Front tire tilted toward left fork

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Meatball
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Re: Front tire tilted toward left fork

Post by Meatball »

The fork tube is round and has a squared box at the end which the axle goes through. With a standard tape measure you can find the distance between the RIM LIP to the BOXED END of the fork tube. Mine measures nearly perfect 1-inch on both sides. See if yours is equal on both sides.
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Re: Front tire tilted toward left fork

Post by bonesv »

When you get it running, see how it rides going 10-15 mph when you take your hands off the handlebars?
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Re: Front tire tilted toward left fork

Post by Sevyndaze »

Meatball - mine appears to be about 1 1/16” on each side.

Bones - I will report back once I get it out on the road, hopefully tomorrow.
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Re: Front tire tilted toward left fork

Post by Meatball »

Just do this everywhere..problem solved
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Re: Front tire tilted toward left fork

Post by Sevyndaze »

:2thumbs: Why didn’t I think of that!?
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Re: Front tire tilted toward left fork

Post by noiseguy »

mousewheels wrote: Sat Aug 11, 2018 1:06 pm I found the photo makes it appear there is a large error - too large to be believe. I will show what I did with your photo.

Some other member will have more ideas :hi:

Suspension_Arm_Alignment.jpg
That's a pretty minor mis-alignment... what I look for is the top of tire should have same gap to fork leg on left and right side (top of tire to fork tube.) Have a buddy sit on the scooter to weight the frontend and see if the travel is vertical... if so and it's not pulling to one direction (bike will lean from vertical while travelling straight) I'd leave it alone.
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Re: Front tire tilted toward left fork

Post by Sevyndaze »

Ok guys, I got it all back together today and went for a test ride. It definitely wants to pull to the right. It’s rideable and seems stable at speed, but if I ease up on the handlebars at 10-15, it immediately goes to the right.

On a happier note, I installed the Polini variator I had ordered and it will now do at least 41 on a flat. Maybe faster but i didn’t run it at WOT for too long. And oh boy does it get up to 35 quick!
2001 Elite S (Derestricted)
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Re: Front tire tilted toward left fork

Post by bonesv »

Keep looking it over and if you can, put it up on the center stand for a look. It could be from a bent motor mount, the pivoting part that mounts the engine to the frame. You could also have a bent frame somewhere. Look at the scooter from the rear on a level surface and see if the rear wheel is aligned with the body/frame and whether it's the same angle as the front wheel. Note if anything looks "crooked" or not. The fact that you had originally mentioned the center stand would not retract is a huge clue of where to look also. Another thing to consider is the 2 motor mount bushings. If they have come apart and are even just a little bit slid out sideways, it is cause for alarm and can cause the mis-alignment.
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Re: Front tire tilted toward left fork

Post by Sevyndaze »

Thanks bones. The stand being buggered was what initially led me to think it was the rear wheel, but I already had the engine mount off to install that kickstand (works great, btw!) and the rear seems aligned with the angle of the rest of the bike.

I’m gonna tear down the rear end (hopefully) later this week to install the new gears, I’ll probably pull the shocks/wheel/front brake and give the bearings, bushings, pivot arms and axle a good inspection.

Now if only I had a granite table, some vee blocks, and a height gauge...
2001 Elite S (Derestricted)
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Re: Front tire tilted toward left fork

Post by Sevyndaze »

Actually, I suppose I should clarify as this may be important or indicative of a specific problem. When I say that It want to pull to the right, what I mean is that the front wheel wants to turn to the right. The bike doesn’t seem to want to ‘lean’ in either direction, just that the front wheel and handlebars immediately want to turn to the right.

Looking at it from the rear, the angle of the rear wheel appears consistent with the rest of the bike, and from what I can tell, the front tire spins true and is not bent. I hope this adds some useful information.

How might I check if the motor mount bushings are worn? Visually they did not appear cracked or anything. Should I also replace the bushings on the motor hanger?

Thank you all again for all the help and support. This site and its members have proved invaluable in getting this old(ish) scoot road ready again.
2001 Elite S (Derestricted)
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1.5k Contra, 4k shoe springs
16/42 Gears
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Re: Front tire tilted toward left fork

Post by Sevyndaze »

Double checked all the cables to make sure they weren’t pulling at all and went for another quick spin last night. It seems that by leaning left (far enough to start a slight turn) I can make the handlebars stop twisting to the right if I ease my grip on them.

If the weather holds up I’ll get all the plastics off and the front wheel/brakes/suspension taken apart tonight and give the forks a really detailed look.
2001 Elite S (Derestricted)
Arrow Exhaust
Polini Variator
6.9g rollers
ZX Trans
1.5k Contra, 4k shoe springs
16/42 Gears
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Re: Front tire tilted toward left fork

Post by Sevyndaze »

OK guys, I managed to get all the plastics off last night but it was too dark for pics at that time, so I took some this evening after work. I put it up on the center stand, laid a level across the frame under the footboard, and shimmed under the stand so the frame was level. Then I took a shot of the bike from the back:
The attachment LeveledRear.jpg is no longer available
It looks to me that despite the bent stand, the rear wheel seems pretty well aligned with the frame. The front end, however, is a different story:
The attachment image7.jpeg is no longer available
I set my level up on the handlebars (resting on the grips) and turned them until they were level, and double checked the that the frame had not shifted. Not so good. Last shot is of the wheel turned straight and (approximately) lined up with the rear along the edge of the deck board to the left:
LeveledRear.jpg
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I also took the whole front suspension/wheel assembly off and took some measurements. The forks measured about 1/4" wider at the bottom (on the tubes, just above the boxed end) than at the top. This is approximately the same size of the gap in the picture I had posted before.

TL;DR: The rear end is (I think) fine, but the forks, and possibly stem appear bent. I'm sure I'm not the first one to have this problem; has anyone had any luck repairing something like this?
2001 Elite S (Derestricted)
Arrow Exhaust
Polini Variator
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ZX Trans
1.5k Contra, 4k shoe springs
16/42 Gears
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Re: Front tire tilted toward left fork

Post by Sevyndaze »

d***, not sure why it didn't post the front pics but here is one:
image7.jpeg
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2001 Elite S (Derestricted)
Arrow Exhaust
Polini Variator
6.9g rollers
ZX Trans
1.5k Contra, 4k shoe springs
16/42 Gears
Sevyndaze
Spree
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Posts: 114
Joined: Sun Jun 10, 2018 3:43 pm
Location: New Hampshire

Re: Front tire tilted toward left fork

Post by Sevyndaze »

and the other
image9 2.jpg
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2001 Elite S (Derestricted)
Arrow Exhaust
Polini Variator
6.9g rollers
ZX Trans
1.5k Contra, 4k shoe springs
16/42 Gears
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Re: Front tire tilted toward left fork

Post by bonesv »

Yea, it looks like the frame and the forks are bent but that's only what I think it looks like. Is the floor level also? The front shocks don't look like sa50 front shocks. Has the previous owner replaced the forks and shocks? Look at the area in the circle........
image7 red circle.jpg
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