Pre-load Adjuster

Rob20111

Rob20111

Joined
Aug 17, 2018
Messages
299
Location
Victoria BC, Canada
Bike
2004 ST1300
Just completed my first service of the pre load adjuster. Easy peasy.
Flushed and filled with jack oil, compressed the internal piston, topped off and bled air.
Engages firmly now at 1 turn, but no clicks anymore.
Cleaned ball and spring and knob, and added a very small amount of grease on spring (miniscule).
Grooves inside of knob look fine. Bike only has 6,000 miles on it.
Haven't ridden yet to see if everything settles and clicks return. Raining here.
Is this normal or did I miss something? Shouldn't it click?
 
It should click every 180 degrees. It's harder to hear the clicks once you start feeling the resistance while turning the knob...
 
Oddly enough I can feel but not hear the clicks when backing the knob out, but not when turning it in. This is with engine off, and front wheel in a chock, rear wheel on the ground (if it matters). Maybe I set the knob screw too tight?
 
Try removing the spring, stretching it so that it is longer and will exert more pressure against the ball, reinstall.
 
Just did the spring stretch and cleaned the inside of the knob again and some improvement.
Still clicks more loudly when unwinding.
I'll ride it as is for now and check again later.
 
In the best of conditions the click when turning clockwise isn't that obvious. If you look closely at the outer surface of the knob there is a tiny circle that corresponds with one of the two clicks per turn. I painted it and also two stripes on the barrel of the knob white so the clicks aren't necessary to setting preload to my needs.IMG_8818.jpg
 
dduelin said:
In the best of conditions the click when turning clockwise isn't that obvious. If you look closely at the outer surface of the knob there is a tiny circle that corresponds with one of the two clicks per turn. I painted it and also two stripes on the barrel of the knob white so the clicks aren't necessary to setting preload to my needs.IMG_8818.jpg
Click to expand...

Thats what I did also. If you look closely at the handle, it has slightly raised areas 180 degrees apart where the ball and spring are underneath. Like Dduelin, i dabbed a spot of white paint so that I can see the revolutions if I cant hear the clicks.
In my opinion, using grease might slow the action if the ball. I cleaned mine well and put it in clean and dry. I can still hear the clicks.
 
Last edited:
No need to stretch the spring, the grease you added is probably just keeping the spring from moving enough to engage the detent etc.
Just clean everything and put it back together with a simple drop of oil and your clicks should return.
 
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