Author Topic: Aligning the front end after fork rebuild  (Read 13184 times)

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Offline fmctm1sw

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Re: Aligning the front end after fork rebuild
« Reply #25 on: April 15, 2008, 06:15:32 PM »
Stand over front wheel facing bike. Grip wheel with knees, then push handlebars the direction it needs, to go..keep checking..

That advice went a long way in straightening out my bike....

Quote from: 754
Dude is that a tire ? or an O-ring..??

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This is not a pod thread
This is not a #$%* on my vacuum gauges thread
This is a help or GTFO thread.

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Offline TwoTired

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Re: Aligning the front end after fork rebuild
« Reply #26 on: April 15, 2008, 06:21:56 PM »
Stand over front wheel facing bike. Grip wheel with knees, then push handlebars the direction it needs, to go..keep checking..
That advice went a long way in straightening out my bike....

Yes, but did it help with "Sticktion"?  Do the lowers take "set" on the tubes?  Do they return to the same position every time after compression?
Lloyd... (SOHC4 #11 Original Mail List)
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Offline bwaller

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Re: Aligning the front end after fork rebuild
« Reply #27 on: April 15, 2008, 06:55:07 PM »
The point I brought up was a quick fix for when the triple clamp & bottom stem fork holes don't align exactly (and rarely do) even when the tubes are dead straight. Not from any damage, but out of the factory that way. We're not talking a 1/4" here but I did find one 0.35" wider at the bottom than at the top of the tubes. A thin shim in the right spot in the triple clamp holes will help align.

Probably not something most folks would give a crap about I suppose.

Offline 754

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Re: Aligning the front end after fork rebuild
« Reply #28 on: April 15, 2008, 06:59:52 PM »
bwaller it is a point well taken , but wont cure anything, if the tubes are not straight.

The method I described will show if a tube is bent, right on the bike, without a dial indicator or straightedge..
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Offline eurban

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Re: Aligning the front end after fork rebuild
« Reply #29 on: April 15, 2008, 07:06:24 PM »
Assuming decent straight & well manufactured parts,  I have found the following procedure to work very well to remove stiction on my 750.  It comes directly from Randakk's Cycle Shack website and is written specifically for the GL1000 (which is the front end that my 750 has) but most of the tips and steps should apply to a stock front end.  Maybe it will be of interest to some. . . .


From mister Randakk :

Removing Stiction from GL1000 Front Forks

GL1000 forks are notorious for stiction...especially if you use inferior, aftermarket fork seals. A bigger problem: careless re-assembly of front end components that can introduce additional stiction. The typical scenario is putting some "bind" into the forks by the manner in which the front axle is secured on the left side. This often happens after front tire work by sloppy mechanics. The GL1000 is very sensitive to this detail!

Here's how to remedy. Keep in mind that the sequence and order of this procedure is very critical:

1. Start with the bike on a level concrete floor on the centerstand. Put a small floor jack under the front of the engine (with a very thin board to protect the engine). Jack up the bike just enough so that the weight is off the front tire. Warning: jacking beyond the point that the rear tire contacts the ground will lever the bike off the centerstand and cause a nasty spill.

2. For extra safety, run 2 tie-down straps down from the ceiling to the handlebars.

3. Loosen all of the following in this order but do not remove:

    *
      Left side, front axle cap pinch nuts (left as viewed by the rider). There are 4 of these. Make sure you've loosened these 4 nuts enough so that pressure is off the retainer and the left fork lower ("slider") is free to "float" relative to the axle. Test to make sure the slider can move side-to-side relative to the axle.
    *
      All 6 of the bolts that secure the fender
    *
      Lower fork stanchion attach bolts (secure the fork tubes to the lower triple clamp).
    *
      Top fork stanchion Allen bolts (secure the fork tubes to the upper triple clamp).

