Checking vertical alignment
Thread Starter
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 2,066
Likes: 97
From: Northern VA
Checking vertical alignment
I know this topic confused me for a while but thought I'd share how to check your vertical alignment on the Dyna. The tools I bought weren't very expensive (digital level from HD, inclinometer from Amazon, roughly $50 total).
Both tools have magnetic bases which aids in this check. And the digital degrees helps to see how accurate you are (a bubble level won't really tell you much. I found when the bike wasn't perfectly level at 0.9 degrees, it threw the inclinometer reading at the rear wheel off as much as a whole degree.).
What's working behind the scenes: Your engine stabilizer link in the form of a heim joint connects the top of your engine to the frame. It is able to 'tilt' the entire engine/transmission/swingarm, and hence your rear wheel, left/right in the vertical. It's important that the rear wheel is vertical to the ground when the bike is level for proper handling. I didn't have to adjust mine so I won't get into that here, but there's videos from the Glide-Pro website showing how it's done.
First: Get the bike level. I used my J&S jack coupled with a scissor jack and a block of wood. The digital level tells you which way you have to go, so I pushed up on the left side of the bike:
This isn't the only way to adjust the levelness, but it worked for me. The seat pan/frame is a good spot to check.
Do the above in small increments until you get as close to 0 as possible:
Once you've confirmed the bike is as level as you're able to get it, take the inclinometer and attach to your rear rotor:
There's some variance in the measurements and they're pretty sensitive so for me, this is about as perfect as I can see getting it. This reading is after 20k miles and never adjusting the top stabilizer link. I was surprised it was so well adjusted from the factory.
Overview shot:
Hope this helps someone out there,
Matt
Both tools have magnetic bases which aids in this check. And the digital degrees helps to see how accurate you are (a bubble level won't really tell you much. I found when the bike wasn't perfectly level at 0.9 degrees, it threw the inclinometer reading at the rear wheel off as much as a whole degree.).
What's working behind the scenes: Your engine stabilizer link in the form of a heim joint connects the top of your engine to the frame. It is able to 'tilt' the entire engine/transmission/swingarm, and hence your rear wheel, left/right in the vertical. It's important that the rear wheel is vertical to the ground when the bike is level for proper handling. I didn't have to adjust mine so I won't get into that here, but there's videos from the Glide-Pro website showing how it's done.
First: Get the bike level. I used my J&S jack coupled with a scissor jack and a block of wood. The digital level tells you which way you have to go, so I pushed up on the left side of the bike:
This isn't the only way to adjust the levelness, but it worked for me. The seat pan/frame is a good spot to check.
Do the above in small increments until you get as close to 0 as possible:
Once you've confirmed the bike is as level as you're able to get it, take the inclinometer and attach to your rear rotor:
There's some variance in the measurements and they're pretty sensitive so for me, this is about as perfect as I can see getting it. This reading is after 20k miles and never adjusting the top stabilizer link. I was surprised it was so well adjusted from the factory.
Overview shot:
Hope this helps someone out there,
Matt
Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,252
Likes: 7
From: SLC, UT
Hmmm interesting info. I can see someone got bored out in the garage one day! 
But a good discovery. I wonder if that vertical alignment has anything to do with some of the high speed wobbles while cornering...
My bike is also at 20k so hopefully its still in spec but, if I still have handling issues after my suspension upgrades, I'll have to look into this as a possible culprit.
But a good discovery. I wonder if that vertical alignment has anything to do with some of the high speed wobbles while cornering...
My bike is also at 20k so hopefully its still in spec but, if I still have handling issues after my suspension upgrades, I'll have to look into this as a possible culprit.
Thread Starter
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 2,066
Likes: 97
From: Northern VA
You're shooting for 90 degrees or 0 degrees depending on how you have it oriented.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,368
Likes: 27
From: Australia
Hi,
Thanks for reply, its always been one service item that concerned me
Yeah thats pretty good out of the factory then,
Thanks
Mirrmu
Thanks for reply, its always been one service item that concerned me
Yeah thats pretty good out of the factory then,
Thanks
Mirrmu
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Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,252
Likes: 7
From: SLC, UT
Does the inclinometer take the floor into consideration somehow? My garage floor isn't 100% level so, would it orient itself against the ground actually throwing off your alignment?
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