Help with front forks

740 Views 5 Replies 3 Participants Last post by unforgiven, Apr 12, 2009

unforgiven

Discussion Starter · Apr 12, 2009

Well, I'm having trouble with my front forks on my track bike that I built after my crash. When I lowsided it, the front wheel was pointing off to the left. I followed some advice Jet City Racer gave me and loosened the axle pinch bolts on the left side and the pinch bolts on the lower left triple. I held the front brake and bounced the forks and did some manual manipulating and it straightened up. I torqued all the bolts back to specs.

I just took it out for a spin around the neighborhood and for the hell of it before I left I held the front brake and compressed the fork a few times. When I rode off, I could tell my front wheel was pointing left again. I know it was straight the first time I rode it. Nothing looks bent and the bolts are tight. What is happening? No track day for me until this gets fixed.

Thanks!

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rodantking

· #2 · Apr 12, 2009

When was the last time you changed the oil in the forks...it's no the problem, but you might find it while doing it.
With the springs out they should pump evenly.
I would think that your triples are just as suspect.

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Gunnar971

· #3 · Apr 12, 2009

Bearings shot from the crash???

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unforgiven

Discussion Starter · #4 · Apr 12, 2009

Never done anything to the forks as it was always just a street bike I'm now rebuilding. No idea about the bearings or how to test. Everything feel fine when I pump the forks. No sticking and no oil anywhere. Nothing looks obviously bent either. It appears I can straighten them but I have no idea how they could just turn out of alignment like that. This is all new to me and has been a great learning experience.

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Gunnar971

· #5 · Apr 12, 2009

I had a VFR that got backed into. The end result was a cracked front fender and some brearings that got tweaked. If you held the handlebars straight, the wheel would be cocked off to one side slightly. Is this what you are experienceing also? The fix, as primitive as it sounds, was to put the wheel up against a sturdy surface (I found the side if the garage worked great) and tweak it back straight by pushing on the handlebars. You have to bang them kinda hard, but if you go too much, just brace the other side of the tire and bang in the other direction. Watch to rotors as you do it, you dont want to bend those. Once in a while it would get slightly out of alignment and you would have to repete the process. If this doesnt sound right, someone please chime in!

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unforgiven

Discussion Starter · #6 · Apr 12, 2009

Gunnar971 said:
I had a VFR that got backed into. The end result was a cracked front fender and some brearings that got tweaked. If you held the handlebars straight, the wheel would be cocked off to one side slightly. Is this what you are experienceing also? The fix, as primitive as it sounds, was to put the wheel up against a sturdy surface (I found the side if the garage worked great) and tweak it back straight by pushing on the handlebars. You have to bang them kinda hard, but if you go too much, just brace the other side of the tire and bang in the other direction. Watch to rotors as you do it, you dont want to bend those. Once in a while it would get slightly out of alignment and you would have to repete the process. If this doesnt sound right, someone please chime in!

That is exactly what I did. I straightened them out similar to what you described and tightened everything down. When I pumped the forks, it turned out again. I can staighten it again but I want to fix it where it will stay. I would hate to see what happened if I hit the brakes hard at the track and it turned out on me again.

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