different day different problem found....please help

[Slavik]

so i figured out the brake problem and got the new handlebars, fork brace, and forks installed....guess what, the $@%&^ front wheel isn't pointing straight......now i look at the forks from the side, and notice that they not completely parallel (the front wheel is on already)...are these replacement forks bent too?  they looked pretty streight off the bike, but didn't try to measure straightness in any way...they were kind of hard to put back, but i thought the brackets were just too hard. what else could 've bent?   i would assume the triple brace is hard to bend, especialy when the fork already gave way...can it be that lower brace and top brace rotated?  is it hard to correct?  how would i do that?  what does that adjustment nut on the steering column adjusts? am I looking at the new front end?......sotrry for all these questions i a bit frustrated and pretty lost right now.....all of the feedback is apreciated...thanks in advance

[jiggersplat]

i can offer these two tidbits that might help:

1) the tripple is aluminum and would most likely break before it bent

2) it's possible that your fork brace has been tweaked

[Slavik]

i can offer these two tidbits that might help:

1) the tripple is aluminum and would most likely break before it bent

2) it's possible that your fork brace has been tweaked

when you say fork brace, do you mean the bracket that has fender bolted on?  or one of the triple bracings (i am assuming thats to separate parts connected through the steering columns)

the bracket that has fender connected to it is new, the old one got destroyed in a crash....that brakcet doesn't line up prefectly, although i was able to bolt it to forks.....is there something i can loosen up that would let me turn my wheel w/o handlebars turning?

[jiggersplat]

the fork brace is the plate that the fender bolts to.  or the plate to which the fender bolts for the grammar police.

you can try loosening the triple clamps and twisting the fork legs and see if you can get them lined up any better.  there is no way to turn the wheel without turning the handlebar.

[Slavik]

do you loosen the triple clamps by loosening that large bolt in the middle of the steering column?

[Affschnozel]

I recently had a close encounter with a jerk and consequently had to replace front forks. So to avoid further frustration i suggest disassembling the tripple
clamp and checking it for damage(before that, check straightness of forks with straight-edge or by rolling them on flat surface). The steering stem on bottom yoke must be at 90 deg. to the base of the yoke(straight-edge again)
,also the base itself must be flat. If damage is evident in some cases the clamp can be straigtened back to its former glory.
Anyway it's worth a check IMO.

[jiggersplat]

no, there should be bolts on both sides that tighten down around the forks.

parts 7 and 12 here

[Slavik]

the pinch bolts were loose although it did take quite a bit of effor to get the fork in the tripple brace....th efork brace isn't attached to the forks as well as of now....the f. wheel is not pointing straight though  :x

http://houseofmotorcycles.bikebandit.com/partsbandit/showschematic~dept_id~723998.asp[/url]

i am thinking that perhaps #3 or #4 are bent and cause the missallignment (i'll check on that) but i always assumed that the tripple brace would correct for it....so there is no way to turn #1 and keep #11 in place?

[jiggersplat]

#3 and #4 only hold the headlight and turnsignals on.

you may be able to rotate the top and bottom tripple clamps independently, but really once you insert both fork tubes they should pretty much be set in position.

[Slavik]

so basicalyy at this point all i can do is to loosen all of the pinch bolts take off the fork brace and try to force the wheel straight by bending whatever back.....would loosening #15 permit top and bottom clamp to rotate relative to each other?  what does #10 adjusts?

[Affschnozel]

#10 adjusts steering stem bearing freeplay.And yes #15 will allow movement of clamps relative to each other.

[Slavik]

so #10 just pre-loads the bearings.....ok will try the brute force method

[Slavik]

OK, the forks/wheel seems pretty streight now....I loosened all of the clamps and the steering bolt...got the wheel on the ground, compressed the forks couple of times, compressed the brake, got the whole thing as straight as i could and tightened everything back up....seem to work for now