aligning rear tire on hartail?

birdhouse

birdhouse

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Can anyone give a little lesson on how to align and set up your rear wheel on my 650 hardtail. Im trying to learn to maintenence this bike and be hands on as much as I can. Thanks for all the help and tips ahead of time. (the wheel is 18" spoked rear if that helps)
 
no did not buy as hard tail. I just took the rear wheel up to local shop to get new tire put on. im trying align my rear tire to set my rear fender. I have referenced in a few spots and have done the coat hanger trick I was told about. I just want to get other opinions on some good ole fashion garage tricks for aligning a rear wheel. And yes I have seen 2x4 trick in the Klymers. Knats??? Yea I guess I spelled that wrong. NATS like a bug. Phrase kinda mimics "Making a mountain out of a mole hill"
 
Never heard the Elephant and Gnats saying. Man I read that last word all wrong then. didn't even think of the bug. Dude, I used the eyeball method lol.
 
I have never heard of the eye ball method either. LOL I guess when you get 78 looks on a thread like this and nobody has any good info then its time to do the eye ball method to get your rear fender set!!!!!!! the sad thing is i fabricated my rear fender to fit my rear tire almost perfect!!!!!!! I'd like to align a 158.00 rear tire up decent enough for it last me for a season. I guess it gives a reason behind the saying " Choking on elephants and swallowing NATS" lol!!! Thanks for the help guys
 
tried and true string method, run a string around the wheels 1/8 nylon works well pulled tight at the rear with a bungie cord
 

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When I did mine, I used a line laser from a skill saw. Probably looked funny- hunkered down behind my bike in the dark.
I made it so the laser would shine on both faces of the two sprockets. After running it alittle up/down my driveway, the chain appears to be in the middle of the sprockets, so I guesse it worked. Thats what I did.
 
tried and true string method, run a string around the wheels 1/8 nylon works well pulled tight at the rear with a bungie cord

Thank you!!!!!! i love good ole' shade tree stuff like this. Will give it a try tomorrow to refrence my other method I used today. And yes the eye ball method looks pretty good but i pulled a measuring tape on some reference points and shit was'nt working out .Hint the reason on trying something else before i set my fender.
 
I tried a couple of ways...always came back scratching my head, wndering if the bike will track straight...

What I finally did was the old eyeball method too...to get it close. My main thing was to make the chain to run straight to the drive on the motor. I used a straight edge to my sprockets and shimmed accordingly.

Then what I did was to fab/fit my chain to the wheel and engine sprockets, tightened up to where I think it should be and rolled the wheel a bunch of times...I kept adjusting the axle until the chain on the rear sprocket teeth ran basically in the center of the chain from front to back, and not off to the side anyplace...This hopefully will set the axle parallel with the theoretical drive in the engine,and if the engine is square in the frame, all should be good.....We will see.. :)
Tom
 

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