Wheel Alighnment - Harley Forum

Trex · #1 03-30-2008, 06:07 AM

I traced a noise to the belt on my 03 Superglide. After replaceing a flat rear tire I made an adjustment to the alighnment after I had checked it using the method shown in the manual ,measuring from hole to axle center on both sides.To get it true I had tightened one side and got the belt a little tight which I'm pretty sure was the cause of the noise since it disappeared after loosening it a little. Any way I wanted to try something else and ran an 8 ft level along the rear tire while a friend held the bike up then measured the distance from the front tire. I did this on both sides and came up with a difference of 1 inch from one side to the other. In other words the center lines of the two tires are side by side instead of over each other. But the bike tracks fine when I ride it, I can let go of the bars with no deveation. Is the wheels centerlines not on each other as it is designed or is there a problem?

frisco-rigid · #2 03-30-2008, 02:34 PM

Good one Trex

The centers should be tits-laguer, er, I mean perfect..
Either the rear wheel is to one side or the front wheel is..
You'd be surprised how many folk are running lop-sided and don't know it or feel it..
I have Aligned a couple sickles that the owner thought was rolling fine but once aligned correct it was a bigger pleasure..

There are some methods and even patented tools that align the rear and front in variations of the 8ft. flourescent tubes, levels, bars, etc. but unless the rear wheel is DEAD-ON center all that happens is the wheels get aligned/centered to each other but not neccessary centered in the sickle..
Here's the easy/lazy way.. Lift the front end.. Take off the fender for access to tire and forks,, not lower-legs which are never machined perfect, but the forks are..
Now take a carpenters/machinist square with 2 heads on it, the 90* sides facing out.. Put those 90* sides tight against the forks while resting on the fork boots..
Find the center of the blade between those 90* sides and find the center of the tire.. Now use a smaller machinist square resting on the main blade and square down to the center of the tire.. You will then know if the front is off center--------then center it with the correct spacers..
Also be prepared to possibly adjust the brake caliper/s, rotor/s,, you get the idea right.?
If you need a photo to help understand what I wrote, send an e mail..

Trex · #3 03-30-2008, 03:08 PM

Thanks frisco, I think I've got it but a picture would really be appreciated.So the wheels had to have been out from the factory then, is that common?

PeterV · #4 03-30-2008, 03:38 PM

Follow thru with frisco's method.
Keep in mind, your FXD's mill is rubber mounted front and rear. Your swingarm rides on a pivot mounted to the back of your tranny case surrounded by big fat rubber donuts. You've got adjustable linkages, meaning how square (front to back, side to side) the motor/tranny assembly sits in relationship to frame and front end.
You could (theoretically speaking) have an issue where the engine/tranny could be at a slight angle front to back. By the time you get to the centerline of the back tire........yada, yada, you know what I'm getting at.
Good starting point would be to see if your front and rear sprocket are in line and how the belt rides after you've adjusted your rear wheel to be parallel to the front.
'course you prolly knew that, but just in case.....

Trex · #5 03-30-2008, 03:46 PM

Thanks Peterv, I'm pretty sure the belt is running true with the sprockets, it lookis like it is in the middle. I've got to explaine that there is no handleing issue, it feels fine I discovered the wheel centerlines being off just by checking for the hell of it.

frisco-rigid · #6 03-31-2008, 03:45 AM

Ok Trex
The photos are on the way..
Keep in mind, this will only show if the front wheel/tire is exactly centered in the forks where it should be.. If it is then there is an alignment prob in the rear most likely.. If it is not you must add or take some length from the spacer (shim, washer) or the correct size/length spacer.. With patience you can get with-in a few thousandths, you know, if it's important to you..
It is to me.. I fit them up Perfect..

Keeping in mind also what Peter said about the links and doughtnuts....?????
Gosh,, I love doughtnuts.. There could even be an issue there..
Anyway,, the manual tells how to correct the alignment on these rubber-mount sickles..

I have no idea if these devil machines come from HD correctly aligned and centered or not, if yours turns out to not be correct, well, there's your answer..
And yes, it is a prob or at least not correct for the wheels and sprocket/pulleys to be anything but perfectly aligned and centered with the center of the frame.. The center of the back-bone and neck are the bench-marks..
Notify me if there is a prob with the photos..

texan321 · #7 03-31-2008, 05:12 PM

I found this

http://www.motorcyclemetal.com/subpage14.html

PeterV · #8 03-31-2008, 07:15 PM

Texan, that's a gem!

tipper1 · #9 03-31-2008, 07:38 PM

My WG had wire wheels f an B and wire wheels are offset but ride true, I think you have spokes and I'm not sure weather they are offset or not. I recently changed rear to a fatboy wheel which is truly centered have a 150 tire with 1/2 in to spare on either side. What Frisco is saying is correct, but type of wheel could make a diff.

Trex · #10 04-01-2008, 01:18 AM

Thanks guys for the info. I'll be a wheel alighn specialist.