HIGH SPEED WOBBLE anyone?

8586 Views 31 Replies 12 Participants Last post by Zenbiker, Jun 3, 2006

Adrian

Discussion Starter · Jan 19, 2004

Just finished the 02 bike with the 250 rear that had a terrible high speed wobble at 100 to 120 all the time. Tony (the owner) said the bike was no fun to ride at faster speeds because he was scared he would loose it. He also said he didn't drive like that much but would like to be able to if he wanted.
The first thing I checked was the rear wheel tracking with the front. I used a 16" laser level (I got from Kragens for, $4.99 after rebate) and found out that the rear wheel was cocked 3/4 of an inch. After installing the wheel I got it dead on with the laser. The next thing I did was check the steering head torque and it was 45 lbs. I loosened the 3 pinch bolts and brought it to 70 pounds but the steering still felt loose but the book calls for 60 so I stopped. The belt was off center so I had to adjust the front pulley over a 1/4 inch to get the belt close to center. This is one of the pulleys that Marv sells and has no side rings.
End of story Tony called me and said he felt like he had a new bike because no wobble at all speeds up to 135 MPH and said he didn't understand why, but it seemed to handle like a smaller bike at all speeds, even at slower ones.
I checked mine Saturday and found it to be 1/2 inch off so that is the project for the day.
Tony was told by some powers to be, that the wobble was a problem with the change of wheels and tires and he could have only looks or performance but not both.

Adrian

1 - 20 of 32 Posts

MBFsupport

· #2 · Jan 19, 2004

My wobble was around 85 mph. I found that my Avon front tire was a problem but my steering head may have been most of the problem. I torqued mine down to 60 or 65 , can't remember now

but that made the bike handle like a "small bike" too.
Glad you got you buddy going Bro. Your a good man

HogV8

· #3 · Jan 20, 2004

I pulled my front forks off today on my 2000 to check my neck bearings . I'm glad I did because after seeing my bearings and races , there was no question they needed to be replaced . I wasn't having any problems , but the O rings seals do little if any thing to keep the bearings dry. The O rings need to be larger in dia. or possibly a flat rubber seal or washer type . I'm looking for something better than the stock O rings to seal out water. Am also replaceing the bearings with Timken bearings and races .

Adrian

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jan 21, 2004

Just got back from a 200 mile ride after the laser alignment and I sure can tell a big time difference between trying to center the belt alignment and the laser. If you have not done it, you should, and just see the difference at all speeds. Even changing lanes, pushing 120 MPH or just turning around at slow speeds you will feel a difference.

Adrian

Cruisin Dave

· #5 · Jan 22, 2004

I don't have any trouble turning my Boss around at slow speeds... :lol:

No wobble either... :wink:

Think that extra wheel has anything to do with it?? 8)

Cruisin' Dave

Adrian

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jan 27, 2004

My friend , Tony, that has the 02 385 HP called today and had nothing but good things to say about alignment. He said he had his bike to 3 different Dealers to fix his high speed wobble and no one fixed it. He is so happy with the bike that he said it is the first time since he bought it that it exceeds his expectations.
I will say my Boss rides better than I can remember so if you haven't tried the laser, like listed, you need to.

Dave
You need to try the laser like Neil set out. With the help of my cruise control (that you turned me onto) I can take my hands off the Bars at 75 and go forever if the road is flat. Before I did the Neil Laser trick it would make a almost square turn .

Adrian

Kurt Roll

· #7 · Jan 27, 2004

Hey Guys,
After you play lazer tag with the rear wheel, how do you center the belt? Does the stock front pulley adjust from side to side after you loosen up the locking collar?
Regards,
Kurt

hossbuilder

· #8 · Jan 27, 2004

Alignment

Kurt,

Most folks do their alignment in the wrong sequence. As Adrian has outlined, the first thing you must do is get the wheels tracking straight ahead in the same horizontal path. The laser alignment does this. This is the most important step, as your health depends on it. Getting the belt to run straight is the second step and this is not a mandatory procedure. At worst, you might get a squeak under certain conditions.

If you want to align the belt, getting it to run straight involves two procedures. 1) Align the engine / transmission to the wheels (there are adjustment spacers 'wahers' on the front engine mounts and then 2)align the pulley on the transmission output shaft so it is centered with the pulley on the rear wheel.

Neil

HogV8

· #9 · Jan 27, 2004

I bought a 16" laser level . I hate to ask again but could someone explain the procedure for laser alignment . I understand the idea and the results but not the sequence of the procedure.

Thanks , Jack

Adrian

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jan 27, 2004

Jack
Stand the bike up as straight as you can. Then place a ruler on each side of the bike, on it's edge, against the tire just below the axle so you will be the same on each side. (I take two 2X4's and lean the rulers against them using a small "C" clamp so they won't fall over). Then take the level, put it against the rear tire on one side and shoot at the rulers seeing where you are at then do the same on the other side. Next I loosen the belt up a bunch so I can align the wheel up so it will read the same on each side. When I get it the same I tighten each adjuster the same till I am almost as tight as I need to be (300 lbs) then shoot the laser again. If you are way off because the pressure of the belt the realign and then go for the 400 Lbs. Now if it gets off again as you tighten then you might have the swing arm bushings showing some wear.
Jack this is a easy thing to do and is worth the time plus I would never believe it would make such a difference as it has. Your bike may be closer than mine was because you had used straight edges and I was trying to get the belt in the center.

