Front wheel noise

Jim Mc · Nearly there... Joined: 28 Dec 2010 Karma :

Since I've had my wheel off for a tyre change it's making a horrendous noise.

Now my wheel is catching slightly on the brakes, but this isn't the same noise, it's like a constant rumble.

Thought it could be the bearings but I've had the front up, span the wheel, there's no play there's no grittyness. After a drive home from work I put my hand near the centre of the wheel and there's no heat whatsoever.

I actually think it could be the tyre causing the noise, as it changes based on road surface, but it's always there and pretty damn loud.

CBR600rr K7.

I'm going to dismantle it at the weekend, but, any thoughts? Could I have dislodged something near the axle or not put it back correctly? Seemed really straight forward when I removed the axle.

neil. · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 Feb 2008 Karma :

Any spacers out of place? Is the speedo cable driven via the front wheel/gear? If so maybe that's not seated properly?
____________________
CBT February 2008 | A2 June 2008 | Yamaha YBR125 (written off) | Honda CBF125 (current)

darren997 · L Plate Warrior Joined: 17 Apr 2012 Karma :

I think that will be a wheel bearing. You need to take out the front wheel and check the bearing by turning it by hand. If you check with the wheel in place on the bike it will not show up a 'rough' bearing.
I've had 3 CBR6's and have had to replace the front wheel bearing on two of them.

Do not worry about the speedo drive \ cable as newer CBR do not have the speedo drive on the front wheel but do check you have the spacers the right way around.

If you have the bike handbook it will give details of how to corrently 'space out' the wheel as I think you need to make sure you have the right space between the fork legs and brakes calipers

Fizzer Thou · World Chat Champion Joined: 06 Aug 2011 Karma :

Remove both calipers and hang them up so as not to stretch the hoses.

Suspend the front wheel off the ground and see if you can pull or push one of the spokes towards/away from the fork leg.

If you feel any play it is either or both wheel bearings.

Have a look to see if either caliper has been contacting the disc where it should not.Bolt one caliper back on and see if it rubs/graunches on the wheel or disc.Do this with one cailper at a time.

Have the disc pads got plenty of friction material left on them?
____________________
Just talk bikes.What else is there?

Always have a 'Plan B'

Jim Mc · Nearly there... Joined: 28 Dec 2010 Karma :

I don't have a workshop manual for this bike and I tried searching but couldn't find an assembly diagram for the front wheel.

Does anyone know if there even are spacers? When I took the wheel off there were dust covers protecting the bearings, and that's all I noticed.

I'm wondering if there are actually spacers, whether the wheel could be back-to-front and they've maybe fitted the tyre the opposite direction of what it was previously.

I'm thinking the discs are warped but could care less as there's plenty left on them. Plenty left on the pads too, the noise doesn't disappear or change under braking so I'm fairly confident it's not the brakes.

I suspect bearings because what else can it be really? but im disappointed if so because I wasn't rough when reassembling.

darren997 · L Plate Warrior Joined: 17 Apr 2012 Karma :

https://hondatech.info/search/cbr/600/

Some service manuals for CBR 6 but sure if they cover your years model but may help

garth · World Chat Champion Joined: 15 Dec 2004 Karma :

What tyre did you have fitted? When I had a BT021 on the front of my old fazer, it was so noisey I thought something was broken.

Jim Mc · Nearly there... Joined: 28 Dec 2010 Karma :

I had a Michelin Power Pure fitted. But I read that they have to conform to regulations on noise so if there is a problem with the tyre itself then it must be a duffer.

I took it all apart today, and checked the bearings by hand. There's no play, there's no grittyness. There's a bit of scoring on the outer spacers, but nothing major. The forks, bearings and axle all look to be in good condition.

When I had it all off I did notice the central spacer/collar was wobbling about but didn't notice any significant gap between it and the bearings. I used a caliper and measured the depth to each of the bearings as 7.98mm from the side, so they seem to be positioned symmetrically.

When I reinstalled the wheel, I installed the axle but didn't tighten it, when I spun the wheel it was smooth as butter, and I got about 15 revolutions out of it. When I tightened the axle bolt to the specified torque, I then only got about 7 revs. So at this point I'm scratching my head thinking, the bearings must be placed under some lateral compression which is causing friction? There was no noise when the axle was re-tightened.

So then I installed the brake calipers again, and the right causes a bit of drag, but the left is catching quite a bit, the revs go down to about 3 turns by hand with both calipers on. The discs don't appear to be warped. So I'm left wondering what on earth would have caused the whole assembly to be out of kilter.

Maybe the brakes were catching previously, and I just never noticed it? I'm not convinced they're the cause of the noise. In any case there doesn't appear to be any way of aligning the wheel to the forks other than changing the depth of the bearings from their current equidistant setup.

Which only leaves the tyre... I'm a bit perplexed by it all.

Going to take it for a ride tomorrow. See if anything has changed. If not, next weekend I'm going to disassemble the brakes and clean the cylinders as they're looking a bit mucky.

By the way, thank you for the input so far.