Topic: Bent Fork Tubes?

[Copperman]

Hi All, im kind of stumped.  As you can see in the photo my left fork is about an inch higher than the right causing my wheel to be crooked.  What can cause this?  The forks seems straight when laying side by side and I can't find and evidence of anything else off.

Any suggestions?

[754]

Turn them in the tree with the axle loose on one side, you will see if its bent . Or hold tube to tube ,turn one 90 degrees 4 times, and keep putting it against, the other to check for bend. Do it to both forks. There is a chance you have mismatched tubes..with no weight on them they should be same length. Or you could have. 2 different lower legs, late ones are longer.

[iron_worker]

Kinda looks bent to me...

IW

[Elan]

also good to check alignment with a piece of glass, the right size to fit flat on the tubes, then see what corner(s) of the glass are lifting

[strynboen]

just roll them on a tabel....on the inner tubes...then its klearly to see..
if they not are pittet of rust they can be pressed back in a hydralik press..vith vooden blocks ,

[754]

Dont use vooden or cast iron blocks.. Many, many accidents with them.use steel or alumnum blocks..

[strynboen]

yes thats right. wooden blocks.they broke,,,fly aut.. and smash your face...yes aluminium or brass are best..and more stabil

[Don R]

Are they just twisted in the trees?

[steam-powered man]

i'd support the front end, and mount everything in place, with the wheel just touching the ground.  the triple mounting bolts should be snug enough to hold eveything in alignment, but loose enough for the tubes to twist in the triples. 

stand in front of the bike, hold the front wheel with your knees and twist the triples a bit.  you may find everything lines up much better, but check them with a piece of glass against the fork tubes, or other method.   

[Dave Voss]

i'd support the front end, and mount everything in place, with the wheel just touching the ground.  the triple mounting bolts should be snug enough to hold eveything in alignment, but loose enough for the tubes to twist in the triples. 

stand in front of the bike, hold the front wheel with your knees and twist the triples a bit.  you may find everything lines up much better, but check them with a piece of glass against the fork tubes, or other method.   

Also, try loosening the top nut on the triple clamp, it is possible that it has become rotated a bit in relation to the bottom, thereby causing the forks to swing a bit, disturbing the front axle alignment.

[steam-powered man]

YES!

(forgot about that part)

[Copperman]

Thanks for all the replies guys.  Dave Voss and Steam-powered man had it.  The tubes are straight.  Once I got it all cinched down I could tell that the top tree was a little off.  She's straight now.

I tore down the donor bike for this chopper build two years ago so some of this stuff is not fresh in my head anymore.   

Thanks for the help....I know I'll be back.