Adrian

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Zenbiker

· #11 · Jan 27, 2004

Adrian
Have you found that the laser method is better than the on-road adjust and test method about which we have posted many times? The fact is that I have been able to eliminate any wobble with my method but yours sounds a lot easier.
Joe

Adrian

Discussion Starter · #12 · Jan 27, 2004

Joe

This is easier than the road deal and I would say better. It makes it go as straight as a string and you don't have to look for a spot to pull over and then try to get the tension perfect while on the side of a road some place.

I will say the road works good for sure.

Adrian

HogV8

· #13 · Jan 27, 2004

Thanks Adrian , I'll check it out although I do think mine is pretty dam close because I couldn't believe how nice the bike handled after my sraight edge elignment . Night and day difference in tracking and cornering. like riding a totally different bike .

HogV8

· #14 · Feb 2, 2004

Today I did the laser level alignmemt of my rear wheel to my front wheel as Adrian recommended and as it turned out my alignment was right on because I had previously aligned the wheels using a long straight edge. I can definetly see that the laser level method is the easiest and most accurate way to align your wheels , the only thing I would recommend is for what little these 16" laser levels cost , it would be nice to have two identical levels , that way you wouldn't have to keep switching the level from one side of the rear wheel to the other and you could have a laser beam showing down each side of the bike and I think it would make the job much simpler . Once you have the wheels aligned with the laser it will be very simple to keep them aligned provideing something unforeseen doesn't happen . Thanks to Adrian this is a great method but don't be suprised if you belt does not track exactally in the center of your pulley after you do the alignment. That's a whole other story or alignment , but if the belt doesn't chirp of wear on the edge , why worry about it.

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Adrian

Discussion Starter · #15 · Feb 4, 2004

Question on how the factory aligns our rear wheel.
I'm not sure that I know what the factory does to get the rear wheel aligned with the front but I am sure they do something. The reason I say this is because when I got my Boss I had no wobble or ill handling but my problems started when I replaced the rear wheel the first time. I was told it was most important to get the belt centered in the rear pulley so I'm sure that is a subject that needs to be addressed by the factory.

Adrian

HogV8

· #16 · Feb 4, 2004

I think if you have your front and rear wheels aligned perfect and your belt tracks off center of the pulley/pulleys , you can align this by following the steps that Neil Weber said in a previous post. But like I said , if the belt doesn't chirp or sqweek , and isn't wearing on the side , why bother? The belt tracking off center is not going to effect the handleing of the bike at all. On the other hand , if you have a custom pulley with no raised sides , it might not look as nice as it would tracking dead center .

V8GRUMPY

· #17 · Feb 4, 2004

Jack & Adrian,

If you're running a pulley like mine, without sides, the belt will come off if it is too far off center

One thing to check is that the engine/transmission is straight in the frame. Although the engine mounts are very rigid, when I lost the two rear trans bolts out of the bike, my tranmission shifted to the right, at the rear approximately 1/8"

It is important, I think, to remember that if you are removing those two rear mount bolts with the belt tension set up, it very well could shift the trans to the right due to the belt pulling on it. This is especially true for the guys running skid pans who take those bolts out everytime they change oil. Also remember that the frame holes allow the trans to be off just a bit. I could get the bolts back in well before I had the holes centered up.

I know this is factual, because I could not line up my belt until I found the trans bolts missing and realined the rear of the trans and rebolted it :?

This could be an issue on a lot of BH ou there that have a prolem getting their belts to run centered with the wheels aligned

:twisted:

Tim

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HogV8

· #18 · Feb 4, 2004

Tim , now when you had to realign your rear transmission mounts or bolt holes , did you loosen your front motor mounts and did you have to rearrange the shims/washers on your bottom front motor mounts to get the belt to track in the center of the pulley/pulleys ?

V8GRUMPY

· #19 · Feb 4, 2004

Jack,

All I did was loosen the belt tension so the trans was not being pulled by the rear wheel so hard. I pryied the trans over until I could get one bolt in with a bit of pressure on it, then kept working it over until the second hole was centered and I could insert the second bolt. I didn't realize how far they were off except I bought new bolts and could not get them to thread, though maybe the bolts had broken off in the case instead of coming out.

Once I got the bolts in, I rode for the day and then the following day I loosened the belt, took the bolts out to see if they were still about in the center. Then I snugged the bolts up and did the belt centering....both front and rear pulleys were dead center.......tightened it all up and its has stayed that way since.....

Tim

HogV8

· #20 · Feb 4, 2004

I'm not suggesting that you wheels are out of alignment but you should buy a couple of these 16" laser levels and check it out. I bought the 16" laser level at Harbor freight for $ 9.99. Buy two , I think it makes the alignment much easier. You might be suprised because the few people I know that have aligned their wheels have found that with the wheels aligned perfect the belt tracks slightly to the left of the rear pulley.

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