'11 Road Glide swing arm not centered in frame?
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Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 158
Likes: 5
From: SC
'11 Road Glide swing arm not centered in frame?
Guys, recently put a rear air ride on my RG and have discovered the swing arm is not centered in the frame causing the left side subframe upright to contact the swing arm and creat a bad vibration. I have looked all over the rear isolator mounts and everything appears to be put together correctly with no abnormal wear. I can not persuade the swing arm to shift to the right with the use of a pry bar and the bike does not have a death wobble so I don't think the bushings are loose or worn out. But what else could cause this?
When lowered down at 11.5" of shock extension, there is zero gap at the LH side of the swing arm and 3/16"-1/4" on the rh side.
When lowered down at 11.5" of shock extension, there is zero gap at the LH side of the swing arm and 3/16"-1/4" on the rh side.
Road Captain
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 577
Likes: 20
From: Reno
It sounds like your swing arm pivot shaft is not aligned to the frame and by that I mean... the engine, trans, and swing arm is not aligned horizontally and vertically with the frame.
That being said... if you go to an independent. Been there and done that! They need to loosen the engine mounts and upper and lower stabilizers and hook up these laser lights to known points. When they have horizontally aligned the swing arm pivot shaft spot on with the frame they will tighten the mount and lower stabilzer. Then with the forks set they use that laser light digital ***** the hell is it oh inclinometer to check the vertical alignment of the rotors front and back and the rear jug head and make the adjustment to the upper stabilzer and tighten it.
That being said... if you go to an independent. Been there and done that! They need to loosen the engine mounts and upper and lower stabilizers and hook up these laser lights to known points. When they have horizontally aligned the swing arm pivot shaft spot on with the frame they will tighten the mount and lower stabilzer. Then with the forks set they use that laser light digital ***** the hell is it oh inclinometer to check the vertical alignment of the rotors front and back and the rear jug head and make the adjustment to the upper stabilzer and tighten it.
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,898
From: Bedford UK
I doubt if any big twin has a centred swingarm, for a very simple reason. Assuming the wheel is in the centre of the bike, the drive line hardware, belt and pulleys, are wider than the brake stuff on the other side, so the swingarm is not symmetrical, which is why the gaps are not the same. In fact the frame may also not be symmetrical for similar reasons.
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 158
Likes: 5
From: SC
It sounds like your swing arm pivot shaft is not aligned to the frame and by that I mean... the engine, trans, and swing arm is not aligned horizontally and vertically with the frame.
That being said... if you go to an independent. Been there and done that! They need to loosen the engine mounts and upper and lower stabilizers and hook up these laser lights to known points. When they have horizontally aligned the swing arm pivot shaft spot on with the frame they will tighten the mount and lower stabilzer. Then with the forks set they use that laser light digital ***** the hell is it oh inclinometer to check the vertical alignment of the rotors front and back and the rear jug head and make the adjustment to the upper stabilzer and tighten it.
That being said... if you go to an independent. Been there and done that! They need to loosen the engine mounts and upper and lower stabilizers and hook up these laser lights to known points. When they have horizontally aligned the swing arm pivot shaft spot on with the frame they will tighten the mount and lower stabilzer. Then with the forks set they use that laser light digital ***** the hell is it oh inclinometer to check the vertical alignment of the rotors front and back and the rear jug head and make the adjustment to the upper stabilzer and tighten it.
So you had this problem and what you described is how they aligned and fixed it?
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 169
Likes: 0
From: Colorado
I discovered the same thing when I installed my ohlins shocks, put the bottom shock bolt in and snug it up, nice gap at the top that needs to be shimmed for the shock to remain in straight alignment. That gap was on the right side of the bike on my 09 ultra and my 2013 road glide, when I spoke with Howard from motorcycle metal it is very common issue, thus the shims that come with new shocks.
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Advanced
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 73
Likes: 22
From: Pensacola,FL
I know this is old, but this needs to be addressed, so here goes. You can align the bikes per the manual and still be off on the vertical alignment by a lot and it does not show on the inclinometer they want you to out on the rear rotor. You must align the wheels at 90*, but also align the powertrain so that the shock mount lengths are equal as well. This ensures a well aligned bike. You must check and align the powertrain to the frame horizontally and then do the vertical, as the horizontal will throw the vertical off if done after vertical, and vise versa.
Regarding the absence of the adjustable link for vertical alignment on the touring bikes after 08, it all comes down to the MOCO getting cheaper and sloppier. Regarding the swingarm being centered in the frame, all of the rubber mounted engine/trans/swingarm/wheel assembly bikes are offset left a bit; Sportsters are right offset, but a different design as well.
The vertical is indeed adjustable, you just need an adjustable link, which can be had used off an earlier touring bike for as little as $5.00+ shipping on Ebay. Look at this video. Demonstrating that the vertical should always be addressed. No, you dont need all that fancy stuff to check this.
Regarding the absence of the adjustable link for vertical alignment on the touring bikes after 08, it all comes down to the MOCO getting cheaper and sloppier. Regarding the swingarm being centered in the frame, all of the rubber mounted engine/trans/swingarm/wheel assembly bikes are offset left a bit; Sportsters are right offset, but a different design as well.
The vertical is indeed adjustable, you just need an adjustable link, which can be had used off an earlier touring bike for as little as $5.00+ shipping on Ebay. Look at this video. Demonstrating that the vertical should always be addressed. No, you dont need all that fancy stuff to check this.
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