Bike is going into the shop tomorrow
 

Nothing major wrong with her but I am sick and tired of tinkering trying to figure out why she always leans left. I don't think it's a axel spacer issue, but you never know.

Anyway it's going to someone with more expertise than me to figure it out why it feels loose in the rear when everything is tight. Wish me luck for something easy and dumb

Oh and it's my softail, not the dyna or Ducati

I had issues with my bagger, recently aligned it with laser levels.. a bit tedious, but not all that bad.. Softail ought to be easier, may be worth a try if you hadn't already.... I've still got to get used to balancing weight between my bags though..https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...0e85f9bb1e.jpg

I do it on the lift, its more EZ on my old back.
The swing arm bushings have to be in excellent shape or its a waste of time.
How to tell?
One EZ way is a mag torpedo level on each disk. Vertically,
Strap the suspension dwn on the lift to simulate rider load and level the front disk -perfect vertically.
like I said a lift is very helpful.
Once you get the front to zero or level read the vertical level on the rear disk.
If not the same you have found the major part of the problem all ready.
Now you have to choose what to use to fix it.
Several vendors offer different things.
Or you can use stock HD crap.
Dont compensate with the top mount as you will still have a worn out swing arm pivot assembly.

That's pretty rad!

When I first got my Heritage it leaned left (IIRC).
I took it to a couple of shops and everyone told me the same thing everything is straight.
Well just to be honest the Dealership told me "they all do that"...
I ground a bit off the speedo drive and got it to lean the other way but it was closer to straight.
When I got rid of the spoke wheel and installed a mag wheel from a dresser and got a speedo drive to fit it now goes straight.

You have to do all your adjustments on the left side adjusting the right side will do nothing for you.

The swing arm bushings have to be in excellent shape or its a waste of time. ... Bingo!

So how do we check the swingarm bearings? Pull the tire, remove the shocks, and give it a shake? Pull everything apart and visually inspect? And lastly, do we need to pack the swingarm bearings like wheel bearings?

carl

Not much to align with lasers on a solid mounted motor on a Softail.

Softail swingarms have spherical bearings ...not bushings..I have never seen one fail.

Might be the rear tire needs adjustment

If I get off my lazy butt I will take a pic of center of wheel , to center swing arm tool I made.
It is a MUST for all swing arm models.

My Heritage favors the left just a slight bit. I always assumed it's because I carry a 15 pound tool roll in the left saddlebag.