Terrifying Wobble After Stabilizer. Help!
Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 731
Likes: 7
From: Windsor Ontario
Had a bad high speed wobble on my Sportster. After trying a few different fixes including spoke adjustment, wheel balance, fallaway adjustment, new swingarm bearings and engine mounts, a buddy told me to change my fork oil. The fork oil change was the fix, most important thing is to get the same amount of oil in each fork. If this is not done then you have unequal damping from side to side... and guess what happens when you subject the forks to the stress of high speed?? Think harmonic oscillation...
The annoying low speed decel wobble (more of a wiggle) was another animal altogether. Problem turned out to be the crap Dunlops with the stupid interrupted center rain groove. This caused a slight side to side, and slowly got worse, actually cupping the tread which just aggravated the problem. Replaced the Dunlops with Mich Commander IIs and got myself a sweet handling perfectly stable bike in return.
Good luck and let us know what works for you.
EDIT: actually... on the fork oil change, make sure you pull out the springs and check to see one is not broken or shorter or softer than the other, which would cause the same unequal damping condition.
The annoying low speed decel wobble (more of a wiggle) was another animal altogether. Problem turned out to be the crap Dunlops with the stupid interrupted center rain groove. This caused a slight side to side, and slowly got worse, actually cupping the tread which just aggravated the problem. Replaced the Dunlops with Mich Commander IIs and got myself a sweet handling perfectly stable bike in return.
Good luck and let us know what works for you.
EDIT: actually... on the fork oil change, make sure you pull out the springs and check to see one is not broken or shorter or softer than the other, which would cause the same unequal damping condition.
Last edited by John_K; Jun 22, 2014 at 01:16 AM. Reason: check yer fork springs
Stage II
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: BC
I just added new 14 shocks with new front springs and sputhe kit to my 06 streetbob
also i have switchblade wheels from a superglide with new wheel bearings and new harley dunlop tires
Overall i would say the wheel wobble has gotten a bit better in the corners but is still there also at high speed going straight over 150 km the wobble is considerably worse everything on my bike has been gone through and the only thought that i have now is to add the 2 up kit to my front suspension but im also worried that might make it worse idk wtf
As stated from one previous writers i would say the sputhe kit helps but has also just displaces the problem and makes it better in some ways and worse in others
Overall i would say the wheel wobble has gotten a bit better in the corners but is still there also at high speed going straight over 150 km the wobble is considerably worse everything on my bike has been gone through and the only thought that i have now is to add the 2 up kit to my front suspension but im also worried that might make it worse idk wtf
As stated from one previous writers i would say the sputhe kit helps but has also just displaces the problem and makes it better in some ways and worse in others
Cruiser
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 217
Likes: 38
From: NE Illinois
If you change your bearings be sure to carefully check and record their inset into the wheel before removing them. Likewise check to be certain that the brake rotors are exactly centered in the calipers, if not, tweak the bearing insets when replacing them to re-center. The swingarm has alignment holes a few inches in front of the axle, take your time and get the two sides as equal as possible. Front tire cupping is inevitable. Use a clean rag to wipe a section of front tire, wet it and run your hand over it to see how much cupping you have.Good luck sir.
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