handle bar / for realignment help
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6th Gear
Joined: Jun 2013
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From: Chicago
handle bar / for realignment help
I laid down my 1200C XL in the rain last week. The left handle bar (grip) smacked the pavement and the left side was scraped a bit. I was able to fix everything fairly easily, with the exception of the handbar/fork alignment. The fork stop on the left side broke in the spill and the handlebars are out of alignment with the front tire. Two questions: Do I need a new triple tree? What do I have to do to get the bars realigned? The bars themselves are not bent.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2011
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From: Gulf Breeze, FL
BigWave - I would disassemble the front components and check each piece carefully. Make certain the fork tubes are still straight first. The bottom tree can be drilled/tapped for a bolt to act as a fork stop if no other problems exist. You need to consider that the neck area could be tweaked...take it slow and deliberate to inspect each area.
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6th Gear
Joined: Jun 2013
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From: Chicago
Much thanks.
I appreciate your input. This is my second bike, my first Harley, and until last week, completely cherry. I would like to get it back to that state. I will put it up on a lift and inspect each part. I am assuming the best way to do this is to simply put it up on a lift, loosen everything and realign everything? Again, thanks.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 2,158
Likes: 35
From: Gulf Breeze, FL
Yes, you will need a lift. I don't know your level of wrenching expertise, but I would begin with the forks first. Remove the wheel first, then remove the caliper from the fork leg and hang it with a piece of wire from a clip on the downtube. Loosen the pinch bolts on each tube and remove the legs from the trees. You can do a fair judgement of how straight the tubes are by locating a suitable flat surface such as a glass top table and rolling the tubes (not the lowers).
If the tubes pass the test then proceed to the trees. Loosen the upper tree stem pinch bolt, then slightly loosen the stem nut. With that done insert each tube back into the trees trying to keep both caps about the same distance above the upper tree...tighten only the top pinch bolts on each tube. If both tubes do not slip easily thru each tree something is wrong and needs to be addressed.
If all has gone well up to this point you may now adjust bearing tension with the stem nut following the "fall away" method. Once satisfied with the adjustment tighten the stem pinch bolt and the two lower tube pinch bolts.
I know you will want to repair the fork stop in the lower tree, but thought it best if you determined everything else is ok before spending time with that. Mock the front wheel back up and see what if any progress has been made. You will need to pull the trees apart to repair that fork stop.
Let us know what you find buddy.
If you need any replacement parts tell us the year/model of your bike and I can get you the part numbers.
If the tubes pass the test then proceed to the trees. Loosen the upper tree stem pinch bolt, then slightly loosen the stem nut. With that done insert each tube back into the trees trying to keep both caps about the same distance above the upper tree...tighten only the top pinch bolts on each tube. If both tubes do not slip easily thru each tree something is wrong and needs to be addressed.
If all has gone well up to this point you may now adjust bearing tension with the stem nut following the "fall away" method. Once satisfied with the adjustment tighten the stem pinch bolt and the two lower tube pinch bolts.
I know you will want to repair the fork stop in the lower tree, but thought it best if you determined everything else is ok before spending time with that. Mock the front wheel back up and see what if any progress has been made. You will need to pull the trees apart to repair that fork stop.
Let us know what you find buddy.
If you need any replacement parts tell us the year/model of your bike and I can get you the part numbers.
Last edited by rickss69; Jun 2, 2013 at 11:40 PM.
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6th Gear
Joined: Jun 2013
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From: Chicago
Will do. Thanks again for the guidance. I have a very experienced mechanic buddy who has offered to lend a hand. I ended up getting a new triple tree, so that will be fixed in the process. I will let you know...
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What year 1200C?
The riser bushings went away in 2004.
I used a sheet of diamond plate to square my top and bottom triple clamps. It's probably easier to drop the head light to check clamp alignment before dissasembly of the fork legs. That's not to say the legs aren't bent, too, but unless there was an impact on the forks, I wouldn't think they'd be bent in a drop.
Four points touching:
The riser bushings went away in 2004.
I used a sheet of diamond plate to square my top and bottom triple clamps. It's probably easier to drop the head light to check clamp alignment before dissasembly of the fork legs. That's not to say the legs aren't bent, too, but unless there was an impact on the forks, I wouldn't think they'd be bent in a drop.
Four points touching:
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