KX Riders

Maintenance & Technical => KX500 Original => Topic started by: dmazz71 on April 23, 2011, 12:20:04 PM

Title: Front End Alignment
Post by: dmazz71 on April 23, 2011, 12:20:04 PM

Hi,

My handlebars seem to be a little tweaked, but I can't figure out why.  When I hold the handlebars straight and look down in reference to the top fork clamp, I can see that the left side is slightly lower than the right (as seen in photo).  I have already done the following which hasn't made any difference:

Loosened the upper and lower fork clamps and re-torqued (to 14ft Lbs) after I spun the front wheel and hit the front brake a few times in case the forks were twisted.

Verified that the forks are parallel with each other.

Replaced the handle bars (didn't like the bend) but that didn't make a difference anyway.

I'm assuming that it's either the fork clamp or the bar clamps?  What else could it possibly be.

Thanks
Dan

Title: Re: Front End Alignment
Post by: DoldGuy on April 23, 2011, 01:25:04 PM

Loosen your bar clamps (17 mm) and the top clamps (12 mm) and hold the front tire between your legs and twist the bars in the direction needed. This is the problem most of the time but have twisted/bent the bar clamps.
Hope this helps.
DoldGuy

Title: Re: Front End Alignment
Post by: alward25 on April 23, 2011, 04:34:39 PM

rubber handle bar mount bushings could be to blame too.  If they are worn.

Title: Re: Front End Alignment
Post by: Motorrad on April 23, 2011, 04:49:06 PM

Could be the problem I have with all my bikes and cars....  The nut behind the wheel is loose. :)

Title: Re: Front End Alignment
Post by: dmazz71 on April 24, 2011, 12:54:22 AM

Thanks guys.

I'll start with the rubber bushings and go from there.  How tight should the holding clamp nut be?  The manual only has the torque settings for the top (bar) nuts.  Not the ones that compress the rubber bushings.

Thanks
Dan

Title: Re: Front End Alignment
Post by: DoldGuy on April 24, 2011, 04:16:53 AM

The bolt is shouldered and the nut will bottom out on this.

Title: Re: Front End Alignment
Post by: Polar-Bus on April 25, 2011, 12:43:26 AM

Loosen up all the fork pinch bolts, and the front axle nuts , and the top triple clamp nut so that all the nuts and bolts are just  barely "snug" . Clamp your front brake and work the forks up and down. This should get any front end mis-alignment back to square. You might have to pull off the front fender to eyeball sight the front tire for squareness. Sometimes the front fender playes games with your sight. If your bars still seem tweaked, pull off the bars and lay them on a flat surface and look where the handlebars clamp to the mounts, if this area is not sitting perfectly flat on the surface you have bent bars.

Title: Re: Front End Alignment
Post by: dmazz71 on April 25, 2011, 10:50:14 AM

The top clamp is a little twisted and the rubber mounts are starting to fall apart.  Between these two things, it has to be one or the other.  The handle bar is brand new, so that can be ruled out.

Thanks
Dan