Author Topic: Fork & wheel alignment procedure  (Read 2015 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

mrunderhill1975a

  • Grand Gearhead
  • *****
  • Posts: 1,170
  • Karma: 0
on: September 27, 2019, 07:22:15 pm
My front wheel does not appear to be on the same plane as the rear wheel, as you may recall, my fork pinch bolts came loose and I suspect the fork tubes and the triple tree may be a bit catawampus.  I found this Delboy video which describes the procedure for fork alignment on a modern bike.  Is any of this applicable to the Iron bullet fork set up?  What is the correct fork procedure for the bullet?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNEmOqY02EU


Arizoni

  • Grand Gearhead
  • *****
  • Posts: 7,412
  • Karma: 2
  • "But it's a dry heat here in Arizona
Reply #1 on: September 28, 2019, 01:58:14 am
I didn't see anything I disagree with but with a Royal Enfield, I don't know that you can trust the rear swing arm marks to be very accurate.  In fact, I know on my G5 they are just kind of rough indicators (as is the number of notches on the rear snails that your Continental doesn't have). 
Because of this I use either a long straight bar located against the side of the rear tire to see where the front tire is located, or I use the "string method" to make sure the rear wheel is tracking in line with the front wheel.

To do this, I tie a piece of string to a spoke, and loop it around the tire a few times so it is behind the rear axle and towards the bottom of the wheel. 
I then go to the front wheel and loop it thru the wheel in front of the axle a few times.  When I've finished with this I have a string coming from the rear tire at the rear, just touching the sidewall, and traveling past the rear tire at the front, again, just touching the sidewall, then going to the front tire just touching the sidewall there.

I then loop the string around the front wheel and tire ending up on the opposite side of the motorcycle.  From there, I extend the string once again to the rear of the rear wheel and wrap it thru the wheel and tie it off.

If everything is aligned, the string should be just touching the sidewall of the rear tire both front and back.  It also should be touching the front tire at the front but it might be slightly clearing the rear sidewall of the front wheel.

Checking the distances from the string to the sidewalls of the tires on both sides, the distances should be the same on the rear wheel and they should be the same on the front wheel.
If one side of the rear wheel has a gap and the other side of the rear wheel doesn't, the rear tire is misaligned and it needs to have the axle nut loosened and the rear axle adjusted.

If it works, the picture shows roughly how the string is routed.
Jim
2011 G5 Deluxe
1999 Miata 10th Anniversary


ddavidv

  • Prefers "Your Majesty"
  • Grand Gearhead
  • *****
  • Posts: 563
  • Karma: 0
Reply #2 on: September 28, 2019, 01:25:29 pm
I tried the string method but with only a centerstand the stand got in the way. In retrospect I could have propped it against a wall I suppose.
I concur that the marks on the rear for the snails are suspect at best. Mine were not at all in sync.
I wound up using a length of 1" square tubing laid on top of the chain running from the output sprocket to the rear. I was able to line the chain up in a straight line with this method which seemed to work fine. Kind of hard to describe...I suppose I should make a video explaining it. This only makes the rear wheel 'square' and doesn't address any difference with the front.
The opening for the tire in the rear swingarm is also not mirror image side to side which can be misleading.
2023 Scram 411, 2007 five speed 'Deluxe', 1964 750 Interceptor


mrunderhill1975a

  • Grand Gearhead
  • *****
  • Posts: 1,170
  • Karma: 0
Reply #3 on: September 29, 2019, 07:40:07 pm
Ok, thanks, I used the string method and I believe this will fix the problem.  Unfortunately, it started snowing this morning, so I won't be able to test it for a day or two. By the way, I found that the chain guard has been tweaked such that it was preventing the rear wheel from moving to the left to get into alignment.  I bent the chain guard supports back into position, no longer rubs.