Fork algnment

[triman11427]

Given the road conditions in NY following a ridiculous, never ending winter, I wanted to make sure my front forks are in proper alignment following some pretty good "hits" in some unseen potholes. When I tried to reach up to the lower fork pinch bolts to loosen them up, I didn't feel I could get a good grip on the bolts because the work area is so tight. Anyone have a suggestion for the best tool for the job?

 

[nwrider]

Motion Pro makes a width adjustable tool with "V" blocks to check alignment. Merely adjust the "V" blocks spacing to match the distance between each fork tube center line and check to see that the "V" blocks are in full contact with each fork tube top to bottom of each "V" confirming that the forks are in alignment.

 

[Firefight911]

Simplest way to align forks......

Loosen stem nut for top triple,
Loose top triple pinch bolts,
Loosen lower axle pinch bolts
Loosen lower axle,
Mount bike and set at balance point on flat surface,
As you move bike forward, bounce front brake lever a couple times,
Without upsetting or loading forls, get off bike and center stand it (use help if necessary),
Tighten stem nut,
Tighten top triple pinch bolts,
Tighten axle,
Tighten axle pinch bolts,
Ride.

Key points; when tightening stem nut you can not use the steering stop of lower triple to push against. Your equal and opposite force must come against the top triple exclusive of the forks,
You must tighten stem nut first, before pinch bolts,
Axle is always last.

I have the motion pro tool. Good tool but not necessarily easy to use on our S10.

 

[triman11427]

So this process doesn't loosen the lower fork pinch bolts, caliper bolts or fender bolts. I've seen where you loosen everything below the upper pinch bolts down to the axel and bounce straight down on the tank. You can't loosen all the bolts because the forks would raise up the triple tree and drop down.

 

[Firefight911]

So this process doesn't loosen the lower fork pinch bolts, caliper bolts or fender bolts. I've seen where you loosen everything below the upper pinch bolts down to the axel and bounce straight down on the tank. You can't loosen all the bolts because the forks would raise up the triple tree and drop down.

Correct. You can loosen/remove fender but it is plastic and quite malleable around the structure of the forks. If the fender was the sort that had a metal bracket that extended across the top of the wheel assembly and the fender was attached to this then, yes, that bracket would be loosened as well. One thing you can/should do is to verify that the forks are both at the same height in the triples.

Easy Peasey!

 

[triman11427]

Not a problem with any of this. My difficulty was trying to loosen the lower fork pinch bolts. I couldn't get a small socket up in there to loosen the bolts.

 

[Firefight911]

Not a problem with any of this. My difficulty was trying to loosen the lower fork pinch bolts. I couldn't get a small socket up in there to loosen the bolts.

And by leaving the lower triple clamp pinch bolts alone you use this as your "pivot point" for the rest to center around.

 

[triman11427]

Sounds like a plan. Thanks I'll try it.

 

[triman11427]

I read somewhere to undo the pinch bolts before stem nut. Is that accurate?

 

[Firefight911]

The un do is not as critical as the button up. You must button up the stem nut first as it compresses the top triple down. Tightening the pinch bolts first would allow a flex of the top triple potentially creating some bind.

 

[markjenn]

Back to the original question, ractheting box-end wrenches are very handy.

Another handy tool for places you want to use a socket but don't have enough room for the ratchet is socket caps.

Final point I would make is that it is very unlikely your forks are misaligned (vs. new) unless the bike has been crashed or monkeyed with by someone who doesn't know what they're doing.

- Mark

 

[shrekonwheels]

Torque specs for the bolts please

 

[tubebender]

upper - 19 ft/lb
lower - 14 ft/lb

For model years 12 - 13

 

[shrekonwheels]

Thank you, and the steering nut is 94 ft lbs?

Also are ya'll loosening the lower triple clamp bolts as well?

 

[shrekonwheels]

Ok so didn't bother loosening the top triple clamp since that would allow the forks to come up. Did the lower and everything below.

Did not do the steering nut as I do not have a short enough nut to fit under the handlebars, so I would have had to remove the handlebars, where I had no leverage to loosen the nut.

Still made a difference, rides mucho better now

 

[North]

::006::

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Simplest way to align forks......

Loosen stem nut for top triple,
Loose top triple pinch bolts,
Loosen lower axle pinch bolts
Loosen lower axle,
Mount bike and set at balance point on flat surface,
As you move bike forward, bounce front brake lever a couple times,
Without upsetting or loading forls, get off bike and center stand it (use help if necessary),
Tighten stem nut,
Tighten top triple pinch bolts,
Tighten axle,
Tighten axle pinch bolts,
Ride.

Key points; when tightening stem nut you can not use the steering stop of lower triple to push against. Your equal and opposite force must come against the top triple exclusive of the forks,
You must tighten stem nut first, before pinch bolts,
Axle is always last.

I have the motion pro tool. Good tool but not necessarily easy to use on our S10.