4. Next, remove the fork caps to relieve the pressure from the fork springs.

5. Carefully lower the front of the bike with the jack until the fork is fully compressed. Be sure you have enough slack in the safety tie-downs to allow full compression. As the front end is lowered, carefully observe the action of the brake hoses and speedo cable to make sure they are not put into jeopardy by this extreme compression.

6. Lightly tap the upper fork tubes in several spots with a soft mallet.

7. Carefully tighten all of the fasteners in the following order. Very important: be sure the fork tubes are at the same relative height inside the triple clamps. Normally, they should be flush with the top of the upper triple clamp.

    *
      Lower triple clamp pinch bolts
    *
      Top triple clamp pinch bolts
    *
      Left side axle pinch nuts
    *
      Fender attach bolts.

8. This is a good time to make sure your fork oil is at the correct level. With the fork fully compressed and the fork springs removed, I run 160mm of free air space above the oil. This is a more accurate level of filling the forks than the factory suggests in the manual. Their method is approximately 6 oz when you drain the forks... 6.8 oz when you do a complete overhaul.

9. Raise the bike and replace the front springs. You will have to loosen the top triple clamp pinch bolts again to reinsert the cap. Re-tighten the top pinch bolts.

10. Critical: Make sure you have adequate clearance on either side of the left front brake rotor relative to the caliper hanger. Adjust the axle as necessary for adequate rotor clearance. If adjustment is necessary, make the smallest possible adjustment. There is a feeler gauge in the OEM toolkit for measuring this clearance.

11. Road test.

12. Make a careful mental note of the positioning of the left front axle attachment, make a mark or take a close-up picture for future reference.
« Last Edit: April 15, 2008, 07:13:57 PM by eurban »

Offline HondaMan

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Re: Aligning the front end after fork rebuild
« Reply #30 on: April 19, 2008, 08:55:46 AM »
754:
PM me, please: I have some CB750K resto parts you might be interested in swapping (?) with me.

HM
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Re: Aligning the front end after fork rebuild
« Reply #31 on: May 07, 2008, 10:53:05 PM »
I have gone over this forum time and time again and after getting my front end put back together I have found that my front break drags and the front tire near the rear left (while sitting on the bike) is far closer to the fender than the other side.  what causes this?  also, in a vain experimental attempt in getting the rolling resisance to a minimum i tinkered with how far up the brake-side fork sits in the tree and the longest i can get the wheel to spin puts the left fork tube sitting a few millimeters higher than the other. Last summer,  I noticed that the front wheel is an inch off from the stock wheel diameter. I was thinking that the different wheel diameter could also mean a different front axle length resulting in my problem with the front forks not being parralell.  I love this bike but it's seriously #@$%&!* me off! Some monkey put 7 over forks, handle bar extensions putting it further rear, 4-2 exhaust (gutted baffles), removed turn signals, and put silicone where the kill switch used to be, oh and missmatching mirrors, and what looks like a goldwing seat, no horn either.  Deet de Dee!  But I've had this for 2.5 years and I've been working on putting it back to stock, and by stock I mean turning it into a cafe racer.

Offline 754

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Re: Aligning the front end after fork rebuild
« Reply #32 on: May 08, 2008, 08:54:12 AM »
Get rid of the brake adjuster that goes in the fork, if it still drags its probably the seal.  Try bonking the caliper, hit it with a peice of wood, mallet or back of your boot.. see if that frees it up.

Forks when overlength come in 2 inch increments, 7 does not sound right. I & others cut them down for people at times so they could be any length.

Now if you are suspecting forks are odd length and not fitting try this. With bike jacked up, insert your forks loosely, then mount axle & torque up lower caps. Then slide the forks down to the top tree so at least one is flush & then see where the other is at.. if one is longer you will see it. If one is longer deal with it or note the difference and use it when assembling.
Maker of the WELDLESS 750 Frame Kit
dodogas99@gmail.com
Kelowna B.C.       Canada

My next bike will be a ..ANFOB.....

It's All part of the ADVENTURE...

73 836cc.. Green, had it for 3 decades!!
Lost quite a few CB 750's along the way