Heavy turns to the right
Thread Starter
Senior Member
SuperSport
SuperSport
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 521
From: Tampa Florida
Heavy turns to the right
Hello,
After the last few weeks I have noticed that my turns to the right seem slower or heavier than my turns to the left. I tried to adjust my spring preload to make the suspension stiffer. when I did that I discovered that my right fork rebound damper adjuster has an unusual amount of resistance. It used to move smoothly. after this thread
https://www.superhawkforum.com/forum...21-11-a-25646/
I am thinking I need to check the fork oil. I may enlist the local tech chad wolfe to do the work since I dont really have the tools to do this one myself.
Any thoughts on why either of those problems might be occuring?
After the last few weeks I have noticed that my turns to the right seem slower or heavier than my turns to the left. I tried to adjust my spring preload to make the suspension stiffer. when I did that I discovered that my right fork rebound damper adjuster has an unusual amount of resistance. It used to move smoothly. after this thread
https://www.superhawkforum.com/forum...21-11-a-25646/
I am thinking I need to check the fork oil. I may enlist the local tech chad wolfe to do the work since I dont really have the tools to do this one myself.
Any thoughts on why either of those problems might be occuring?
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,132
From: Phoenix, AZ
While the fork is an issue it is unlikely to have an affect on how the bike turns in any given direction vs the other. Heck, Yamaha has done bikes where one fork did compression and the other did rebound damping.. There is only one contact patch (the wheel) so if one fork is sticking it will act the same in both directions.
So it is probably something in your riding style that is affecting the leans in one direction.
But do get the fork fixed. (or at least inspected)
So it is probably something in your riding style that is affecting the leans in one direction.
But do get the fork fixed. (or at least inspected)
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,871
From: Phoenix, AZ
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,132
From: Phoenix, AZ
Thread Starter
Senior Member
SuperSport
SuperSport
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 521
From: Tampa Florida
I have been meaning to investigate what I think may be a failing front bearing. I get a squeek and a bit of resistance when rolling at low speeds(pushing) sometimes. It may also be a warped disc from when the wheel was misaligned. I just have not gotten to it yet. I suppose I could tell easily if its the disc by checking the wear on the break pads huh?
Senior Member
SuperSport
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 530
From: Central Fl.
Yeah. My S'hawk felt mushy on the front end and the turns were not sharp anymore. Even the front braking had too much lever travel when I grabbed 'em.
I suspended the front of the bike from the garage rafter and found I could wiggle the wheel on the axle. Ugh! Upon disassembly the races were loose and rusted, the seals failed. The extra play had caused the rotors to push the pads back into the calipers while I rode, making the brakes initially soft when applied.
New bearings and seals worked wonders. Sharp response to steering inputs and the brakes are two-fingered affairs again.
Also, you can't check rotor run-out if the bearings are bad. Work from cheap and easy up to hard and expensive. Rotors are expensive, bearings are cheap.
'Luck out there.
I suspended the front of the bike from the garage rafter and found I could wiggle the wheel on the axle. Ugh! Upon disassembly the races were loose and rusted, the seals failed. The extra play had caused the rotors to push the pads back into the calipers while I rode, making the brakes initially soft when applied.
New bearings and seals worked wonders. Sharp response to steering inputs and the brakes are two-fingered affairs again.
Also, you can't check rotor run-out if the bearings are bad. Work from cheap and easy up to hard and expensive. Rotors are expensive, bearings are cheap.
'Luck out there.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
SuperSport
SuperSport
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 521
From: Tampa Florida
Well our local suspension guy does not work on bikes older than 10 years so I am going to have to clean out the forks myself it seems. My haynes manual is comin in the mail on saturday( I cant find one online grr). He suggested I look into the steering bearings too. I dont have rafters in my garage :-( so I will need to figure out a way to suspend the bike.
