Front wheel alignment

Ok this is driving me insane!! :banghead . Had to whip the forks off my Factory for new seals a few weeks back Since they have been back in, the handling is all to pot, feeling really vague and about to wash out and the left (nearside) caliper/disc is running hotter than the right. Also the clearance from the tyre to the inner side of the fork leg is about 2mm less than that on the right side.

Right, I have worked on stacks of bikes and had the front wheel off this one a number of times before for tyres. Fork settings are exactly as they were before they were removed, wheel spacer and axle are where they should be. I have tried the centering method ie slackening off both pairs of pinch bolts and applying the brakes, followed the bike manual method which advises nipping up the left pinch bolts before torquing up the axle nut, the workshop manual method which says nip up the right side before torquing.

The wheel runs reasonably freely until the axle nut is tightened and it is then that the left caliper starts to drag. In desperation I have stripped and rebuilt the caliper and its made s-d all difference. Surely, the axle nut has to be tightened to load the bearings and prevent lateral wheel movement rather than done in isolation after the pinch bolts are done up.

Any thoughts or similar problems experienced would be most welcome

Front wheel alighnment

Tifa said:

Wheel travelling in the correct direction?
Same number of rings showing at the top of both forks?
You mention that you've loosened the pinch bolts...and re-settled the bike on the suspension.
Have you done the same with the yokes? i.e. loosen one side, re-settle it on the suspension, nip them up...then do the other side.

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Thanks Tifa, Wheel is correct and same number of fork rings showing. I backed off both yokes at the same time, would a side at a time be any different?