[Nova Scotia Strommer]

So after 2+yrs and almost 31,000kms it appears my 09 WeeStrom has developed the dreaded front end clunk.
I took her out for a ride today and low and behold every time I hit a decent bump I heard a distinct clunk from the front end...something I haven't noticed until now.
I checked everything out and couldn't find anything loose or out of place.
On the dirt roads with lots of potholes and rough spots the clunk was down right annoying.
Coincidentally I will be taking the fork tubes off this week to have Race Tech springs and valves installed. I hope that fixes the clunk because if it doesn't the clunk is going to drive me nuts by the time I finish the Trans Lab this summer!!!
The only thing I have been doing lately is hitting the dirt roads as much as possible to prepare for the 1600kms of good ,bad and ugly road they call the Trans Labrador Highway.
Oh and I gave her a good bath this morning just before I headed out.

 

[kiwi_outdoors]

what "dreaded clunk"

is this a known feature (problem)?

my Wee (2007, 20,000 miles) is making the odd clunk somewhere up front on potholes - I was wondering of the pivoting fuel tank was to blame.

 

[Tollster]

Don't sweat it, the new "tuned" spring will make that thud go away, if it doesn't, it will be very rare to ever hear again. Numerous people that have swapped them out ever report it again.
Kiwi, the dreaded thud the strom makes up front has been around since the birth of the first strom.

 

[Nova Scotia Strommer]

is this a known feature (problem)?

my Wee (2007, 20,000 miles) is making the odd clunk somewhere up front on potholes - I was wondering of the pivoting fuel tank was to blame.

Yes apparently it is although I haven't noticed it until today. Do a search. There are a ton of threads on the "clunk".
If you find a cure let me know.

 

[Nova Scotia Strommer]

Don't sweat it, the new "tuned" spring will make that thud go away, if it doesn't, it will be very rare to ever hear again. Numerous people that have swapped them out ever report it again.
Kiwi, the dreaded thud the strom makes up front has been around since the birth of the first strom.

Thanks
I just read your post.I hope you are right because I found the clunk quite annoying today. I will post the results of the upgraded front end.
The thing I find odd is why after all this time?

 

[Tollster]

Thanks
I just read your post.I hope you are right because I found the clunk quite annoying today. I will post the results of the upgraded front end.
The thing I find odd is why after all this time?

Its hard to say why it started as I have heard few explanations to what it is to begin with. I may depend on your weight and riding styles. It has been a log time since I heard it as I swapped to wilber springs in 06.

I am sure there are many explanations as to what it may be, but personally feel it it too lightly sprung for the majority of middleage americans, and it is bottoming out, that thud could actually be the full compression of the spring wraps against one another, or something worse, although I know many who continue to ride with that thud and show no ill effects. I never noticed any metal shaving in the oil when I drained the tubes.
It is very hard to pin point.

 

[Nova Scotia Strommer]

"but personally feel it it too lightly sprung for the majority of middleage americans"quote

I don't want to disprove your theory but I weigh 170 at best out of the shower and I don't think I was hitting any of the "holes" hard enough to be bottoming out.Who really knows? I just hope the upgrade makes it disappear!!.

 

[Mike92]

So far mine hasn't done this. I guess I have something to look forward to? :mrgreen:

 

[510ebl]

Just for kicks, could you turn the preload in on your forks a "line" or two before you upgrade your springs and report back? I had the "clunk" too, and adjusting the preload seemed to cure it. I'm 235# nekkid, so a bit more with gear. If it worked for me and for you, it may help others who weigh "in between". :fineprint:

 

[Nova Scotia Strommer]

Just for kicks, could you turn the preload in on your forks a "line" or two before you upgrade your springs and report back? I had the "clunk" too, and adjusting the preload seemed to cure it. I'm 235# nekkid, so a bit more with gear. If it worked for me and for you, it may help others who weigh "in between". :fineprint:

Sorry to late.I removed the forks and dropped them off at the suspension shop this morning.
I discussed the clunk issue with him and he said that it was the forks "topping out"that caused the clunk and that adding the emulators would make it go away as well as improve the ride.

 

[Ozzy Strom]

Hi , my wee has had the "clunk" from new (2500kms on it now), has been driving me mad , had a look on the weekend and found the wiring harness , Ive just read about (google) , I was going to change the fork oil later but will do it as soon as i can after reading this Curing DL650 Front End Clunk for $14.98 - ADVrider

 

[KevinP]

electrical tape on gas tank bushing (part # 11)

The clunk is not from bottoming. I re-built my forks and still have clunk.

Two fixes I'm gonna try:
1) put some electrical tape on the tube like bushing (to thicken it) that holds down the front of the gas tank. To do: Lift gas tank, locate the tubular bushing that is in the bracket where the tank bolt is located, wrap in electrical tape, re-install. Grey Wolf has posted a diagram (part #11 in diagram in service manual). Several say this solved their clunk.
2) replace steering head bearing (if over 25,000 miles) will reduce but probably not cure clunk. Note if your bike has much lower miles, steering bearings are an unlikely problem. My bike has 29,000 miles and I have head shake on hard bumps (loose steering bolt/bearing) plus some clunks (maybe the gas tank bushing).

For some riders, a third consideration MAY apply:
3) For heavier riders on higher mileage bikes, then bottoming out can also cause a different sort of slam heard when you run out of travel. This can be tuned by adding 5-10ml of fork oil at a time (if you think your spring weight is okay), test ride. I stiffened the fork spring, played with volume a bit, and added gold valve and this helped fork dive and stopped the bottoming problem I had (but the other clunk remains as I need to do Steps 1, 2).

I hate spending the time to do this during prime riding season ... so it may wait a couple weeks. But I'll report back after.

 

[motorat]

no storm yet but i had a 955i tiger in 2005 that did the same thing. 5w fork oil solved the prob...like in the advr link.
joe

 

[mike884]

The clunk is not from bottoming. I re-built my forks and still have clunk.

Two fixes I'm gonna try:
1) put some electrical tape on the tube like bushing (to thicken it) that holds down the front of the gas tank. To do: Lift gas tank, locate the tubular bushing that is in the bracket where the tank bolt is located, wrap in electrical tape, re-install. Grey Wolf has posted a diagram (part #11 in diagram in service manual). Several say this solved their clunk.

I did this and it cured my clunk. :thumbup:

 

[Nova Scotia Strommer]

Two fixes I'm gonna try:
1) put some electrical tape on the tube like bushing (to thicken it) that holds down the front of the gas tank. To do: Lift gas tank, locate the tubular bushing that is in the bracket where the tank bolt is located, wrap in electrical tape, re-install. Grey Wolf has posted a diagram (part #11 in diagram in service manual). Several say this solved their clunk.Qoute

I read of a similar "fix" for the clunk by denting the area the tube fits into which tightens things up so when I had the tank off last winter I did just that as a preventative measure.
It may fix "a clunk" on some bikes but obviously that isn't the case with my recently developed clunk. I even pushed down on the front of the gas tank while riding over the rough stuff and still had the clunk so I have pretty much ruled out that as the source of my clunk.
I get the rebuilt forks back next week and will post the results when I test them out.

 

[Nova Scotia Strommer]

The verdict is in.
I installed the modified forks today and took the bike for a short test ride and the clunk is gone.The difference in the front end is amazing. I have an Elka on order and it can't arrive soon enough because now I realise just how woefully inadequate the stock suspension is..at least for the type of riding I enjoy.
Once I get the new rear shock installed the countless mods and accessories I have done and added will be finished and the bike will be more than ready for my much anticipated trip to Labrador next month and any other adventure I may take in the future.:thumbup: