| Author | Message | ||
     Ratbuell |
So, the handling on my bone-stock CR is 'nervous' on-center and extremely twitchy. I have to troubleshoot it, but I was curious if anyone else's forks were extended above the top tree? My fork caps are about 1/4" above the top tree and I'm thinking of sliding the caps down flush to try and slow the handling a bit (in addition to standard checks of rear preload settings, wheel bearings, axle torques, tire pressures, etc). Any thoughts? Tires are like-new PR4s, I always torque axles and pinch bolts by the book but I'll check them anyway, tire pressures are unchanged from what I always run (36/38)... | ||
| D_adams |
Recheck the steering stem bearings, tighten them up. Last few that I had act like this, it was the cause. Leave the forks where they are, there's a snap ring on them to locate them at the correct height. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Gotcha. I knew my XB has the snaprings but I wasn't sure if it had multiple slots or not. I'm right around 9k/9500 miles so yeah, probably time to check and snug the head bearings. Thanks for the tip, it would have hit me once I got it back OFF the lift!  I was leaning away from wheels/axles anyway because I could purposely shift myself on the seat and try to make it wag...but it wouldn't. Seemed to be mainly steering-input which is why I was thinking "dump some rear preload and maybe drop the forks a bit to slow it down some..." | ||
| 1_mike |
Make "SURE"...that when you tighten the axle, that you have full bike weight on both tires. Then...final torque the axle. Try this - 1. Lightly tighten axle while on stand. 2. Lower the bike onto both tires and hold as vertical as you can get the bike. A second body for help is fine. 3. Push hard on the front forks with the brakes on a couple of times. I actually tap on both forks with a plastic mallet. 4. With the bike still mostly upright (even with the friend sitting on the seat), loosen the axle slightly and lightly hand tighten. 5. Tighten and then final torque axle. Back before I bought my RX, and was using my CR as daily transportation, when installing fresh tires, I found this to be a requirement. I found I had the shakes also a few times. Thru some experimentation, I found the above to work EVERY time. I do the same assembly to my XB12s and my RX any time the front wheel comes off, for any reason. Mike | ||
| Shoggin |
Snugging up the steering head bearings is a good idea but take the time to look under the seals to see if they are corroded and resist the temptation to over-torque them! That makes for hard on-center steering effort (wandering) While I don't go as far as Mike does with the axle procedure, I totally agree with his theory and at least follow the manuals procedure of 20ft/lbs, back off 2 turns, and 40 ft/ lbs (front), rear is 25.. 50. On a trip and needing a front tire, I walked into the tire shop right when he was cranking on the axle with an air IMPACT. A half dozen rat-a-tat-tats and a strongly worded discussion later, I needed front wheel bearings the next state over. and over, and over, until I got the new spacer. I can't think of one part on a Buell that needs an air impact to install. Not ONE. | ||
| Fresnobuell |
Was it a car tire shop? I can't imagine any motorcycle shop using and air impact for an axle that requires 40-50 ft lbs of torque. What a bunch of idiots. Although, nothing really surprises me anymore. | ||
| Shoggin |
Sometimes you gotta work with what ya got:  | ||
| Ratbuell |
I always follow book procedures, and with a Handy lift as well as Pit Bulls, "upright" is never a problem. I'll doublecheck though, can't remember if the last time they were off, if I had it on the Handy or on the Pitbulls. Lift, it would have had bike weight; stands, it wouldn't. I'll check it all though, thanks for all the tips! | ||
| Shoggin |
Ya, they don't have a Handy lift in Heart Butte ID.  haha Interesting note though. I was looking up torque specs through the ECMDroid app and it definitely says to settle the front suspension while torquing the front axle  (Message edited by shoggin on August 12, 2019) | ||
| Ratbuell |
Well I checked axles with the bike on my pit bulls - good and tight with no movement. Pulled the bars off and got nearly 1/6 of a turn on the cap nut to hit the 38lb-ft minimum torque. Getting ready to take a spin and see... | ||
| Ratbuell |
Yep, that was it. Thanks for the reminder! |
