Frount end help needed

[wingnut]

I just got this 81SH and wheeled it into the shop and noticed somthing not right with the front end. Remember when you ran your bike into the curb when you were a kid and the goose neck was loose. That what it looks like. Not real bad but I can see the mis-aligment. It also seems that the front wheel is canted to the left on the top side when looking down from the top. I've been through the books but can't find anything that discribes correcting these problems. Anybody out there with crash damage repair experience that could lend so advice? Can I loosen up the pinch bolts and correct these issues?

wingnut
81SH Project Bike

[DiverRay]

Thats what I would try first. Put the bike on the center stand and put a jack under the front frame to get the front tire off the ground. Then loosen the axle pinch bolts and nut, the upper and lower triple tree pinch bolts, and the bolts on the front fender. If it has a fork brace, loosen it up as well.
You should then put the upper fork tubes at the same point in the upper tree, tighten the pinch bolts on those. Then work your way down, keeping everything even. You can go back and fully tourque bolts after you have them all snug.
That should put the front end strait again. If it does not work, you need to start checking for bent parts.
Ray

[Geezer]

It's not hard to get a front end out of wack when putting it back together. It's also not hard to fix.

Start with what DiverRay said but put the front wheel between your knees and pull the bars straight before you tighten things up.

Go for a ride and glance down at the handlebar pinch bolts, if they look aligned, you're done. However if they look like they're tilted to one side or another, repeat the process until they look straight when you're riding.

I had a similar problem on the Mongrel but it was very slight. It turns out I was using the gages for a reference point rather than the handlebar pinch bolts. It turns out the gage bracket is a little tweaked and I've since gotten used to it.

Geezer

[wingnut]

Front End

Ok I have everything stripped from the front. Just the trees and the tubes are on and every thing is loose. I've seen pictures of some of the project bikes and some of you guys started with a lot less. When you assembled them did you have some numbers to go by or was it all done using the standard mark 1 eyeball? Where should the tubes sit in the upper tree? Even with the upper surface? Or do you set them at a distance above the tree surface? I've searched the site and read everything I could find on the subject. Looking for a little guidance.

Thanks

[skids]

Re: Front End

I set mine a quarter to one-halh inch above.

Originally posted by wingnut
Ok I have everything stripped from the front. Just the trees and the tubes are on and every thing is loose. I've seen pictures of some of the project bikes and some of you guys started with a lot less. When you assembled them did you have some numbers to go by or was it all done using the standard mark 1 eyeball? Where should the tubes sit in the upper tree? Even with the upper surface? Or do you set them at a distance above the tree surface? I've searched the site and read everything I could find on the subject. Looking for a little guidance.

Thanks