Rear fork off center
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Tourer
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 311
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From: Fond du Lac,Wi.
Rear fork off center
Lets see if I can explain this problem correctly that was pointed out to me when I got my tires changed today at a local indy. shop. I have a 09 Night Train & when I picked her up the machanic showed me that the rear fork assembly was off center & rubbing on the frame on the right side by the rear fender support. So if you can visualize how on a softtail the rear fork (I think some people refer to it as a swingarm also) pivots back & forth in the frame at this point there should be a gap on both sides. There is no gap on the right side but on the left side there is a gap of approx. 1/2". At the pivot shaft on both sides the gap is correct & all the bushings,washers & retaining rings are in place but you can see where the rear fork has paint being rubbed off when it pivots inside of the frame.
So I take it the local H.D. dealer & show it to there service manager & a mechanic. They say this is the 1st. time they ever incountered this,take pictures & need to call Harley tech. service in Milwaukee.
I bought this N.T. right off the show room floor & have never been in any type of accident other then laying it down once when I forgot to put down the kick stand. Manager & mechanic both think it could be a manufacture defect but can't say for sure at this time.
As far as how it handles....I don't notice anything at all wrong-no wobble,shake or anything. I cannot tell how long it's been like this other then I did notice the paint rubbing off of it this last winter when I washed it but never investigated it any further which is on me for not doing so. Damn I wish I would have caught this earlier for warranty sake,allthough I do have the extended warranty.
Has anyone seen this before....kind of bummed out about it because I could be layed up for a long time & thanks for any input....tourman.
So I take it the local H.D. dealer & show it to there service manager & a mechanic. They say this is the 1st. time they ever incountered this,take pictures & need to call Harley tech. service in Milwaukee.
I bought this N.T. right off the show room floor & have never been in any type of accident other then laying it down once when I forgot to put down the kick stand. Manager & mechanic both think it could be a manufacture defect but can't say for sure at this time.
As far as how it handles....I don't notice anything at all wrong-no wobble,shake or anything. I cannot tell how long it's been like this other then I did notice the paint rubbing off of it this last winter when I washed it but never investigated it any further which is on me for not doing so. Damn I wish I would have caught this earlier for warranty sake,allthough I do have the extended warranty.
Has anyone seen this before....kind of bummed out about it because I could be layed up for a long time & thanks for any input....tourman.
Last edited by tourman12; Aug 7, 2012 at 06:54 PM.
Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 135
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From: AZ
Some things to check:
- ensure bearing spacers are correct; both sides have one long and short spacer.
- ensure both axle adjuster screws are turned an equal amount of turns; if they are not equal, it will cause belt tension issues and wheel alignment problems.
Hope this info helps.
- ensure bearing spacers are correct; both sides have one long and short spacer.
- ensure both axle adjuster screws are turned an equal amount of turns; if they are not equal, it will cause belt tension issues and wheel alignment problems.
Hope this info helps.
Last edited by AZtek; Aug 7, 2012 at 09:03 PM.
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 311
Likes: 0
From: Fond du Lac,Wi.
Some things to check:
- ensure bearing spacers are correct; both sides have one long and short spacer.
- ensure both axle adjuster screws are turned an equal amount of turns; if they are not equal, it will cause belt tension issues and wheel alignment problems.
Hope this info helps.
- ensure bearing spacers are correct; both sides have one long and short spacer.
- ensure both axle adjuster screws are turned an equal amount of turns; if they are not equal, it will cause belt tension issues and wheel alignment problems.
Hope this info helps.
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 311
Likes: 0
From: Fond du Lac,Wi.
I can say that the bike rides smooth & stright & tire ware is normal. Next step is to have a rep. from Harley-Milw. look at it & decide what to do. In the mean time both shops have no problem with me using the bike. Also I told them about dropping the bike(forgot to put kickstand down)& said that could not have caused this.
Last edited by tourman12; Aug 9, 2012 at 06:25 PM.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 2,477
Likes: 14
From: Western MD
yeah i wouldn't think laying it over from the kickstand up would bend a swing arm.. thats a pretty stout chunk of steel. now if it fell off the side of the 2nd level of a parking garage.. thats another story.. LOL...
did you have a chance to look at another bike and see if the left side spacing was the same 1/2" as yours ?
did you have a chance to look at another bike and see if the left side spacing was the same 1/2" as yours ?
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Tourer
Joined: Apr 2012
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From: Fond du Lac,Wi.
yeah i wouldn't think laying it over from the kickstand up would bend a swing arm.. thats a pretty stout chunk of steel. now if it fell off the side of the 2nd level of a parking garage.. thats another story.. LOL...
did you have a chance to look at another bike and see if the left side spacing was the same 1/2" as yours ?
did you have a chance to look at another bike and see if the left side spacing was the same 1/2" as yours ?
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 2,477
Likes: 14
From: Western MD
if the left spacing is different on other bikes, its either a swingarm that was welded together wrong, or its even possible that frame is drilled/machined wrong for the swingarm bolt. the only way to know for sure is for them to take it apart and do some careful exact measuring to see where the problem lies. pulling the swingarm and laying it up against a known new one and comparing and measuring would confirm whether it was the arm or not.
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 311
Likes: 0
From: Fond du Lac,Wi.
if the left spacing is different on other bikes, its either a swingarm that was welded together wrong, or its even possible that frame is drilled/machined wrong for the swingarm bolt. the only way to know for sure is for them to take it apart and do some careful exact measuring to see where the problem lies. pulling the swingarm and laying it up against a known new one and comparing and measuring would confirm whether it was the arm or not.