Wheel alignment?

[slofox]

In the olden days, when one adjusted the chain tension f'rinstance, front and rear wheel were usually aligned "by eye". Which required getting someone to hold the front wheel straight ahead while you lay on your stomach and eyeballed the edges of the tyres from behind. At best this method was somewhat "approximate". Oh there were other ways too, involving long straight edges or string etc but the eyeball method was most common.

So what is modern practice? How do you check your wheels are aligned?

[george formby]

In the olden days, when one adjusted the chain tension f'rinstance, front and rear wheel were usually aligned "by eye". Which required getting someone to hold the front wheel straight ahead while you lay on your stomach and eyeballed the edges of the tyres from behind. At best this method was somewhat "approximate". Oh there were other ways too, involving long straight edges or string etc but the eyeball method was most common.

So what is modern practice? How do you check your wheels are aligned?

I check the gap either side of the swingin arm wi me peepers & have a lie down.

[bogan]

So what is modern practice? How do you check your wheels are aligned?

Truly modern tech needs no checking :bleh: just turn the eccentric to the desired amount of tension, perfect alignment every time, thanks Mr Honda :D

[F5 Dave]

or if the sw has been bent a bit, no way to adjust it right.

Many bikes are off from their std settings on the SW. From the factory. Usually not enough to notice. Accident damage can make for an issue as well. My old CBX used to gently weave at slow speed on equal marks. We worked out what was straight, Once I'd scribed the new lines it was fine.

I use a long piece of box ally ($30 M10), can be checked against another by turning it on each side. push it against the rear wheel & line it up to the front disc. often good to have another foot long section taped so it is close to the disc.

Far easier that some laser arrangement & I've never found the eyeball method or string very convincing.

[slofox]

I've never found the eyeball method or string very convincing.

Nah - me neither...

So we still use the box section huh? Damn, I thought it would be all mod cons by now...oh well.

[Blackbird]

Hope this laser rig is of interest: http://geoffjames.blogspot.com/2010/03/wheel-alignment-improve-your-handling.html

Still in use after knocking it up in 2003.

[slofox]

Hope this laser rig is of interest: http://geoffjames.blogspot.com/2010/03/wheel-alignment-improve-your-handling.html

Still in use after knocking it up in 2003.

Looks good to me - thanks for that. (And for that link).:sunny:

[Spearfish]

Hope this laser rig is of interest: http://geoffjames.blogspot.com/2010/03/wheel-alignment-improve-your-handling.html

Still in use after knocking it up in 2003.

A damn fine blog you have there, hours of interesting stuff.
Not ashamed to say its helping me no end.

[Blackbird]

A damn fine blog you have there, hours of interesting stuff.
Not ashamed to say its helping me no end.

Thanks for the kind words. Only started it to fill in a bit of time when I was looking after my wife following a hip operation. That time is long past so no plans to continue the blog for much longer.

[Spearfish]

Thanks for the kind words. Only started it to fill in a bit of time when I was looking after my wife following a hip operation. That time is long past so no plans to continue the blog for much longer.

Thats a shame, I can imagine the hours burned keeping it going though.
I hope the pages stay up, I'm not finished reading yet? Its a pity its not a blog here as a "sticky".

[davebullet]

Google string method wheel alignment. I think there is a version that doesn't require a jig (but probably isn't as accurate).

Just don't search on rhythm method - might get a completely different set of techniques!

(PS: or get a bike with a single sided swingarm ... even though it might be bent (even though it's not a honda) :-)

[bsasuper]

It cant matter much, at least not to ducati, when the st4 came out a made brought one and complained to the dealer the bike was flopping in corners, there was 10mm sideways slop in the swingarm pivot.

[F5 Dave]

Would you ride a bike assembled by an Italian? Probably too busy perving at the office staff to notice what bits were left over.

[YellowDog]

Hope this laser rig is of interest: http://geoffjames.blogspot.com/2010/03/wheel-alignment-improve-your-handling.html

Still in use after knocking it up in 2003.

That is such a great idea, I'm going to make my own. Thanks.

[p.dath]

Hope this laser rig is of interest: http://geoffjames.blogspot.com/2010/03/wheel-alignment-improve-your-handling.html

Still in use after knocking it up in 2003.

That ready made ProAligner device you mention looks great too.
http://www.proaligner.com

[Blackbird]

That is such a great idea, I'm going to make my own. Thanks.

Thanks for that, Yellow Dog. I was going to make it adjustable but as my Blackbird and Street Triple had identical width tyres, there was no need to complicate things. Besides, if there is any difference, it's easy to measure the offset on either side of the bike with a rule where the laser spot strikes the target plate. No point in making it complicated!:yes:

Cheers,

Geoff