Checking Spacing 1978 XS11 front axle

[Peter Brackett]

These Pics (in XLS) are from an 1978 Yamaha XS1100 (which I bought new and drove across Canada in 78- what a great ride)

Background: - just changed the fork seals (had to fight to get the hex bolts out of the bottom of the fork)
my manual did not say that you need a large torx type tool to stop the inner shaft from spinning)
And had to replace the springs

So bike has been apart for extended period of time and I have concerns in reassembling that I have everything together as it should be
1st) left nut seems to be on about 1/8" more than I remember when I removed the cotter pin
2) there is a gap between speedometer sender and right fork

I don't think I should try to squeeze in the left fork when I tighten the cap nuts on bottom
and I'm not sure if the brake calipers would slide on their bolts enough to allow me to squeeze in the bottom of the fork anyway

If anyone has a 1978 and could verify my spacings, I would appreciate it
or has any other suggestions

Looks like a can't post an attachement
I can sned pics if you send me your email


Thanks, Peter

[bikerphil]

To post pictures, you need to use a photo sharing site, such as Photobucket.

Maybe this will help you with the wheel...

[WMarshy]

Peter,

If you dont already have a manual you can download a free copy from member CatatonicBug. Just look him up and you should see a http: link in his signature that will take you to his web site.

The manual would probably help you get the front wheel back on per spec. It sounds like you might have assembled it incorrectly.

[dbeardslee]

2) there is a gap between speedometer sender and right fork

The speedometer sender is supposed to be on the left side. Was that a misprint, or do you have it on the wrong side?

[crazy steve]

When sitting on the bike, the speedo drive should be on your left. To 'set' the wheel, leave the left side axle clamps loose, tighten the axle nut to specs (77 ft-lbs), then tighten the clamp nuts. That's it! If you have a small gap between the fork and speedo drive, don't worry about it....

Do make sure the speedo drive is 'engaged' in the fork; there's a tab on the drive that fits in a slot on the fork.

[DiverRay]

And you may have to "move" the left side in or out just a little to center the rotor in the brake caliper. for the front end, you also start at the bottom and work your way up to tighten the bolts! If you do it wrong, the bike will NOT handle well! Had a PO do it all wrong on a bike, and when I test rode it, it would NOT track! Once I got everything back to spec, it handled VERY well.

[crazy steve]

And you may have to "move" the left side in or out just a little to center the rotor in the brake caliper...

Not on his; he has a standard, not a special...

[bikerphil]

Steve, the Standard forks clamp on the left, Specials on the right.

[crazy steve]

Steve, the Standard forks clamp on the left, Specials on the right.

Whoops.... I should know that!

[Peter Brackett]

Thanks to all responders- re checking spacing

As I/m a new poster, I can't send an attchement.
I had a detailed sheet showing pics and the spacing issue.
IN that sheet, I indicated that I was referencing the bike from the front, hence the space was on the right between the speedometer and the fork.
Sorry for the confusion, it was so much clearer in the pics.

I used http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11700 - Topcats pictorial for changing the front wheel- much appreciated.

With this info, it made more sense when I worked on it again.
I originally though the brake calipers floated sideways on the retainiing bolts like auto brakes do.
Then I realized that they were fixed in place when I checked it out.

so the left (looking from the front) brake disk is fixed in position relative to the caliper by the spacer and the shoulder on the threads of the axle and the axle bolt pinch the parts towards the fixed fork.

understanding that, I then realized the only adjustment was the hroizontal movement of the other tube with the retaining clamp and cap nuts.
Using topcat's great info, I made sure to align\caliper on the brake disk by flexing the frok tube slightly.

Cursed myself for not getting the speedo unit notch over the tit on the fork but that's the fun of reassembling something.- right

Thanks for all the good help and concerned replies. Much Appreciated.
Happy Trails
Pete

[79XS11F]

These Pics (in XLS) are from an 1978 Yamaha XS1100 (which I bought new and drove across Canada in 78- what a great ride)

Background: - just changed the fork seals (had to fight to get the hex bolts out of the bottom of the fork)
my manual did not say that you need a large torx type tool to stop the inner shaft from spinning)
And had to replace the springs

So bike has been apart for extended period of time and I have concerns in reassembling that I have everything together as it should be
1st) left nut seems to be on about 1/8" more than I remember when I removed the cotter pin
2) there is a gap between speedometer sender and right fork

I don't think I should try to squeeze in the left fork when I tighten the cap nuts on bottom
and I'm not sure if the brake calipers would slide on their bolts enough to allow me to squeeze in the bottom of the fork anyway

If anyone has a 1978 and could verify my spacings, I would appreciate it
or has any other suggestions

Looks like a can't post an attachement
I can sned pics if you send me your email


Thanks, Peter

Do you have the fork legs installed in the correct positions? I ask because the speedo drive goes on the left leg (the one with the axle holder cap)and there is a notch in the fork leg to position it and keep it from spinning with the wheel. If the speedo notch on the leg and the holder are currently on the right leg and that's why your trying to install the drive on that leg, then the forks are mixed up.
If the forks are not mixed up make sure the speedo drive is fully and properly seated in the wheel with the drive parts engaged properly in the wheel and that the lug on the speedo drive engages with the notch on the leg when you install the wheel. If these parts are not set up properly the wheel will not fit properly.
The axle holder on the bottom of the left leg is there so you can position the left brake caliper in a centered position at the brake disc and then tightened in place. This is done after the axle is tightened to torque spec. The axle only goes in one way from the left hand side where the holder cap should be. There will be a gap between the holder and the bottom of the leg. If I recall correctly the full gap must be at the rear but as suggested, get yourself a manual and make sure you have it put together right.
Rob

[crazy steve]

...I originally though the brake calipers floated sideways on the retainiing bolts like auto brakes do. Then I realized that they were fixed in place when I checked it out....

They do float on the retaining bolt... IF you have a 'standard' model. Your '78' is really a '79 Special if your brakes look like the ones in 'Kats tire pictorial. The procedure you posted is correct for a special.

Easy way to tell which is which? The standard has the axle attached to the bottom end of the forks, while the special has it attached to front edge and the fork hangs down below the axle about 4".

And you can post pics, but you need to use a third-party photo host (like 'photobucket'; it's free), then link to the pics you want to post.

[Macamon]

Am I understanding correctly that to center the disk to the slot in the fork leg, I simply loosen the clamp (special) and adjust it's position? I just changed my front tire and was a little disconserted as to the position of the disk in the right leg slot.

[crazy steve]

Am I understanding correctly that to center the disk to the slot in the fork leg, I simply loosen the clamp (special) and adjust it's position? I just changed my front tire and was a little disconserted as to the position of the disk in the right leg slot.

Yep, that's how you do a special. Of course, that throws fork alignment out the window but that's how the design works. Yamaha did mitigate this design flaw somewhat by adding a lower bushing on the fork tube (missing from the standard) to help with the 'stiction' and wear issues from the probably non-parallel forks.

The more I think about it, the more that explains the two oddball rotors I have. I've got two rotors that I acquired off other bikes with a different 'offset' (the distance from the mounting face to the outer friction surface) to the tune of .050" more. I suspect that they may have used these as a 'production line fix' on bikes that needed a bit more fork 'misalignment' than the engineers liked due to production tolerance stack-up. I haven't seen these listed as a separate part anywhere or as fitting another model bike. For those of you with Specials, that offset is something I'd check before swapping rotors, even among the three rotors on the bike.

A better solution would be an appropriate-thickness shim between the wheel and the rotor to center the rotor in the caliper...