March 28, 2024, 02:42:31 PM

News:

For advertising inquiries or help with registration or other issues, you may contact us by email at help@harleytechtalk.com


Does your bagger handle like a drunken camel in a sand storm?

Started by Admiral Akbar, October 12, 2010, 09:12:26 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.

Admiral Akbar

Well does it?

Mine did... The biggest issue was a vagueness at high speed.. Hit a bump and you'd get a wallow that was pretty upsetting.. Handled OK at slower speeds but felt a little like over steer..

http://harleytechtalk.com/htt/index.php/topic,30563.0.html

Anyway, tire pressure, tire wear, alignment, still need to do fall away (forgot about that one   :embarrassed:).
Front tire is a tired (pun?) out Dumbflop.. Even with 11K on it, wear looks good.. It will eventually get replaced with a better tire..

I put the bike on the lift and using a scissor jack, lifted the rear wheel up until the tire no longer touched the platform. I attached a back reading dial indicator to the frame and with an extension resting on the swingarm shaft.

I was able to read 0.030 axial movement  (notice I didn't say lateral) by pulling the wheel one way by hand, then using a spoon type pry bar and rag, I forced the swing arm the other. Sucker was loose. Only got about 0.005 on the RKC..



I pulled the left rear fork bracket.. The first thing that I noticed is the it's not as nice as the ones on the 02 RKC. Part number is brand new for this year.. The area that holds the rubber donut is not flat but rounded, allowing the part to dig into the rubber until it hit metal..




 

I zipped of the swingarm nut with an impact wrench then pulled the donut..




After searching my sheet metal stack, I found some brushed stainless that was 0.035 thick and drilled a 5/8 hole in it using a hand drill and a unibit. I placed a 5/8 washer over the top and drew a circle around the outside.. With a shear I cut the along the circle with multiple straight cuts then ran it over to the belt sander to to make it round (well sorta  :wink:)

Here are the parts as they go together..



Put the shim on first,




donut, washer and nut but leave loose. Put the bracket back on and align the nub on the bracket with donut, bracket bolt and tighten until snug.. Tighten the swing arm shaft and torque the bracket bolt.. Used blue LT BTW.. 

Done.. Even a caveman can do it.. Total cost.. For me nothing,, Looks like I saved about $440 bucks..



Max






Admiral Akbar

Fwiw,

It's not perfect but it's 10 times better than it was.. Sweepers at 80 with bumps still get me a little shake.. The frequency of the shake is much higher telling me that I tighten up one thing the was way loose.. In fact the hinge seems to have moved toward the front wheel.. Fall away and tire next but I may tweek the suspension.. It's set up way too stiff.. Possibly to try and stop the wobble.. Bike is much more fun to ride..

Max

hrlydv

Thanks Max, I'm installing new doughnuts on this Street Glide I'm working on now and as soon as I get it together, I'll put the dial indicator on it. Then I'll check alignment again and top stabilizer. This bike does seem looser than most.
Let's go RIDING!

Admiral Akbar

I'd bet the new donuts help until the brackets have a change to dig into the rubber.. If the old ones look good, I'd try this first.. If set on the newer donuts then if it should come back check axial swing are movement again.. Max

heavydutyt

Nice find MAX i will be checking mine tonight.   Thanks  HEAVY

kickstart

I have had Sta-Bo's on my last 2 dressers 99 & 01.
(BTW- I have changed both rear forks to 02or up with  1" axle etc
Just ream out trans rear to 3/4" for new pivot shaft.
Then install the Sta-Bo's.($102)-)
No complaints here.
I have never ridden a bike with True-Trac etc so I don't know how much or if it would make a difference
JMHO

ALSO Although I have ridden camels I have never ridden a drunken camel in a sand storm, so maybe my post is off topic


It's not about gun control.
It's about CONTROL.

7hogs


Admiral Akbar

BTW,

I screwed up.. I should have rechecked the axial movement.. Maybe tonight..

Also this is not a cure for problems like loose swingarm bearings, fork bearings, bad tires, low pressure, bad shocks, etc.. It just another item that should be checked to improve the riding experience.. Unless of course you are trying to convince the ol' lady you need a new bike..  :wink:  Max

Dennis The Menace


Deye76

Almost like a "limiter" used on front mounts, which will reduce movement, but drastically increase vibraton. Why I asked about vibration and the GP stuff. Being this shim is much thinner than the limiter used on front mounts, vibration may be less.
East Tenn.<br /> 2020 Lowrider S Touring, 2014 CVO RK,  1992 FXRP

Admiral Akbar

Quote from: Deye76 on October 13, 2010, 07:32:16 AM
Almost like a "limiter" used on front mounts, which will reduce movement, but drastically increase vibraton. Why I asked about vibration and the GP stuff. Being this shim is much thinner than the limiter used on front mounts, vibration may be less.

