Front End wobble - Page 3

id-man · 09-19-2014, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scouser

I am suffering with the same problem. I put new tires (ME880), new head bearings, new wheel bearings and replaved the fork oil; it's still there. At the suggestion of some on this site I increased the preload (I used 55 inlb), the wobble started at a higher speed about 40mph and seamed to be more severe. So right now I am living with it (just got back from a 2K mile trip), when I get time I'll increase the preload some more and see what happens.

Have you tried the "flop" test where you jack up the front wheel and see how much it rebounds after hitting the fork stops? Mine was so loose it rebounded all the way back to the opposite stop. Even though I could not detect any play in the headstock by wiggling, it was failing the flop test. Correcting it took quite a lot of hard pulling on the head bearing, (which was done without a torque wrench so I can't cite you numbers), I just pulled, flopped, pulled, flopped, till the rebound was very minimal. That was many thousands of miles ago and the wobble hasn't returned.

redjay · 09-19-2014, 11:04 AM

Has anyone ever thought why the steering would wobble because the steering bearings are loose ? I can see getting a judder when braking or a knock when hitting a pothole but why a wobble when the bearings are loose ? Any thoughts ?

tonik · 09-19-2014, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redjay

Has anyone ever thought why the steering would wobble because the steering bearings are loose ? I can see getting a judder when braking or a knock when hitting a pothole but why a wobble when the bearings are loose ? Any thoughts ?

I am not a mechanical engineer but I will play one on the internet. The forks are under constantly changing forces just from the rolls and ripples in the road...not just the big events you mention...so it creates a situation where it starts rocking back and forth and perhaps that is increased/amplified as the tire starts to do the same on the sidewalls.

ponch · 09-19-2014, 03:50 PM

Someone on the Delphi forum found a cure for the wobble by using tapered roller bearings, IIRC.

http://forums.delphiforums.com/kawvu...sages/113434/1

redjay · 09-19-2014, 08:59 PM

I guess that is my point, why would tightening the stock bearing or fitting a different bearing cure the wobble ?

ponch · 09-19-2014, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redjay

I guess that is my point, why would tightening the stock bearing or fitting a different bearing cure the wobble ?

I think the guy on the other forum said tightening didn't help. A tapered roller probably is tighter tolerances and smoother.

ramdam1 · 09-30-2014, 07:54 PM

Problem solved. Went away by itself. Now figure that out.

recumbentbob · 09-30-2014, 08:07 PM

It will be back and worse next time.

redjay · 09-30-2014, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ramdam1

Problem solved. Went away by itself. Now figure that out.

Tire pressure ?
Did you put any air in the tires lately ?

smokey · 09-30-2014, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redjay

Has anyone ever thought why the steering would wobble because the steering bearings are loose ? I can see getting a judder when braking or a knock when hitting a pothole but why a wobble when the bearings are loose ? Any thoughts ?

Mine did the head shake, mostly on deceleration, probably because it loads up the front end a bit, and on acceleration it would lighten the front end allowing loose bearings to have an effect, I went to tapered and they must have been a little loose as I had the head shake. I tightened them up and the head shake is now gone and the steering still centers itself when the wheel is jacked up.

cactusjack · 09-30-2014, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ponch

I think the guy on the other forum said tightening didn't help. A tapered roller probably is tighter tolerances and smoother.

It worked for me.

**ringadingh** · 10-01-2014, 12:37 AM

It didn't for me.

Silent Sam · 10-01-2014, 12:40 AM

"GYROSCOPIC-PROCESSION" take place 90 degrees to the rear of the direction of rotation

It how helicopters are controlled...and is a real bitch in rotating parts/assembly's, if there is any slack that can be "fed-into" the equation. (study it on Wikipedia)

Considering the mass of the front wheel assy..if it starts any erratic movement in any plane..it can/will set up a wobble...sometime escalating to uncontrollable !

In the case of the Big Assed Kawasaki's..it seems to be limited to around a forward speed of 30 - 40 mph..

(I feel pretty -educated, right now..so I need a good come-uppence, and a reply by one of you rotateing mass engineers to correct my ramblings)

NOTE/EDIT: It's corrected to "GYROSCOPIC PRECESSION" --lot's of info on GOOGLE

**Rasta** · 10-01-2014, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cactusjack

It worked for me.

For me too!!

ponch · 10-01-2014, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cactusjack

It worked for me.

But you had a 1600, not a 1700. Anyway, it tapered rollers are better and cure it, you have to wonder why they weren't used in the first place. It's real cheap to skimp on something like that.

09-19-2014, 03:50 PM	#34
ponch Sr. Contributor Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Way East Valley Posts: 12,014	Someone on the Delphi forum found a cure for the wobble by using tapered roller bearings, IIRC. http://forums.delphiforums.com/kawvu...sages/113434/1 __________________ Ponch VBA 0019 VROC 8109-R BMWMOA 162849 BMWRA 41335 BMW: When you care enough to ride the very best. My Motorrad Blog My Motorrad YouTube 2009 BMW R1200RT Previous bikes:2007 Nomad \| 2001 Vulcan 800 Classic \| 1984 GPz750 \| 1978 KZ1000A2 Rallies: Custer '09\|Prairie Du Chien '10\|Crescent City '11
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09-19-2014, 08:59 PM	#35
redjay Top Contributor Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ontario Posts: 6,927	I guess that is my point, why would tightening the stock bearing or fitting a different bearing cure the wobble ? Login or Register to Remove Ads
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09-30-2014, 08:07 PM	#38
recumbentbob Sr. Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Newburgh IN Posts: 3,404	It will be back and worse next time. __________________ VBA #01084 "A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."
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10-01-2014, 12:37 AM	#42
ringadingh Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Newmarket Ontario Canada Posts: 35,387	It didn't for me. __________________ 2002 Nomad aka Bountyhunter VBA #27 VROC #18951
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10-01-2014, 12:40 AM	#43
Silent Sam Sr. Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: On The Shakey Side Posts: 2,501	"GYROSCOPIC-PROCESSION" take place 90 degrees to the rear of the direction of rotation It how helicopters are controlled...and is a real bitch in rotating parts/assembly's, if there is any slack that can be "fed-into" the equation. (study it on Wikipedia) Considering the mass of the front wheel assy..if it starts any erratic movement in any plane..it can/will set up a wobble...sometime escalating to uncontrollable ! In the case of the Big Assed Kawasaki's..it seems to be limited to around a forward speed of 30 - 40 mph.. (I feel pretty -educated, right now..so I need a good come-uppence, and a reply by one of you rotateing mass engineers to correct my ramblings) NOTE/EDIT: It's corrected to "GYROSCOPIC PRECESSION" --lot's of info on GOOGLE Last edited by Silent Sam; 10-01-2014 at 08:51 PM.
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09-19-2014, 11:04 AM	#32
redjay Top Contributor Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ontario Posts: 6,927	Has anyone ever thought why the steering would wobble because the steering bearings are loose ? I can see getting a judder when braking or a knock when hitting a pothole but why a wobble when the bearings are loose ? Any thoughts ?
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09-30-2014, 07:54 PM	#37
ramdam1 Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Long Island New York Posts: 101	Problem solved. Went away by itself. Now figure that out.
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