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Help troubleshooting front end shake

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Old Oct 27, 2020 | 12:09 PM
  #11  
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Originally Posted by WP50
If the rotor drag was enough it might create what you describe, I think
If this was my bike I would find an area of road (away from traffic) that the shake can be duplicated easily.
Unbolt the calipers and strap them up and outta the way.
Test ride and see if the shake is gone.
This may sound crazy to ya but then I have ridden bikes with no front brake at all in the past.
Good luck WP
without the calipers the wheel spins great, with the left side it spins free with a slight pad noise. When I put on the right it drags and only spins about 1-1.5 turns with a good bit of effort. I can try to unmonitored the caliper. I’ve run without a front brake before. I think I can try it on a straight road near my house. Have to get it to 40mph before it does it.
 
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Old Oct 27, 2020 | 12:56 PM
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Not to insult your capability but when you put your axle in the forks did you torque the axle nut before you tighten the lower fork/axle pinch bolts? If you tightened the pinch bolts first, your fork leg could be getting pulled over when the axle nut is torqued down. In short the fork tubes aren't parallel and the right fork tube is being pulled over. I would loosen the axle pinch bolts and maybe the pull in the fork tube will relax.
 
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Old Oct 27, 2020 | 07:25 PM
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Originally Posted by Kazu Hiro
yes. No shake with the old wheel.
Ok.

Brake rotors can cause pulsing when braking, but not a wobble.

In the one picture, it looks like there’s a gap between the fork leg and the axle spacer. This would allow the wheel to move back and forth. While that could cause wiggling, I don’t see how or why it would be limited like what you’re experiencing though.

Tires can cause wiggles. But that is usually speed related. Newly mounted tires can be not fully seated into the rim, creating a pulsing, though not typically a wiggle.

Wiggling, at about 30-50 mph, hands off the bars, usually decelerating, are usually a geometry issue. Sometimes a steering damper can help, The usual “fix” is to simply leave a hand on the bars. It takes very little damping to keep it from happening. It was very common on bikes some years ago.

However, this wiggling usually is associated with steeper steering and less wheel track. Going with a larger wheel (I take it that’s what you’ve done?) takes this in the opposite direction.

You may be able to dampen it simply by tightening the steering head.
 
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Old Oct 27, 2020 | 09:47 PM
  #14  
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Originally Posted by seniorsuperglideE8
Not to insult your capability but when you put your axle in the forks did you torque the axle nut before you tighten the lower fork/axle pinch bolts? If you tightened the pinch bolts first, your fork leg could be getting pulled over when the axle nut is torqued down. In short the fork tubes aren't parallel and the right fork tube is being pulled over. I would loosen the axle pinch bolts and maybe the pull in the fork tube will relax.
No insult taken. I would question the same. I did it 3 times. Once by the manual, once by tightening the pinch bolts first. Then back by the manual again. Same result either way. Funny thing is, according to the center line of the caliper, it has to pull further out then it is with the leg relaxed. I thought that pull the leg til it hits a drill but method was a thing of the past by the time the new axle size came around.
 
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Old Oct 27, 2020 | 09:50 PM
  #15  
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Originally Posted by foxtrapper
Ok.

Brake rotors can cause pulsing when braking, but not a wobble.

In the one picture, it looks like there’s a gap between the fork leg and the axle spacer. This would allow the wheel to move back and forth. While that could cause wiggling, I don’t see how or why it would be limited like what you’re experiencing though.

Tires can cause wiggles. But that is usually speed related. Newly mounted tires can be not fully seated into the rim, creating a pulsing, though not typically a wiggle.

Wiggling, at about 30-50 mph, hands off the bars, usually decelerating, are usually a geometry issue. Sometimes a steering damper can help, The usual “fix” is to simply leave a hand on the bars. It takes very little damping to keep it from happening. It was very common on bikes some years ago.

However, this wiggling usually is associated with steeper steering and less wheel track. Going with a larger wheel (I take it that’s what you’ve done?) takes this in the opposite direction.

You may be able to dampen it simply by tightening the steering head.
There is a shoulder on the axle that butts against the spacer so no, the wheel isn’t wobbling. It very solidly in there. I can make the gap go away but I think that’s pulling the fork leg in the wrong direction causing the rotor run to be worse. I currently leaning on the idea that the right bearing is the wrong one and the bearing is sitting too far in the hub by a couple mm.
 
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Old Oct 27, 2020 | 09:52 PM
  #16  
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Originally Posted by Keithhu
You changed the geometry of the bike. Keep your hands on the bars and you'll be fine.
all input points to the 16-19” wheels using the same 130 width tire in whatever sidewalk height it comes in have basically the same height. Maybe a few mm off. Hopefully that’s not enough to change the geometry enough to cause shake. I could keep my hands on the bars but I would like to determine the root cause before I consign myself to that fate.
 
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Old Oct 28, 2020 | 08:37 AM
  #17  
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Look at Ronnie's parts finder. There are different bearings and spacers for ABS/non-ABS wheels. That may account for the gap between the leg and the spacer.
 
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Old Oct 28, 2020 | 11:45 PM
  #18  
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Originally Posted by Old_Bikes
Look at Ronnie's parts finder. There are different bearings and spacers for ABS/non-ABS wheels. That may account for the gap between the leg and the spacer.
ill take a look at that. Thanks!

The Knuckle that came off was ABS and the Enforcer that went on had ABS bearings put in. No one I talked to leading up to this, even at the dealer brought up a different spacer for the swap. As long as the axle diameter was the same and the correct bearings were used I was told it was a go. I’ll see if there is a spacer I can use.
 
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Old Oct 28, 2020 | 11:52 PM
  #19  
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Update:

I removed the wheel to compare spacing from outside bearing face to outside bearing face. Both 165mm.

then I remounted as per manual. This time using a rubber mallet to drive the axle through the forks instead of wiggle and twist. Checked the spacing with the pinch clamp loose and the axle nut hand tight. This time it was even at 74mm from inside rotor face to outside of fork leg. Also measure the wheel and it was centered in the fork legs. Then mounted the calipers and this time they were centered on the rotors vs 1-1.5mm off on the right last time.

So far so good but it’s been storming so can’t test ride it yet. Even if it still shakes I’ll just deal with it until it’s time to get new pads. Then I’ll get new rotors too.

 
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Old Nov 8, 2020 | 06:55 PM
  #20  
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Update: The pulse under braking finally showed itself. Talked with the guy I bought the rotors from and he is sending me a new one. Right now this all points to the right side rotor being warped, hopefully this replacement rotor will solve the issues.
 
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