I am concerned about my right damper adjuster. It seems like it only make about 1.5 turns before it hits resistance. the left one doesnt have any resistance it just flows then stops. Another concering thing I noticed. :
Last night I was sick from tacos I ate so I was up at 4am. I changed my insurance to progressive which gave me a killer deal (full coverage only 250$ deductables for 615 a year). When I decided to tighten up my rear suspension. I tried to use that little toruture tool and got it up one notch. then I realized thet the some of the little tabs that the tool holds onto are bent toward the cylinder. NOw I cant get a grip to adjust it at all. I assume I will have to take off the subframe to unbend the tabs?
Harbor freight put a 1/2 inch tourque wrench up for sale for 20$ so I think I will pick one up tomorrow. I really really need one if I start taking apart front end pieces.
Never seen the inside of a fork before either.
I am concerned about my right damper adjuster. It seems like it only make about 1.5 turns before it hits resistance. the left one doesnt have any resistance it just flows then stops. Another concering thing I noticed. :
Last night I was sick from tacos I ate so I was up at 4am. I changed my insurance to progressive which gave me a killer deal (full coverage only 250$ deductables for 615 a year). When I decided to tighten up my rear suspension. I tried to use that little toruture tool and got it up one notch. then I realized thet the some of the little tabs that the tool holds onto are bent toward the cylinder. NOw I cant get a grip to adjust it at all. I assume I will have to take off the subframe to unbend the tabs?
Harbor freight put a 1/2 inch tourque wrench up for sale for 20$ so I think I will pick one up tomorrow. I really really need one if I start taking apart front end pieces.
Never seen the inside of a fork before either.
Last edited by geekonamotorcycle; May 26, 2011 at 10:56 AM.
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 320
Edit: I suspended the bike with car jacks propped up on cement blocks, pushed up under my T-rex frame sliders. It props the front end up just fine. Or buy a triple clamp stand.
Last edited by evines; May 26, 2011 at 11:02 AM.
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,132
From: Phoenix, AZ
Well our local suspension guy does not work on bikes older than 10 years so I am going to have to clean out the forks myself it seems. My haynes manual is comin in the mail on saturday( I cant find one online grr). He suggested I look into the steering bearings too. I dont have rafters in my garage :-( so I will need to figure out a way to suspend the bike.
I am concerned about my right damper adjuster. It seems like it only make about 1.5 turns before it hits resistance. the left one doesnt have any resistance it just flows then stops. Another concering thing I noticed. :
Last night I was sick from tacos I ate so I was up at 4am. I changed my insurance to progressive which gave me a killer deal (full coverage only 250$ deductables for 615 a year). When I decided to tighten up my rear suspension. I tried to use that little toruture tool and got it up one notch. then I realized thet the some of the little tabs that the tool holds onto are bent toward the cylinder. NOw I cant get a grip to adjust it at all. I assume I will have to take off the subframe to unbend the tabs?
Harbor freight put a 1/2 inch tourque wrench up for sale for 20$ so I think I will pick one up tomorrow. I really really need one if I start taking apart front end pieces.
Never seen the inside of a fork before either.
I am concerned about my right damper adjuster. It seems like it only make about 1.5 turns before it hits resistance. the left one doesnt have any resistance it just flows then stops. Another concering thing I noticed. :
Last night I was sick from tacos I ate so I was up at 4am. I changed my insurance to progressive which gave me a killer deal (full coverage only 250$ deductables for 615 a year). When I decided to tighten up my rear suspension. I tried to use that little toruture tool and got it up one notch. then I realized thet the some of the little tabs that the tool holds onto are bent toward the cylinder. NOw I cant get a grip to adjust it at all. I assume I will have to take off the subframe to unbend the tabs?
Harbor freight put a 1/2 inch tourque wrench up for sale for 20$ so I think I will pick one up tomorrow. I really really need one if I start taking apart front end pieces.
Never seen the inside of a fork before either.
