Front end sorted... This could happen to you

[ric007]

the problem we found with the front fork was that when the new front tire had been fitted (the same time as all the other adjustments had been done the bolt through axle had been tightened with tension pulling in on the fork leg (making it pigeon toed) resulting in 20 mm of stiction. the fork can now move smoothly without having to fight against itself

[AllanB]

Over tightened you mean? Or Incorrectly tightened?

How was this corrected?

[TLDV8]

the problem we found with the front fork was that when the new front tire had been fitted (the same time as all the other adjustments had been done the bolt through axle had been tightened with tension pulling in on the fork leg (making it pigeon toed) resulting in 20 mm of stiction. the fork can now move smoothly without having to fight against itself

Do you mean the forks had not been compressed with no brake applied to seat the right hand fork on the axle before the pinch bolts were tightened ?

[Fatjim]

sounds like the pinch bolts were done up before the main nut.

[Shaun]

the problem we found with the front fork was that when the new front tire had been fitted (the same time as all the other adjustments had been done the bolt through axle had been tightened with tension pulling in on the fork leg (making it pigeon toed) resulting in 20 mm of stiction. the fork can now move smoothly without having to fight against itself

Pigeon toed haha. If this really was/is the problem, I woulsd seriously suggest there is a spacer missing from the front wheel

No forks will pull in over 20mm of true with out a spacer missing

[CookMySock]

So exactly what is the procedure for fitting the front wheel ?

Steve

[boomer]

bounce the forks with teh front brake on before tightening the pinch bolts...

for you.. take it to a garage and ask them to do it for you.. cheaper and safer all round...!

[Tony.OK]

I lightly tighten the main axle bolt but not the axle pinch bolts, then spin the wheel and whack on the brake a few times, helps to centre the disks with the calipers, then tighten pinch bolts.

[imdying]

20mm of stiction? You mean that 20mm of the forks travel was quite tight?

[cowpoos]

Pigeon toed haha. If this really was/is the problem, I woulsd seriously suggest there is a spacer missing from the front wheel

No forks will pull in over 20mm of true with out a spacer missing

I got his post to meaning measured stiction of 20mm...not forks bowed in 20mm..and yeap..if they are bowed...there's something missing!


Ric...who installed your tyre,etc?

[ric007]

Sorry pigeon toed was the best way i could think of to describe the affect the incorrectly tightened axle was having on the fork. not bowed but pulled in that direction creating static friction (stiction) the first 20mm of travel was stiff and wouldn't travel smoothly.

[Shaun]

I lightly tighten the main axle bolt but not the axle pinch bolts, then spin the wheel and whack on the brake a few times, helps to centre the disks with the calipers, then tighten pinch bolts.

I do it like that as well mate, as Per what Boomer said as well, just a little different in wording, but hey, he is a POM





ric007
L-Plate Rider ♂
Bike: 98 tl1000s
Location: chch
Posts: 22

Sorry pigeon toed was the best way i could think of to describe the affect the incorrectly tightened axle was having on the fork. not bowed but pulled in that direction creating static friction (stiction) the first 20mm of travel was stiff and wouldn't travel smoothly.


Understand you better, I thought TOE in like Tony Boomer describe fitting Well! Of Course even if newish, you WILL always just have a feal of wheel bearings before fitting it back in as well, some times shit has hapened to stuff that should not have! So a little check is a Good call

[TLDV8]

I would suggest reading the workshop manual for the bike you own before touching it.
You do not apply the front brake,infact i go as far as backing the pads off a tad to avoid any problems from the brakes.
With the front wheel in the air (on a TL1000,i have two) the R/H leg will pretty much seat by itself anyway.
On a TL1000 the wheel is pinned to the left hand fork leg via the axle and threaded collet tube,the pinch bolts retain that collet,the collet is against the R/H wheel bearing which centres the caliper to the brake rotor.
The right hand leg floats on the axle shoulder until retained,the front is bounced so it settles,the pinch bolt are then torqued.
If you apply the front brake they will then dictate the seating of the fork leg,the triple clamp bores dictate that.

Threaded collet held by the L/H forks legs pinch bolts which are not touched when removing the front wheel.
Same set up on the SRAD GSXR's and Hayabusa until 2007.



TL1000 axle,the shoulder pins the wheel to the collet.






I will add this for the TL1000,you better be feeling lucky and know the caliper pistons are working in perfect unison (so they do not move the fork leg ) if you bounce the front with the brake on and weight of the bike on the axle before torqeing the pinch bolts.

[Robert Taylor]

I would suggest reading the workshop manual for the bike you own before touching it.
You do not apply the front brake,infact i go as far as backing the pads off a tad to avoid any problems from the brakes.
With the front wheel in the air (on a TL1000,i have two) the R/H leg will pretty much seat by itself anyway.
On a TL1000 the wheel is pinned to the left hand fork leg via the axle and threaded collet tube,the pinch bolts retain that collet,the collet is against the R/H wheel bearing which centres the caliper to the brake rotor.
The right hand leg floats on the axle shoulder until retained,the front is bounced so it settles,the pinch bolt are then torqued.
If you apply the front brake they will then dictate the seating of the fork leg,the triple clamp bores dictate that.

Threaded collet held by the L/H forks legs pinch bolts which are not touched when removing the front wheel.
Same set up on the SRAD GSXR's and Hayabusa until 2007.



TL1000 axle,the shoulder pins the wheel to the collet.






I will add this for the TL1000,you better be feeling lucky and know the caliper pistons are working in perfect unison (so they do not move the fork leg ) if you bounce the front with the brake on and weight of the bike on the axle before torqeing the pinch bolts.

All very good points but personally I dont ''centralise'' the inner and outer tube centrelines by applying the brakes. The brake caliper will clamp to the rotor and that can often pull the fork leg out of line.
I bounce up and down as briskly as possible without applying the brakes and then do up the final pinch bolts. Once they are done up the action should be as free as when they were undone.
What also happens is if the axle has been in and out many times ( such as is the case with racebikes ) wear grooves occur on the axle and in the bore of the lower axle clamp casting that it slides into. When its pinched up it can pull into those wear grooves. Both surfaces should be smooth and a very light coating of high melting point grease applied.
It would matter not if you hade a 25k set of Superbike forks installed, if care to centralise accurately is not exercised they will feel horrible.