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  • Front Fork Alignment

    I have looked all over the site not expecting to be the only one with this problem.
    Yesterday was the day to install new dust seals on the forks.
    Anyway this was all pretty easy up until I was reinstalling the front wheel and brakes. I had drag on the left side caliper holder. Right side was not dragging but was not in the center either. By the way when I removed the calipers I did not break them apart so as not to have to do a bleed job to. I checked the Haynes manual and found nothing about this condition.
    Come to find out the front forks are not necessarily lined up rotationally after the wheel is installed and touque’d down. If you look on the left side between the fork and speedo gear there should be a gap between the two. Yeah I know about the lineup slot on the speedo thing to the fork. The placement of the front axel on the left side is critical to the correct spacing of the two forks. The large diameter of the axel on the left side must contact the speedo to provide the correct spacing (about 1/16”) and alignment of the front wheel or you will get wheel wobble and caliper housing drag.
    To get away from having the trouble I did.
    1)Install Wheel.
    2)Install Axel with pull hole horizontal to the ground (helps w/ rust).
    3)Place Axel against speedo leaving about 1/16” between it and lower left fork, not up tight to the fork, speedo should move slightly when twisted.
    4)Install axel nut and torque.
    5)Install cotter key (Big thing I had a shop do fork seals 5 years ago, I looked it over, paid the shop, drove about ten miles, got wobbly, looked down between the fairing and the tank, low and behold no nut, got a permanent crease in the seat).
    6)Install calipers both sides.
    7)Rotate wheel should rotate freely
    8)Pump up the breaks
    9)Check everything 3-9 times
    10)Ride SAFE
    There's always a way, figure it out.
    78XS11E

  • #2
    thanks a bunch for posting this kind of stuff. for me, the true definetion of the new guy, this kind of info is saving me from paying a mechanic 60+ per hour to tell me i messed up.

    Comment


    • #3
      I think I have this problem on my bike right now.... 79sf....

      I'll have to reread this a few times to get a mental picture but I think I'm going to have to remove the wheel and get it right...

      Ben
      1985 Yamaha VMX12n "Max X" - Stock
      1982 Honda XL500r "Big Red" - Stump Puller. Unknown mileage.
      1974-78 Honda XL350 hybrid - The thumper that revs. Unknown miles.
      1974 Suzuki TC/TS125 hybrid. Trials with trail gear. Invaluable. Unknown miles.
      1971 Honda CL350. For Dad. Newtronic Electronic Ign. Reliable. Unknown miles.

      Formerly:
      1982 XS650
      1980 XS1100g
      1979 XS1100sf
      1978 XS1100e donor

      Comment


      • #4
        When you are talking about right and left sides, do you mean from the perspective of sitting on the seat facing forward?

        I want to ditch these crappy caliper/fork setups. Are the other forks from other specials the same length?

        Ben
        1985 Yamaha VMX12n "Max X" - Stock
        1982 Honda XL500r "Big Red" - Stump Puller. Unknown mileage.
        1974-78 Honda XL350 hybrid - The thumper that revs. Unknown miles.
        1974 Suzuki TC/TS125 hybrid. Trials with trail gear. Invaluable. Unknown miles.
        1971 Honda CL350. For Dad. Newtronic Electronic Ign. Reliable. Unknown miles.

        Formerly:
        1982 XS650
        1980 XS1100g
        1979 XS1100sf
        1978 XS1100e donor

        Comment


        • #5
          Sitting on the seat facing forward, remember these directions are for a standard. I've never messed with a special but from the Clymer book assy looks the same except the axel bolt is installed from the right which is oposite of a standard. If you remove the wheel you will have no rotors to set your center with.

          You will have to ask someone else about fork compatability on a special.
          There's always a way, figure it out.
          78XS11E

          Comment


          • #6
            So is the procedure the same except to account for the axle on the opposite side?
            1985 Yamaha VMX12n "Max X" - Stock
            1982 Honda XL500r "Big Red" - Stump Puller. Unknown mileage.
            1974-78 Honda XL350 hybrid - The thumper that revs. Unknown miles.
            1974 Suzuki TC/TS125 hybrid. Trials with trail gear. Invaluable. Unknown miles.
            1971 Honda CL350. For Dad. Newtronic Electronic Ign. Reliable. Unknown miles.

            Formerly:
            1982 XS650
            1980 XS1100g
            1979 XS1100sf
            1978 XS1100e donor

            Comment


            • #7
              Yeh I would think so, but like I said I've never worked on one.
              There's always a way, figure it out.
              78XS11E

              Comment

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