And the adjuster for the rear has a slip on handle to make it longer. Also take pics of your bent tabs.. I can't picture how they might be bent to cause issues. (I usually have to switch side to side access to adjust it, that is a click from the left then to the other side of the bike and a click from the right)
Senior Member
SuperSport
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 530
From: Central Fl.
What? Someone who works on motorcycles is a snot about the year (or place?) of manufacture? And it isn't a Harley shop?
Run, don't walk, run to an independent establishment owned by a guy who is in it for love and lust of two wheels.
Geeze Louise. Suspensions that are older than ten years have fewer moving parts than an anvil and are easy money to work on. Sometimes I don't have a clue as to how some shops stay viable. Might want to search out a place that caters to the go-fast crowd or even a dirt bike specialist.
Run, don't walk, run to an independent establishment owned by a guy who is in it for love and lust of two wheels.
Geeze Louise. Suspensions that are older than ten years have fewer moving parts than an anvil and are easy money to work on. Sometimes I don't have a clue as to how some shops stay viable. Might want to search out a place that caters to the go-fast crowd or even a dirt bike specialist.
Member
Squid
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 69
From: El Segundo, CA
Before you break down your forks make sure you have NEW (don't reuse!) fork seals, dust seals and a fork seal driver. As for wear items, there are bushings in there but depending on how hard it has been ridden/how many miles are on it they won't need to be replaced. Lastly, make sure you are in a clean environment when putting the fork(s) back together. You will get a lot of life out of the forks if you know that there is absolutely no dirt or dust in or on the items during reassembly.
Also, your front wheel will be off anyways so may as well inspect/replace the wheel bearings, good tip by others.
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 3,452
From: San Clemente, CA
What? Someone who works on motorcycles is a snot about the year (or place?) of manufacture? And it isn't a Harley shop?
Run, don't walk, run to an independent establishment owned by a guy who is in it for love and lust of two wheels.
Geeze Louise. Suspensions that are older than ten years have fewer moving parts than an anvil and are easy money to work on. Sometimes I don't have a clue as to how some shops stay viable. Might want to search out a place that caters to the go-fast crowd or even a dirt bike specialist.
Run, don't walk, run to an independent establishment owned by a guy who is in it for love and lust of two wheels.
Geeze Louise. Suspensions that are older than ten years have fewer moving parts than an anvil and are easy money to work on. Sometimes I don't have a clue as to how some shops stay viable. Might want to search out a place that caters to the go-fast crowd or even a dirt bike specialist.
I could see it if you wanted him to work on the carbs, since it's all EFI now, and they don't even teach carbs anymore. I wouldn't trust a tech under 40 to work on carbs (and I'd never let a tech touch my carbs anyway). Or if you wanted him to work on the engine, since engine design changes every 4 years or so (unless it's a Harley).
Senior Member
SuperBike
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,864
From: Fort Wayne, IN
You know, the fork preload won't have any effect on turning one way vs the other. That might still be something to look into bit not the root cause of your turning issue.
I'd suggest checking to see if your forks are twisted in the clamps. That's normally the culprit in cases like this.
I'd suggest checking to see if your forks are twisted in the clamps. That's normally the culprit in cases like this.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
SuperSport
SuperSport
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 521
From: Tampa Florida
well If I can get the forks off it will be 125$ to have a local shop reseal repack inspect them etc. might be an excuse to buy a 50$ motorcycle jack on CL. 225$ if I have them take off the forks.
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 4,138
From: Austin, Tx
I met a guy through KD that had a friend that would do forks trackside on track days for $125. The assumption that your stock set up is **** is correct. I also agree that seeking out a builder that just does struts and shocks will be the best idea. Jamie's idea of shaking the front end out by loosening everything is a good one - I've used it. Other methods can be found in the knowledge base but I'm all about trying the cheapest fix that I can do in my own shop before I go looking for help.
Blown seals could still be your problem but maybe not.
Blown seals could still be your problem but maybe not.
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