FXDX wobbles when decelerating

[railway red]

hey guys,

as said in the title, when I decelerate my dyna develops a freaky wobble. I checked the tire pressure, the tires are not worn, my handlebars are fixed tight,... so when I checked google I came across the fact that this so called 'death wobble' finds it's origin in the the motor mount rubbers being shot.
do any of you have any tips or answers for me?

if it turns out to be the mounts, probably rear motor mount rubber, is this a job I can carry out in the garage myself (I work on my motorcycles to a certain extent...)?

thanks in advance!

 

[Jack Klarich]

Sure thing with proper tools and jacks, have a look at the swing arm bushings as well

 

[glider]

Do you have spokes or mags, have you checked wheel to chassis alignment and the mounts and links for play? Steering neck play?

Give us a little more to go by about the bike, what have you done recently?

 

[Jack Klarich]

16 and 17 are front and rear mounts

 

[HDDon]

The two posters above have you headed in the right direction and both are first rate with their information. Did this just start or something you have been experiencing for a long period?

 

[glider]

I forgot to add that I had a 94 FXDWG and it did the same thing as yours is doing now. I found out that the rear wheel alignment is a critical factor but overall the design is more to blame for the problem. If you look into the way the swing arm mounts to the rear of the trans. instead of the frame, this means that there is movement in the rear wheel just because the trans and engine are rubber mounted. There is a stretch of parkway here that I could count on this happening on a curve while decelerating a bit or even holding constant throttle too. I made a jig to align the rear wheel properly with the front wheel using it as a guide and it was reduced almost completely.

Pay close attention to the mounts on the bike as a source.

 

[railway red]

it started about a week ago. I thought the tire pressure was wrong, but that was not the problem. when I ride off the sidewalk, it also feels like it bottoms out and there's a sound like when you would drop your toolbox on the floor... :shock

now, some more info. I put new tires on a few months ago, the fork's gaskets were replaced, nothing special.
the bike is a big bore 1600 now (was 1450) and goes like (EDIT) (well for a Harley that is) and has spokes, not mags.


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[HDDon]

Well since it just started and you have new tires, have you checked the balance weights to see if they are all there? Since you have spokes have you checked to see if any might be loose? I don't think you have said how many miles the bike has. Are both shocks set the same and are they original? Have you done a fall away test on the front end?

 

[dbmg]

I forgot to add that I had a 94 FXDWG and it did the same thing as yours is doing now. I found out that the rear wheel alignment is a critical factor but overall the design is more to blame for the problem. If you look into the way the swing arm mounts to the rear of the trans. instead of the frame, this means that there is movement in the rear wheel just because the trans and engine are rubber mounted. There is a stretch of parkway here that I could count on this happening on a curve while decelerating a bit or even holding constant throttle too. I made a jig to align the rear wheel properly with the front wheel using it as a guide and it was reduced almost completely.

Pay close attention to the mounts on the bike as a source.

it started about a week ago. I thought the tire pressure was wrong, but that was not the problem. when I ride off the sidewalk, it also feels like it bottoms out and there's a sound like when you would drop your toolbox on the floor... :shock

now, some more info. I put new tires on a few months ago, the fork's gaskets were replaced, nothing special.
the bike is a big bore 1600 now (was 1450) and goes like sh*t of shovel (well for a Harley that is) and has spokes, not mags.

Have you checked Glider's recommendation yet, and check for loose spokes which you normally check at time of tire installation. And are tires of a quality brand and proper sizes????

 

[railway red]

ok,

the tires are a few months old, I should've noticed something before, not?
the bike has 49000km's (european bike...), that's +/- 30000mls. haven't checked the weights, will do this first thing in the morning. same with the spokes, tomorrow morning.
the shocks are the originals and I've checked, they're set the same.
but a 'fall away test', what's that?
I can ride with no hands on it too, no prob, it's just when I decelerate the bike seems to wobble. really uncomfortable!!! especially when breaking on the engine.