Annoying clunk

[twood1972]

Hey folks.
I've been dealing with a clunk when hitting bumps, it doesn't matter what speed or if I'm applying the front brake. Bike only had 9k on it when I got it. Now has 13k. The noise was there from day 1, well at least the day I got it on the road, it took me a month to get it back to road ready. I've been over all mounts, grommets and fasteners. Clunk never went away. I've had a lot of bikes in my 51 years and never have I had a clunk that was so hard to find. Yesterday I pulled the caps off the forks to access the adjustments and gave a push on the front end. Saw where the clunk was coming from. As forks compress, preload adjustment comes up and hits the fastener. Is this normal? I had to put small circles of rubber from a hose in between the two to act as a cushion. Noise is gone completely. Is there something wrong with my forks or could PO have buggered them up somehow? I still have anti-dive. In the pic, you can see the cushion I put in.
Thanks.

[gdfj12]

The PO may have buggered something up in the forks. It may take disassembly to properly diagnose them.

[JPaganel]

I don't think the adjuster is supposed to be moving...

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong on that.

[twood1972]

The slotted adjustment moves up and down approx 1/4 inch as forks compress and de-compress.

[balky1]

Mine had it since day one, bike had 11000 km on the clock. Changed everything including fork internals and head bearings (as per files from this forum), clunk stayed. You don't feel it, just hear it. I managed to reduce it by tightening head bearings, but at the point where clunk completely disappears, bearings are too tight. In the end I just left it and dealing with it.
I did not check the part you are suggesting, though.

[Old Rider]

I also had /have this my bike is 1-TX 1986 1200. I did alot to try to stop the clunk some years ago rebuildt forks ,but not the springs!.Replaced head bearings I also did what you have done placed some small foam under the damperrod adjuster.I dont remember but i think it was better for a while.The reflector inside the headlight can also make clunking sound and also the instrumentpanel can hit up into the innerfairing in small roadbups.Then i used rubbertape on the steel braided brakelines where they hit into front fairing, because i found that it was wear marks underside on the fairing where the lines go. I think also if the small springs sitting underside of the damperrod adjusterscrew are worn/sagged it will make the damperrod move a little by its weight . The damperrod will also move if its D shaped rod is not placed in the centerhole down in the fork. It is possible to put it in the wrong hole =) and then it will get bendt and damaged Also maybe coming from worn dampersprings the big ones.
Now im almost sure it coming from the steeringlock because mine does not work and maybe it is a loose tab inside there . So you can see there is plenty of things it can be  . I will check on my bike if the foam i placed under the damperadjusterscrew is still there .

[twood1972]

The little bits of rubber I've stuck in there have made the noise disappear, now quiet as can be when hitting bumps so that's definitely where my clunk was coming from. This weekend I'll hit the hardware store and get appropriate sized rubber washers. Honestly the noise was something I couldn't have taken much longer. The noise took any slow speed enjoyment out of riding for me. Highway speeds I never noticed it but slow back roads or city streets it drove me bat shit.

[Old Rider]

I just went down in my cellar to take a closer look on some old forks i have .The plan was to take off the cap and take some pictures of the parts.Did not have my tools there so tried to open the cap with only hands and it was a liiiitle to hard to losen . I had a screwdriver down there and tested to push on the damperscrew and it was for sure a clunk sound.I think i will go to a plumbershop to get some rubberwashers too.

[twood1972]

Although quiet now, I'm still not sure if the rubber washer is just a bandaid for a larger problem. My forks only have 13k on them but the bike is a 86 so she's pretty old. I don't have any experience rebuilding forks, "never had to". Glad it's quiet now but worried there is a underlying problem. Bike handles fine for a old girl though.

[RPM - Robert]

Someone left some parts out of your forks. Yes, the dampening adjuster does move up & down, but it is supposed to be spring loaded. You push down to adjust and then the spring pushes it back up.

You need to get a fork exploded view parts breakdown and determine which part or parts are missing.

The rubber will break up into pieces and ultimately plug up the orifices in the forks which cause them to hydro-lock without warning.

[twood1972]

Copy that Robert.
Weekend project, thank you for the info.