Front Wheel Alighnment- out of whack!

kdxtodd

Member
Nov 14, 2001
269
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I had a small spill at the local mx track a couple months ago and My front wheel looks like its pointing a little to the left. My friend, whos a racer said I needed to loosen the triple clamps and wiggle them back. I did that. Didn't work. So when I took them off and put race tech springs in them, I expected the forks to go back on straight. Didn't happen. So my question is, whats the deal! are the forks bent? Is the axel bent? It wasn't a big fall. everything looks ok. your thoughts are appretiated
 

Rooster

Today's Tom Sawyer
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Aug 24, 2000
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You have to loosen the triples, and the axle clamps. Then stand with the front tire between your legs, hand on the bars and gently tweak everything back into alignment and tighten up your triples and your axle. If you forks were bent, you would notice in a loss of smooth action.
 

Danman

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Nov 7, 2000
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My DR used to do that a lot before I put the pro-taper top clamps on it. I did everything that Rooster said expect I loosened the steering stem nut as your top clamp and bottom clamp are not parallel.
 

CaptainObvious

Formally known as RV6Junkie
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Are you sure that you don't have a slight bend in the bars themselves?
 

kdxtodd

Member
Nov 14, 2001
269
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Thats what I did when the wheel was still tweaked, I just put the wheel between my legs, turned the bars, then tightened the clamps. I guess thats what Im going to have to do. also,when i got the race tech springs, the springs made a noise. the race tech guy said to let the springs break in. Hopefully they will stop making noise by the time I sell it. Thanks guys!
 

kdxtodd

Member
Nov 14, 2001
269
0
Thats what I did when the wheel was still tweaked, I just put the wheel between my legs, turned the bars, then tightened the clamps. I guess thats what Im going to have to do. also,when i got the race tech springs, the springs made a noise. the race tech guy said to let the springs break in. Hopefully they will stop making noise by the time I sell it. Thanks guys! Do you mean, are the handelbars bent? no they are new.
 

canyncarvr

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Oct 14, 1999
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Hope this didn't get overlooked...
As RV6 indicates..the bars may be tweaked. .....or LOOK tweaked.

They can LOOK that way if the rubber isolation cones are tweaked. That happens all the time!! Remove the cones completely, mix 'em up and put the assy back together.

You can prevent most of this by putting a one piece top clamp on your bike. FRP has 'em. I got one from someplace else (not making them anymore I think) and it has stopped said tweaking 100%.

Note that you may have to specify if you are using your odo or not with the new top clamp. I had two choices of clamp 'depending'.

**edit*****
re: 'Not bent. Are new.'

I don't know what that has to do with it. All bars are straight 1/2 second before they aren't. ;)

re: noise

1. Did you properly place the spring seat on the bottom of the new spring? No seat came out? Then it's goobered at the bottom of your fork.

2. Or...#1 not being the issue...Do NOT tighten the spring retainer by holding the fork tube and wrenching the nut, but rather holding the nut STILL and rotating the fork tube.
 
Last edited:

fury1

Member
Sep 15, 2002
31
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make sure its not just the fender possibly being tweaked,giving you an illusion of bent front end parts.
 
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