Swingarm alignment...
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,573
Likes: 138
From: StL, MO. USA
Swingarm alignment...
After a significant amount of work to improve the handling of my Road King I am still experiencing tracking issues when I encounter grooved/uneven pavement. The problem gets worse as speed increases...it feels like the whole bike gets loose.
I have posted before with some of the stuff I have done to try to correct the problem, but here is a recap:
CCE tripletrees
CCE fork legs
Race Tech .95 springs
Race Tech Gold Valves
CCE swingarm bearings
New front motor mount
New rubber isolators
Reinforced swingarm
Powertrain alignment w/H-D tool
This AM I pulled the rear wheel to check the wheel bearings, and decided to toss a level onto the 'hard parts'.
In the pictures below you can see the horizontal level of the frame rails (below the seat) compared to the level of the swingarm. There is quite a difference.
Any thoughts? Ideas?
- For clarification...bike is on a lift, and shocks are still in place.
I have posted before with some of the stuff I have done to try to correct the problem, but here is a recap:
CCE tripletrees
CCE fork legs
Race Tech .95 springs
Race Tech Gold Valves
CCE swingarm bearings
New front motor mount
New rubber isolators
Reinforced swingarm
Powertrain alignment w/H-D tool
This AM I pulled the rear wheel to check the wheel bearings, and decided to toss a level onto the 'hard parts'.
In the pictures below you can see the horizontal level of the frame rails (below the seat) compared to the level of the swingarm. There is quite a difference.
Any thoughts? Ideas?
- For clarification...bike is on a lift, and shocks are still in place.
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,321
Likes: 12
From: Shorewood IL
I am by no means a motorcycle mechanic in any way other than I work on my own. I do recall doing a frame alignment on my previous bike. I seem to remember adjusting the motor mounts would level the frame rails. I don't recall anything that would adjust the level of the swing arm. I was thinking that if you had the shocks that were different for each side, dampening and pre load, that might cause a little out of level on the swing arm when it was free floating with out rim/tire installed.... Just thinking out loud
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,573
Likes: 138
From: StL, MO. USA
The bike is a 1999 Road King, with a 2000 swingarm.
There has been a LOT of work done to the bike...so it gets a bit complicated when trying to diagnose.
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The alignment process for the H-D 'touring' powertrain involves using a specific tool that centers the motor (and in turn the primary, transmission, swingarm & rear wheel) in the frame. I got access to the tool a couple of weeks ago and followed the process specifically.
When my issue with tracking was still evident, I decided to check the rear wheel bearings and also checked 'level' of the driveline components.
The shocks are still in place...but I am running air-ride and they contain no pressure at the moment. So that should not be impacting the horizontal level of the swingarm.
I may be wrong about this, but I have a feeling that if (when) I pull the swingarm I am going to find it bent.
There has been a LOT of work done to the bike...so it gets a bit complicated when trying to diagnose.
--
The alignment process for the H-D 'touring' powertrain involves using a specific tool that centers the motor (and in turn the primary, transmission, swingarm & rear wheel) in the frame. I got access to the tool a couple of weeks ago and followed the process specifically.
When my issue with tracking was still evident, I decided to check the rear wheel bearings and also checked 'level' of the driveline components.
The shocks are still in place...but I am running air-ride and they contain no pressure at the moment. So that should not be impacting the horizontal level of the swingarm.
I may be wrong about this, but I have a feeling that if (when) I pull the swingarm I am going to find it bent.
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 622
Likes: 2
From: Connecticut
Two separate things here.
Level/alignment: Did you adjust the upper motor stabilizer link to plumb the engine in the frame?
Tracking: If you loosen the pivot bolt and slacken the belt is there any side to side play in the swing arm? You want the spacers inside the swingarm tight to the transmission, the only thing that should move/rotate in this entire assembly is the swingarm on the Spherical bearing, everything else should be locked up tight. You need to make sure the swing arm bushings are pressing against the isolator and that the swingarm is not touching the isolator on either side.
Level/alignment: Did you adjust the upper motor stabilizer link to plumb the engine in the frame?
Tracking: If you loosen the pivot bolt and slacken the belt is there any side to side play in the swing arm? You want the spacers inside the swingarm tight to the transmission, the only thing that should move/rotate in this entire assembly is the swingarm on the Spherical bearing, everything else should be locked up tight. You need to make sure the swing arm bushings are pressing against the isolator and that the swingarm is not touching the isolator on either side.
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,573
Likes: 138
From: StL, MO. USA
Two separate things here.
Level/alignment: Did you adjust the upper motor stabilizer link to plumb the engine in the frame?
Tracking: If you loosen the pivot bolt and slacken the belt is there any side to side play in the swing arm? You want the spacers inside the swingarm tight to the transmission, the only thing that should move/rotate in this entire assembly is the swingarm on the Spherical bearing, everything else should be locked up tight. You need to make sure the swing arm bushings are pressing against the isolator and that the swingarm is not touching the isolator on either side.
Level/alignment: Did you adjust the upper motor stabilizer link to plumb the engine in the frame?
Tracking: If you loosen the pivot bolt and slacken the belt is there any side to side play in the swing arm? You want the spacers inside the swingarm tight to the transmission, the only thing that should move/rotate in this entire assembly is the swingarm on the Spherical bearing, everything else should be locked up tight. You need to make sure the swing arm bushings are pressing against the isolator and that the swingarm is not touching the isolator on either side.
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The installation of the spherical bearings was done according to the instructions provided by CCE. There is not much room to see how the swingarm bushings contact the rubber isolators....and there is NO way to actually see how the bearings contact the transmission.
I will try to loosen the swingarm pivot nuts to see if I get any lateral play...
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 622
Likes: 2
From: Connecticut
With the tire removed you can see the bushings making contact with the isolators and the transmission. I'll see if I have a photo.
Did you check plumb on the front rotor with the swing arm (axel) level and the front wheel straight? This would probably be more important than the top frame rail being level. If the frame is off it's off, bent or whatever. If both wheels are vertical and traveling straight down the road there isn't much more you can do.
Did you check plumb on the front rotor with the swing arm (axel) level and the front wheel straight? This would probably be more important than the top frame rail being level. If the frame is off it's off, bent or whatever. If both wheels are vertical and traveling straight down the road there isn't much more you can do.
Last edited by skypilot_one; Aug 16, 2014 at 02:13 PM. Reason: clarity
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Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,800
Likes: 414
From: Ellensburg, WA
From your original post, you are not going to correct tracking on grooved pavement. Doesn't matter how much you play with the swing arm you will still track on the grooves. Best theming to do for your swing arm is poly bushings, the kit comes with a poly front motor mount also. When riding on grooved pavement, I take a looser grip, relax and let the bike track.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 11,463
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From: Charleston, SC
The fix is new tires that don't hunt grooves...