Front forks twisted?
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 186
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From: Beamsville Ont
Front forks twisted?
Wife just got her 2004 FLSTC back from a Major service at the dealer, it has 76,00 km (45,000 miles) on it. She bought the bike used 6 years ago and has put almost all that mileage on herself so she rides it a fair bit. She complained when she got home that "it didn't feel right" in handling. I took it around the block and immediately felt a handling problem, as soon as you go to corner left or right the bike feels like it is pulling you left or right - never felt that way before, turn the bars a bit at slower speed and it pulls hard in that direction. I rode it before it went in and this feels totally different to me as well.
Part of the service order includes lube and adjust the steering head bearings, I don't see any evidence of lube but am assuming they serviced or checked it. Looking at the triple tree from the top it looks like the forks are twisted a bit. The slider tube cap on the left is almost 1/2 inch farther under the bars than the right one, and the chrome front panel behind the headlight is no longer "square" with the bars.
Any suggestions about what could have caused this to happen during service before I go back to the dealer when they open in the morning to tell them they f-ed something up?
Part of the service order includes lube and adjust the steering head bearings, I don't see any evidence of lube but am assuming they serviced or checked it. Looking at the triple tree from the top it looks like the forks are twisted a bit. The slider tube cap on the left is almost 1/2 inch farther under the bars than the right one, and the chrome front panel behind the headlight is no longer "square" with the bars.
Any suggestions about what could have caused this to happen during service before I go back to the dealer when they open in the morning to tell them they f-ed something up?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 14,165
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From: San Diego, CA
Adjusting the steering head properly shouldn't have done that..... What else did they do in their "major service"?
Regardless, I would certainly be there at opening, with the bike, to have them fix it!!
Regardless, I would certainly be there at opening, with the bike, to have them fix it!!
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 186
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From: Beamsville Ont
The shop manual breaks it down as every 5,000 miles/8,000 km a bunch of stuff gets done , then at 10,000 miles/16,000 km more gets done (dealer calls the equivalent minor or major. At the major that includes adjust and lubricate the steering head bearings.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Santa Klaus County, Cali
First...I would not drive it in that condition. That is an accident waiting to happen.
You say the slider tube on the left is about 1/2 inch below the one on the right. My guess would be that the left fork is not securely in place. There is a pinch bolt that keeps the tube from moving and up in place. Thinking...If they had they front end off the ground and the tube slipped down?
It would take a lot of force to tweak the tubes or the triple trees, usually associated with hard front end impact.
You say the slider tube on the left is about 1/2 inch below the one on the right. My guess would be that the left fork is not securely in place. There is a pinch bolt that keeps the tube from moving and up in place. Thinking...If they had they front end off the ground and the tube slipped down?
It would take a lot of force to tweak the tubes or the triple trees, usually associated with hard front end impact.
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 186
Likes: 7
From: Beamsville Ont
Maybe a misunderstanding in the way I phrased it, the cap is not "lower" than, it is to the rear of, basically skewed front to back, not skewed up and down.
Edited to include a picture . When the front wheel is in line with the bike the handlebars appear to be skewed, when the handlebars are square to the bike the front wheel is tracking to the left
Last edited by Sandy Mike; Jul 5, 2015 at 11:49 AM. Reason: Add picture
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From your microscopic picture I can only guess, but are you looking at the relation of the caps to the handlebars? In the picture it is hard to tell, but it almost looks like the bars are skewed to the left a bit. That might also cause that feeling when you ride.
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2015
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From: 46835
if you could get the front wheel off the ground... Does the steering head move freely? I was fixing my first bike (around 45 years ago) and that nut was loose on the top of the steering head, so I did like any good mechanic would do.. I wrenched it down tight...ooooops.
I have tweaked a few sets of forks in the triple tree, never had a sensation of pulling both ways..
I have tweaked a few sets of forks in the triple tree, never had a sensation of pulling both ways..