Aligning Rear Wheel

Hi lock

To get an accurate alignment, you must stringline your rear wheel (preferred), or accurately measure the gap between the wheel and swingarm.

Here's an article which may explain it:
http://www.framestraightsystem.com/Motorcycle Frame Check.htm

Dave

PS: The 15 tooth sprocket is a good start. You may want to go 42 or 43 on the rear as well.

Hi lock.
I use two rods, one through the swingarm bolt 12mm dia and the other through the rear wheel bolt 15mm dia. Measure the distance between them and set them up so they are parallel. You might find that the marks on the swingarm are well out. I did.
Aldo.

Slacken nuts on jacking screw and push wheel right in to limit and nip tight. Take up slack on jack screws and wind nuts in to the frame. Now start backing wheel out counting flats on nuts.

I stringlined my rear wheel just now, and found the guides were out by 2 1/2 marks. It was a simple procedure which took about half an hour on my own. Very worthwhile. Just remember to tension the chain correctly before you finish (25mm slack)

Dave

Rather than relying on the swing arm markings, I find by counting the threads on the adjuster bolts its gets things very close.

IT Red Head said:

Rather than relying on the swing arm markings, I find by counting the threads on the adjuster bolts its gets things very close.

Click to expand...

This also assumes that the swingarm is "true" and straight. IMHO you must first set a datum or reference point you know to be accurate, by whatever means you can and stringlining the rear wheel is an easy way to do this. Then, by all means, use the markers or count threads or whatever to set your alignment thereafter.

Dave

When you take the bike home for the first time all is aligned (well I would like to think it was) so any adj on the rear wheel is straight forward. Wheel off (there is NO NEED to touch the jacking screws and locknuts) do what ever and replace wheel .Slacken /tighten the jacking bolts to take up the slack on the chain.
When I tension the chain I will take up the slack and then sit on the bike to check (one of my sons can do this) and leave the prefared bit of slack with ME on it .I use chainsaw oil applied with an artist brush on the chain every 2 to 3 tank fills. This works for me.

Blimey, I'd like to think the swing arm was right. My preferred devise is an engineers ruler from the very end of the swing arm on to the adjuster doins. Always worked for me. The bike doesn't wobble but I do. :thumbup

Sorry guys, my post was rushed and it sounds harsher than it's meant to. Of course you'd expect the swingarm to be true and straight, but I mean that the smallest inaccuracy at the rear of the swingarm, where the wheel is mounted, can lead by its geometry to a much larger error in vertical alignment of the wheel. Why then aren't the guide marks perfectly accurate?
It only takes a couple of millimetres error at the axle to translate into a 5-8mm error at the tyre. Hence the need to align the wheels independently (not using the swingarm as a reference, but aligning directly with the front wheel - which is what we are trying to achieve anyway) to establish a starting point for future adjustments.

Clear as mud? My two bob's worth anyhoo.:cheers

Dave

england 2 said:

When you take the bike home for the first time all is aligned (well I would like to think it was) so any adj on the rear wheel is straight forward. Wheel off (there is NO NEED to touch the jacking screws and locknuts) do what ever and replace wheel .Slacken /tighten the jacking bolts to take up the slack on the chain.
When I tension the chain I will take up the slack and then sit on the bike to check (one of my sons can do this) and leave the prefared bit of slack with ME on it .I use chainsaw oil applied with an artist brush on the chain every 2 to 3 tank fills. This works for me.

Click to expand...

HI england 2. Whatever you do don't assume that someone will do their job correctly. Why do manufacturers have recalls. Try and do it yourself especially if it can be checked with relative ease. Why do our clocks mist? etc etc. The first time I had to alter the chain tension was after I fitted a 15t sprocket, I counted the marks that were showing on the swing arm, both sides were equal from the front of the bike. I had the bike on front and rear wheel stands and I decided to sight the wheels through. Guess what, they looked miles out. This was now a mission to, A find out why and, B sort it. Answer to A any one of countless reasons. B set it up with the pivot point ie the bolt that fixes the swing arm to the frame. I used rods that fit inside the wheel axel and the swing arm bolts. Stick them in and measrue the distance between them. Sorted, if your not to shure about the marks on the swing arm being so far out PM me. BTW Chunkylad uses a different method but we both have the same differential on the marks.
Aldo.