling he was not that mechanically inclined or very meticulous about his work.  There was oil on one fork seal when I bought the bike, but none since. 

Thoughts?

[BeerGarage]

I really have no idea what is making that clunk.  The stuff I can see does not look like it would clunk.  The fork innards are still a mystery to me, so I am blaming them.  That is the extent of my diagnosis.

[Pigeonroost]

Commonly such front fork "clunks" are loose preload adjustment nuts on triple tree bearings.  Once they begin t clunk the bearings are not going to last very long -- it beats them up really quick.

prs

[Pigeonroost]

Oh, yeah;  if it is loose bearing preload, you can set bile on a stand with frontwheel off floor and pull-up the thrust down on handle bars to feel it.

prs

[gsJack]

If the insulator rubber bushing #7 on this diagram is missing the caliper will clunk like you describe.  Ran my GS without it for a while till I got a replacement last year:

http://images.powersportsnetwork.com/fiche/images/Suzuki/2001/Motorcycles/2102_48.gif

[BeerGarage]

Thanks, guys.  I will check those things out.

[BeerGarage]

Holy shaZam!, GSJack, I think you nailed it.  I have the "ribbed" portion of #7, but the reservoir tip is missing.  All this time unprotected riding.  No wonder I enjoyed braking so much.

[BeerGarage]

I was wrong about being wrong about being wrong.  GSJack, I have the rubber piece, reservoir tip and all.  I was looking at the diagram backwards.  And upside down too.  Anyway, all the parts are there in the brake caliper. 

After the kids are in bed I will go check the triple bearing.  Thank you Pigeonroost.

I always thought there was a d in pidgeon.  Maybe that is the Hawaiian dialect.

Thanks again.