Straightening front forks

[Ranger_426F]

Got a question for the group,

Had a crash "BIG FRIGIN ENDO" last week and tweaked the front forks "twisted". What do you guys do to get them back straight?

I know lossen the triples and eyeball as best as possible, are there any tricks of the trade you all use to get everything lined back up.

Thanks

[MotoGreg]

I just loosen all the pinch bolts, put the front wheel between my legs and pull the handlebars side to side. They'll self center after that. Then tighten the lower clamp pinch bolts. Then check/tighten the upper steering stem nut which can loosen up when twisting. Finally, tighten upper clamp pinch bolts.

[mop]

Ranger:

If your front end is twisted pretty badly, and straightening them out does not prevent them from returning to the twisted state, then you should check your triple clamps. They may be twisted. You can check their straightness by removing the upper clamp (and also the lower clamp if necessary) and laying it on a flat surface. If the clamp rocks back and forth when you push the bottom down against the flat surface, then they are tweaked and there is no good way of straightening them, you must get new clamps. The fork legs themselves are pretty strong, so usually in a big crash, the clamps are the weakest link...........

[mop]

Ranger:

If your front end is twisted pretty badly, and straightening them out does not prevent them from returning to the twisted state, then you should check your triple clamps. They may be twisted. You can check their straightness by removing the upper clamp (and also the lower clamp if necessary) and laying it on a flat surface. If the clamp rocks back and forth when you push the bottom down against the flat surface, then they are tweaked and there is no good way of straightening them, you must get new clamps. The fork legs themselves are pretty strong, so usually in a big crash, the clamps are the weakest link...........

[sirthumpalot]

Someone here suggested this and it has worked for me. Loosen the clamps and the turn the bars back and forth from one lock to the other. In the end the forks should end up pretty strait.

Just be sure to use a torque wrench when you re-tighten the clamps!!

[John_Lorenz]

Agree with thumpy but let me add

if the forks are bent or the crash was serious enough to suggest the tubes are tweaked. Reseting the forks is not the answer. To be safe you should pull the tubes off and take them down to a machine shop and have them measured looked at. A few CM or mm's can cause the forks to bind making for a real harsh ride.

Anyway thats my $4.26 worth Safty First

[dezthumper]

if you find that the forks are damaged, let me know. I may part with my extra set from a 00 426.

[Ranger_426F]

Thanks dez,

I don't think they are bent. Just alittle twisted.

But thanks for the offer ?