Help with tweeked forks

[Guest Guest]

I crashed and tweeked my forks a little. No bends, just misaligned the wheel with the fender. I did the old tried and true yank on the bars while stabilizing the wheel but didn't get it completely aligned. The fender is correctly aligned.

Should I loosen the pinch bolts and reposition the wheel/forks (making sure not to slide the forks up or down in the clamps)?

[G-Man]

Originally posted by Paul in AZ:

Should I loosen the pinch bolts and reposition the wheel/forks (making sure not to slide the forks up or down in the clamps)?

You answered your own question, and really it doesn't matter if you drop your forks just put them back to where they were. The bottom triple clamp on the Yams will prevent them from dropping as they are pinched on.

So did you up your Life Insurance like you were requested too

My insurance runs out tomorrow, I need to re-new thru Cobra (expensive!) or go with Blue/Cross Blue Shield. Only problem is it could take 2-6 weeks to kick in!! ?

Don't want to not be able to ride that long...

G-Man

[motojunkie]

Hey Paul, are you up for Speedworld on Sat? I plan on being there around 6:15. Also, I'm thinking about doing night practice one day next week, any suggestions.

[Guest Guest]

Hey G, not sure I understand your post on the pinch bolts on the bottom clamp. Should I just loosen the upper clamp pinch bolts and realign everything? I was thinking I should loosen both the upper and lower clamps. What do you recommend?

I have plenty of insurance, thank you! ? G, I've got a guy that can offer you some protection - oh yeah, that's a different kind of insurance...

MotoJ, no can do on Speedworld this weekend - still waiting for the results of the Xray on my hand, and it's still pretty sore even if it's not broken (see crash post above). I am hoping to race the Beat the Heat race at Speedworld on June 10 though, assuming my hand is good to go.

[MXOldtimer]

Paul

Just loosen the pinch bolts and straighten your frontend, you wont hurt anything. I dont know if you've tried but raising the tubes in the t-clamps will make your blue baby turn much better.

Doug

[G-Man]

Originally posted by Paul in AZ:

I was thinking I should loosen both the upper and lower clamps.

Yes

G-Man

[Guest Guest]

Don't worry, I don't go near my forks without a torque wrench.

G, I'm still not sure from your reply. I plan to only loosen the upper clamp pinch bolts. Tell me if this is correct or not (in a complete sentence young man!).

MXOLDtimer, how far up in the clamps are you talking. Don't want headshake to be an issue...

[G-Man]

Originally posted by Paul in AZ:

Don't worry, I don't go near my forks without a torque wrench.

G, I'm still not sure from your reply. I plan to only loosen the upper clamp pinch bolts. Tell me if this is correct or not (in a complete sentence young man!).

MXOLDtimer, how far up in the clamps are you talking. Don't want headshake to be an issue...

&%$#@! Paul, I'm gonna come over and whack you upside the head with that torque wrench!

"Yes" as in it will be ok to loosen the upper and lower pinch bolts. It's not like your working on the Space Shuttle Columbia Bruther!! It's a freaken Dirt Bike for Chris Sakes!! ?

If you like the way it's turning now just leave it at that height. It's a tradeoff Turning vs. Stability and the way you have been crashing your brains out may I suggest...Stability!

G-Man

[Guest Guest]

Show me some luv G, show me some luv...

[G-Man]

LOL I'm sorry Paul you know I'm jiving ya..... sorta ?

Your still my young apprentice...

G

[Guest Guest]

The Sorceror's apprentice!!

[Boit]

Ditto on loosening the upper and lower clamps in addition to loosening the pinch bolts. By doing this, you are letting the fork tubes find the natural centers relative to the triple clamps. If you loosen everything and then snug them all down about half torque(with the top clamp pinch bolts up to torque), then, put the bike on the ground and rock it back and forth while holding the front brake tight...and the front wheel straight....it will all self-align pretty close. After doing this, check that the front wheel spins freely without brake drag. Since the caliper is mounted on the left fork leg, if the wheel is misaligned, the slightest disc warp will show up. I had to go thru this procedure 3 times to get everything correct after tweaking my forks. Be patient and it WILL come.

[Guest Guest]

Just to add a little bit o' advise!

When you tighten the pinch bolts ........

DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN

go by the specs in the manual.

for the 99' they are

17lbs top

14lbs bottom

not sure if it is the same for the 426's?

My freind learned the hard way with his 250.

UNTWEEKED the forks then tightened them with just a ratchet and feel but didn't read the manual .

We went riding and that thing was uncontrolible!

Got back home at the end of the day and pulled out the torque wrench and took over 40lbs to loosen!

These things are meant to tweek bak and forth a little.

don't ovr tighten.

[flyinguitars]

I crashed this weekend while doing wheelie in 4th gear aruond 50-60 mph on a fire road. I hit a bump and my foot came off the peg (brake), I started sliding off the bike and punched it by accident, then looped it. Must have looked hilarious! Anyway, my forks are slighty tweeked and my bars are slightly bent. I have (2) questions:

Has anybody here ever straightend their bars? (I have Renthal Buttons)

Boit: When you adjusted your forks in the triple clamps, did you take measurements or just eye it?

Thanks,

Mike

[Guest Guest]

I loosened my upper and lower triple along with my axle bolts, noting the height of the forks in the upper triple. I adjusted the alignment of the forks and wheel and re-torqued all the fasteners. Everything appears to be fine now. Oh yeah, I re-seated the axle by stoking the forks a few times before tightening the axle fasterners.

You can attempt to straighten your bars by prying on them with something line a chain link fence post over the end of the bars but the bars are probably weak at the bend points now. You might try using a bench vise also...

[Guest Guest]

I loosened my upper and lower triple along with my axle bolts, noting the height of the forks in the upper triple. I adjusted the alignment of the forks and wheel and re-torqued all the fasteners. Everything appears to be fine now. Oh yeah, I re-seated the axle by stoking the forks a few times before tightening the axle fasterners.

You can attempt to straighten your bars by prying on them with something line a chain link fence post over the end of the bars but the bars are probably weak at the bend points now. You might try using a bench vise also...