making my harley handle better....
#2
08-15-2006, 04:26 PM
Outstanding HDF Member
#3
08-15-2006, 05:00 PM
RE: making my harley handle better....
Phil Day the owner of Daytec frames wrote up an excellent aritical in a magazine a while back for addressing handeling and wobbeling on dressers.
He has built some specialized equipment jigs to align the frame and offers a specialized reinforced swing arm with different bushings... but his overall methodology in addressing the bike's handling seemed very sound to me.
I didn't spring for the swingarm or bushings but everything else I easily did with my bike up on the lift in my garage.
I followed the factory manual and checked both my rims for run out and true.
cleaned, packed and shimmed each wheel's wheel bearings for proper end play.
Followed the specs in the manual to align the engine and trans within the frame, replaced some old worn out motor mounts and stabailzer links that I found when I was doing it. (Had to do base, rocker and primary gaskets at the time, so I was in it anyways)
Checked the rear swingarm for wear and play,
In my case, I had to pull the primary off to replace a worn tranny shifter shaft, the rear trans sprocket was found to be loose, replaced it and the retaining washer, nut with the factory upgrade kit.
put the tires to proper inflation
measured and adjusted the rear wheel after checking for belt tension and making sure it aligned and tracked straight compared to the front, Used two long straight edges, and a helper.
Adjusted the rear shocks with air, so that when I bounced on it, the suspension cycled once and used 1/3 of it's travle to cycle
Replaced the front fork springs with Progressive suspenion springs and mid wieght fork oil, cut the pvc spacer to the required hieght and installed them. The forks cycle once if you push down on them and use @ 1/3 there travle.
Replaced my worn flat rear tire.
All of this was done during the build up process when I bought the old bike. It was worth all the time and effort, my old '89 tracks straight and true, no wobbles, no headshake.
Since yours is an 95 EVO, I bet if you put it up on the lift and strip it down, you will find a lot of parts that are worn and out of tolerances (motor mounts, forksprings, wheel bearings, etc). Doing all those little things and making them right will get your sled back up to spec and handling right.
Don't sweat it, even the Twinkies wobble, and the older ones like the 99's to 02's with a bunch of miles on them will need this level of detailed inspection as well.
He has built some specialized equipment jigs to align the frame and offers a specialized reinforced swing arm with different bushings... but his overall methodology in addressing the bike's handling seemed very sound to me.
I didn't spring for the swingarm or bushings but everything else I easily did with my bike up on the lift in my garage.
I followed the factory manual and checked both my rims for run out and true.
cleaned, packed and shimmed each wheel's wheel bearings for proper end play.
Followed the specs in the manual to align the engine and trans within the frame, replaced some old worn out motor mounts and stabailzer links that I found when I was doing it. (Had to do base, rocker and primary gaskets at the time, so I was in it anyways)
Checked the rear swingarm for wear and play,
In my case, I had to pull the primary off to replace a worn tranny shifter shaft, the rear trans sprocket was found to be loose, replaced it and the retaining washer, nut with the factory upgrade kit.
put the tires to proper inflation
measured and adjusted the rear wheel after checking for belt tension and making sure it aligned and tracked straight compared to the front, Used two long straight edges, and a helper.
Adjusted the rear shocks with air, so that when I bounced on it, the suspension cycled once and used 1/3 of it's travle to cycle
Replaced the front fork springs with Progressive suspenion springs and mid wieght fork oil, cut the pvc spacer to the required hieght and installed them. The forks cycle once if you push down on them and use @ 1/3 there travle.
Replaced my worn flat rear tire.
All of this was done during the build up process when I bought the old bike. It was worth all the time and effort, my old '89 tracks straight and true, no wobbles, no headshake.
Since yours is an 95 EVO, I bet if you put it up on the lift and strip it down, you will find a lot of parts that are worn and out of tolerances (motor mounts, forksprings, wheel bearings, etc). Doing all those little things and making them right will get your sled back up to spec and handling right.
Don't sweat it, even the Twinkies wobble, and the older ones like the 99's to 02's with a bunch of miles on them will need this level of detailed inspection as well.
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