Fwiw it's not.. It would be more like shorting the metallic spacer on the front mount and tightening up the rubber which is what it does.. Now the reason for the dial indicator is to remove the axial play without increasing compression on donuts too much and allowing them to still float radialy.  This should keep vibration from going up too much.  In my case I didn't notice any increase..  I could have used a thicker shim and it probably have increased vibration.. The idea was to remove the slack without increasing vibration.. Still the stuff you try to make rubber mounts, the greater chance for more vibes..  In other words, set it up the way it's supposed to be set up.

Max

pwmorris

Nice Max-
Interested in the axial movement measurement after the mod...
Wonder if a dampner (with a better tire) on the front would improve front shake?

TXChop

Bruce, your thoughts on the sta-bo bushings?? Maybe in addition?

Hillside Motorcycle

Otto Knowbetter sez, "Even a fish wouldn't get caught if he kept his mouth shut"

FLTRI

Quote from: Hillsidecyclecom on October 13, 2010, 10:02:35 AM
Bruce,
Damn good info right there! :up:
Scott
I second that remark!!  :up:
I've always maintained to fix the problem rather than bandaid it with add-on do-dads.  :wink:
Bob
The best we've experienced is the best we know
Always keep eyes and mind open


Ridetard

Al Gore invented the Donut.  (In case you were wondering) :bike:

hotroadking

I don't know I haven't ridden my camel in a sand storm......

what part of the camel should I be shimming???
and why will he be eating donuts...

DblackmanC

Quote from: FLTRI on October 13, 2010, 12:05:27 PM
Quote from: Hillsidecyclecom on October 13, 2010, 10:02:35 AM
Bruce,
Damn good info right there! :up:
Scott
I second that remark!!  :up:
I've always maintained to fix the problem rather than bandaid it with add-on do-dads.  :wink:
Bob
Nice fix there Max....
Dan
'06 Dyna, 95" Bagger.

FSG

did you brick the camel first to ensure he took on a full load   :wink:

Deye76

New donuts? How many miles on them?

"I was able to read 0.030 axial movement"
What does the factory say this value should be? 
East Tenn.<br /> 2020 Lowrider S Touring, 2014 CVO RK,  1992 FXRP

Admiral Akbar

Quote from: Deye76 on October 13, 2010, 05:14:40 PM
New donuts? How many miles on them?

"I was able to read 0.030 axial movement"
What does the factory say this value should be?

Nope,, Bike has about 11K..

Well, I looked through the manual and could find it so figured I'd call Willy and ask..

Willy: "  Hello?"

Max: " Hey Willly, it's Max. "

Willy: "WTF? How did you get my number?!?!:"

Max: "I got it from Juicy Lucy at the Broken Spoke"

Willy: "WTF? How did she get my number?!?!:"

Max: "She said something about getting it in the girls bathroon"

Willy "Oh "Potty mouth", WTF do you want?"

Max: "I need the axial play for the swing arm on a 07 Electra Glide"

Willy: "Well if you I tell you, I'll have to kill you.. "

Max: "Naw that's OK. Later..."

I check the axial play now and it set to about 0.007"

Max

JW113

>It's not perfect but it's 10 times better than it was..
> Sweepers at 80 with bumps still get me a little shake..

Applause on the effort, and great info. But.... from your description, it don't sound
"fixed" to me. Your "after" sounds like my "before". Have to say my RK now is in the
'perfect' category. ZERO wallow or shake. Call me crazy, call me a fool, but still very
happy with the Glide Pro.

But hey, if you're happy, I'm happy!

-JW
2004 FLHRS   1977 FLH Shovelhead  1992 FLSTC
1945 Indian Chief   1978 XL Bobber

JohnCA58

Agree with JW,  I went with the Sta-bo on two bike with updated swing arms, one of them being mine,  neither bike wallows on high speed and both are ridden hard with confidence,   we have one off ramp here that is a guarantee to make your bike feel hinged and both bike did wallow on that ramp that has a 50 mph posted speed,  now both bike can be riden in confidence thru that ramp at 75 mph.
YOLO

Admiral Akbar

Well I ain't calling anyone crazy or a fool.. but maybe you need to try my test sweeper..  :teeth:...

Anyway the purpose of this is not to put down Glide Pro but to see what other options are available.. You running an old 402 on front?  I still need to go through the setting up the steering bearings..

Max