Fork Brace? Now With Fork Rebound Issues!!!
- Thread starter sxecafe
- Start date
sxecafe
You think the Carpet Pissers did this?
Re: Fork Brace?
I put the fork brace on Friday night in anticipation for a ride Sat morning. It made a difference, for sure. It was still wobbly on the FWY (which I got off of pretty quickly) but I am attributing that to the tires now.
Here are some shitty shots in the parking garage at work. I'll get better ones soon.
I have to replace my fork seals and when I do, I'll blast & powder it to be a little more inconspicuous.
I put the fork brace on Friday night in anticipation for a ride Sat morning. It made a difference, for sure. It was still wobbly on the FWY (which I got off of pretty quickly) but I am attributing that to the tires now.
Here are some shitty shots in the parking garage at work. I'll get better ones soon.
I have to replace my fork seals and when I do, I'll blast & powder it to be a little more inconspicuous.
Scruffy
West Tennessee
Re: Fork Brace?
That tire is the vast majority of the remaining handling issue. Those were horrible as drive tires, tread pattern goes back to at least 1948 in 5.00-16. I've got a reprint of an ad from then for that tire by either Firestone or Acme.
FYI, your brace is on backwards... although it shouldn't really matter, they just look cleaner with the bolts to the rear.
That tire is the vast majority of the remaining handling issue. Those were horrible as drive tires, tread pattern goes back to at least 1948 in 5.00-16. I've got a reprint of an ad from then for that tire by either Firestone or Acme.
FYI, your brace is on backwards... although it shouldn't really matter, they just look cleaner with the bolts to the rear.
CarbsAndCylinders
Careful With That Axe Eugene
Re: Fork Brace?
That brace is beautiful, looks great polished as it is, but that might not match the rest of your bike.
I don't like those kind of tires (they belong on bobbers not Cafe Racers) but my thought is that they are heavy and so might increase your straight line stability, as long as they are not defect. Is the only place you have the instability on the FWY, is it grooved? The old rib-style treads were horrible on the grooved pavement.
Otherwise some simple things can also screw up your stability. Obvious but we all forget sometimes is tire pressures, front and back. Are the rear swing arm bushings tight, on a bike this old they could be really trashed. Is your rear wheel lined up properly, the markings on the swingarms on older bikes are notoriously inacurrate. On my 900F if I adjusted the shocks to raise the rear for more ground clearance, it would quicken the steering and at 100 mph and above the front would weave back and forth in a slow cadence. Lock the front brake (at 0 mph of course
) and try to rock the bike back and forth, you can check if there is any play in the steering head this way. Are you sure that the new fork tubes are straight and do the drilled holes in the new top triple clamp line up properly? You can place a piece of glass on the fork tubes to see if they line up properly. get a piece of glace that is as wide as the forks and as long as the exposed part of the tubes.
Brian
That brace is beautiful, looks great polished as it is, but that might not match the rest of your bike.
I don't like those kind of tires (they belong on bobbers not Cafe Racers) but my thought is that they are heavy and so might increase your straight line stability, as long as they are not defect. Is the only place you have the instability on the FWY, is it grooved? The old rib-style treads were horrible on the grooved pavement.
Otherwise some simple things can also screw up your stability. Obvious but we all forget sometimes is tire pressures, front and back. Are the rear swing arm bushings tight, on a bike this old they could be really trashed. Is your rear wheel lined up properly, the markings on the swingarms on older bikes are notoriously inacurrate. On my 900F if I adjusted the shocks to raise the rear for more ground clearance, it would quicken the steering and at 100 mph and above the front would weave back and forth in a slow cadence. Lock the front brake (at 0 mph of course
) and try to rock the bike back and forth, you can check if there is any play in the steering head this way. Are you sure that the new fork tubes are straight and do the drilled holes in the new top triple clamp line up properly? You can place a piece of glass on the fork tubes to see if they line up properly. get a piece of glace that is as wide as the forks and as long as the exposed part of the tubes.Brian
crazypj
Split personality, I fake being smart
Re: Fork Brace?
I thi nk you need to re-check steering bearings and adjust them.
Too tight or too loose will give probelme.
The other issue is probably the tyre,have you tried different pressures?I think the minimum for Firestone is about 19psi and max is 42psi, your going to have to play around with anything non-stock I would try 25psi then go up 2psi at a time (although it would be better to fit something that works properly)
I thi nk you need to re-check steering bearings and adjust them.
Too tight or too loose will give probelme.
The other issue is probably the tyre,have you tried different pressures?I think the minimum for Firestone is about 19psi and max is 42psi, your going to have to play around with anything non-stock I would try 25psi then go up 2psi at a time (although it would be better to fit something that works properly)
sxecafe
You think the Carpet Pissers did this?
Got the new fork caps. They are pretty darn cool looking. Filled up the forks with 6oz of oil. Put stuff back together and I was having a clearance issue on the left side caliper hitting the rotor. Felt like the wheel was locking up. I pulled the fork over ever so slightly so that it was flush with the axle. Put everything back together, hopped on the bike to test the forks and I have no rebound. I have to pull the bike up to get the forks to come up.
I'm confused as to what causes this to happen. Any words of wisdom?
I'm confused as to what causes this to happen. Any words of wisdom?
CarbsAndCylinders
Careful With That Axe Eugene
+1 on Crazy's reply.
It sounds like the forks are not parallel. Loosen the fork brace as well before you pump the forks up and down. You didn't mix up the spacers on the axle did you, this could put the forks out of parallel.
Do the glass against the fork tubes to check for alignment.
It sounds like the forks are not parallel. Loosen the fork brace as well before you pump the forks up and down. You didn't mix up the spacers on the axle did you, this could put the forks out of parallel.
Do the glass against the fork tubes to check for alignment.
sxecafe
You think the Carpet Pissers did this?
I pumped the forks a few times and that helped a lot but before I did, I checked to see if the forks were in the same height and indeed they weren't. I got that squared away and it seems like it's functioning much better.
Forks are actually pretty stiff. Maybe a little more than my liking. I'll have to scoot around a little more to see.
Thanks for the help, gents.
Forks are actually pretty stiff. Maybe a little more than my liking. I'll have to scoot around a little more to see.
Thanks for the help, gents.