What's next on the diagnosis?

[Chito]

So my bike had been dropped at some point... then it sat. It's got some sentimental value to it so I'm putting it back. The forks look straight. They compress and decompress without sticking.

The thing is the front wheel doesn't seem to go straight. It looks like it's off by 10 or 15 degrees...

I've tried 2 different wheels.

The fender looks straight. It even looks straight when it's on the forks.

So what's the best way to figure out what is wrong?

 

[scabber]

Loosen the bolts in trees and straightan the tire sort of like what you do to a bicycle hold the tire with youre feet.

 

[Chito]

It just won't go. I've loosened everything. Done my best to hold it, even to the point of trying to get it to go to the left. It always ends up pointing to the right.

 

[RFLIVES]

will the wheel spin straight and freely ? damaged wheel bearings ?

 

[daroberts3]

Your forks or frame neck is bent. Did you "drop" it or get in an accident ?

 

[Chito]

Well... I imagine it must have been more of an accident. Originally it was my grandpa's, but he sold it to a guy that wrecked it. That guy then gave it back to my grandpa... And now I have. No other info really.

So... I guess the next thing to do would be pull the forks back out and take them apart? Or is there an easier way to make that determination?

 

[650Skull]

the bottem tripple tree could be bent. Remove and sit them on a flat surface, you can see if they have a twist in them then.
Pamcopete or 5twins has a pic of this problem here on the site someware. Maybe they will post it for you.

 

[gggGary]

There are three typical areas of "bentness" Most common is bent tubes, remove the front wheel, loosen the upper and lower triple clamps and grab and rotate each tube, a little WD or such will make it easier. Watch the axle end as you rotate the tube, it should not "wobble". Next as 650 skull notes is a bent lower triple. Remove and check it on a flat surface there should be no "rock". The bottom of both clamp areas should sit flat on the surface at the same time. Since the tubes will be off at this point you can roll them on a table with the lower hanging over the edge, again wobble is bad. Lastly the frame can be bent. typically the top tube will have a bow in it and the neck will no longer point straight down. This is usually an "eyeball measurement". I have seen all three several times. We just did a frame swap on a bike a friend bought that had a bent top frame tube. The fork tubes had been replaced so it wasn't obvious but further investigation revealed the fatal frame damage. Tank and seat off we could see the tube was curved to the side. (triple was bent too) BUMMER!

 

[retiredgentleman]

On my bike, the PO had been in an accident. The forks were visually mis-alined (twisted). Removed the tripple tree (steering yoke) and placed it on a piece of glass. It was obvious that lower yoke was bent, as it would rock on the glass. The lower yoke is steel (not cast iron), so it can be bent back to normal.

I re-installed the forks into the lower yoke and clamped them. Put a 2 X 4 between the forks to use as a lever. The 2 X 4 was able to twist the forks, and then place the yoke back on the glass to check for straightness. With a few trys, I was able to restore the yoke to perfectly straight.

 

[Chito]

great info guys... thanks. Exactly what I was looking for. It looks like I won't have time to get to this for a week or so, but I'll let you know.

 

[Chito]

So...

1. The forks twist inside the triple trees without making anything wobble.

2. They also seem to roll fine if I hang the lowers off of the table.

3. I also put a magnetic straight edge on the frame and it didn't look like it had any bulges or low spots. The neck doesn't look unstraight... thought I'm starting to not trust my eyes.

4. I guess this is probably enough to throw my wheel off 10 degrees? The other side sits completely flat.

http://s1073.photobucket.com/albums/w395/Fivenotefanfare/?action=view&current=2011.mp4

 

[gggGary]

Yeah that pic looks like a bent triple. Odds are someone replaced the tubes and did not fix or replace the triple. With the triple and upper triple assembled on the neck the tubes should slide up and through both clamps from below with out forcing. the tube should be centered in the hole as it comes to the upper clamp. With the screws loose and a bit of lube on the tubes they should slide in.

 

[Chito]

Now that you mention it, the left side (the side that moves a bit in the video) does hold the fork. The right just slides out if I don't have the bolts tightened. I wouldn't say it's hard to get left side in and out though... but it doesn't fall out on it's own like the right.

 

[gggGary]

Lower that tube out of the top triple then slowly bring it back up til it's just below the upper clamp hole, is it centered with the hole? It should be......... Your call on attemping to straighten the lower or replace it with a good one. The trick is finding a "good" one, we all know no one would sell a bent one, right?

 

[retiredgentleman]

You can easily straighten that. Its similar to what mine was like, and I had no problem to correct it.

 

[pamcopete]

Here is a pic of my lower triple after meeting up with that woman driving her SUV, talking on her cell phone, stopping two car lengths in front of me making a left turn:

I replaced both triples from Ebay and got lucky. They were perfect.