Homemade alignment aid (lots of pics)

[readytoride]

As most of us know, the index marks on the swingarm that are to be used for aligning the rear axle are not always accurate. A fellow $tromtrooper, JRShaw, said "to adjust the wheel properly we need a way to accurately measure the distance from the swingarm pivot to the axle on each side of the bike." Well here is what I came up with: two lengths of all-thread with with collars/bushings/tapers as needed to keep one rod centered in the swingarm pivot and the other centered in the axle. With these in place it is just a matter of using a tape measure to get the same distance on each side.


Here's what my tools look like:
http://home.cfl.rr.com/ready2ride/V-Strom/alignmenttools.JPG


Here they are in place:

swingarm pivot left side:
http://home.cfl.rr.com/ready2ride/V-Strom/left%20front%20in%20place.JPG

axle, left side:
http://home.cfl.rr.com/ready2ride/V-Strom/leftrear%20in%20place.JPG

axle, right side:
http://home.cfl.rr.com/ready2ride/V-Strom/rightrear%20in%20place.JPG

swingarm pivot, right side:
http://home.cfl.rr.com/ready2ride/V-Strom/rightfront%20in%20place.JPG





Taking measurements:
http://home.cfl.rr.com/ready2ride/V-Strom/tapeonleft.JPG

http://home.cfl.rr.com/ready2ride/V-Strom/tapeonright.JPG

I cut down a couple nuts on the lathe to make the tapered parts, but if you were careful, you could probably just wrap some tape around a rod and get the same results. For the right side of the swing arm pivot an old lug nut worked perfectly.

You have to pull the cotter pin out to do this, so don't forget to put it back when you are done.:p (If I had a lawyer I sure he would tell me to add that)

I've done this with my DL1000 but I suspect it will work on a variety of makes and models.

[V1Vr]

What an excellent idea. Hard to imagine getting any more accurate than that! Kudos.

[limobob]

Good job!! Harley uses a similar method on the later Sportys. There is a small hole drilled in each side of the swing. Then you just bend a 90 on the end of a length of heavy gage wire, insert in the arm, and set both sides equal, measuring to the center of the axle. I have found that the oem marks are ok on my V. Maybe you should market your idea!:)

[handyhiker]

As most of us know, the index marks on the swingarm that are to be used for aligning the rear axle are not always accurate. A fellow $tromtrooper, JRShaw, said "to adjust the wheel properly we need a way to accurately measure the distance from the swingarm pivot to the axle on each side of the bike."

Good idea!
By chance, did you check the marks on the swing arm after your adjustment tool was used? Just kind of curious as to the findings.
I will have to try this on mine and see if the marks are correct.

[Corkus]

I assume you are aligning your chain, sprockets and rear wheel with this method. That is very clever and elegant. Way to go.

I saw laser chain alignment tools, but dang, they cost a lot up to almost $200. So I thought I'd use a regular laser level from Home Depot. (I cheered when the Lowe's opened around here, I have terrible luck with the Depot).

I bought the first laser level that I saw, I'm sure there are better units. But $39 and almost no time invested sounded good to me. I want the sprockets and chain straight, straight, straight, and I was frustrated with the ways I'd tried to align everything.

I stick this laser level (http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100069224&categoryID=501679) on an 18" or so 2x4 standing on it's end behind the rear wheel so it can look down the rear sprocket along the chain to the front sprocket. I try to get the beam to draw a red line right in the middle of the chain links the entire length of the chain and all the way down the rear sprocket. I use the leveler bubbles to make sure the bike is not ever so slightly canted to one side or the other on the center stand.

The biggest difficulty is my setup isn't very elegant. Lining up the blocks of wood (I use two blocks, one flat, one stading up) is kind of awkward. I keep telling myself I'll make a stand for the laser but awkward or not, if I can line up that beam along the chain with a bit of fidgiting, about 30-45 seconds per each line up of the laser, that baby is straight and I'm happy.

The way I do all this is awkward because I dont' have a good stand for the laser. But it is all worth it when I see everything very straight. I'll have an elegant method when I get a good stand figured out. Right now I'm fine with awkward.

[Keith Falkner]

I think that Mrs. Suzuki probably made the bike right, and sent it across the Pacific Ocean with its chain straight.

So when I adjust the chain, replace the chain, or replace the rear tire, I compose myself, let all other ideas seep out of my mind (don't laugh, old farts' minds wander a lot ... now, back to that recipe ... um, chain), and concentrate on symmetry.

Whenever I need to move or remove the rear axle, I turn each side an equal number of one-sixth-turns, counting aloud to myself. I let nothing interrupt me until I have brought the non-chain side into alignment with the chain side.

This works for me. My DL650's original chain lasted 22174 miles, almost as long as two rear tires. I have used the same method on many bikes, with great success.

Keith

P.S. Your method is far more elegant and reliable, readytoride, and I wish I had thought of it first. :)

[rcacs]

I use a caliper to measure the distance from the back of the rectangular washer to the end of the swing arm. Takes but only a second or two. I have found that the suzuki marks are pretty much right on the money.

Otherwise, I do as Keith does.

Cheers!

[readytoride]

Good idea!
By chance, did you check the marks on the swing arm after your adjustment tool was used? Just kind of curious as to the findings.
I will have to try this on mine and see if the marks are correct.

I relied for years on a method very similar to Mr. Faulkner's with good success, but now seeing is believing, and so is feeling. My handlebars finally feel straight now! :eek:

If you can ignore the dirt in the pics, you can see just how far off those marks can be:

http://home.cfl.rr.com/ready2ride/V-Strom/indexLT.JPG


http://home.cfl.rr.com/ready2ride/V-Strom/indexRT.JPG

[Corkus]

Thanks for that last set of photos readytoride, now I'm seeing what the original poster's method is about, this is aligning the rear wheel/sprocket with the chassis of the bike, by changing the rear wheel alignment using only the chain slack adjusters on either side of the swingarm. Right?

This is different than the common methods that align the rear wheel/sprocket with the front sprocket/chain and ignoring the alignment of the rear wheel to the chassis.

Isn't it one or the other here? Or am I missing something? Maybe I am.

If you only use one adjustment, the chain slack adjusters, how can you align the rear wheel/sprocket with the chassis of the bike and at the same time align the rear wheel/sprocket with the front sprocket and chain? It seems to me if you perfectly align one, the other is possibly out of alignment.

[PackMule]

Just a note on the vee adjusting plates that the adjuster bolts push against...they are not symmetrical. The axel on the left is full diameter but on the right is turned down and threaded. If you reverse these parts on reassembly, you will definately have an out of alignment axel if you use the stock alignment marks.

Rich

[45th Parallel]

I relied for years on a method very similar to Mr. Faulkner's with good success, but now seeing is believing, and so is feeling. My handlebars finally feel straight now! :eek:

If you can ignore the dirt in the pics, you can see just how far off those marks can be:

http://home.cfl.rr.com/ready2ride/V-Strom/indexLT.JPG


http://home.cfl.rr.com/ready2ride/V-Strom/indexRT.JPG

Dude,

Do you have aluminum-eating termites in Florida?! Looks like something has been snacking on your swingarm!

Too cold for them alloy-eaters in Maine.

[Dwayne]

Replaced my rear tire, chain, and sprockets a few hundred miles ago.

To align my rear wheel, I mounted everything up, snugged the axle castle nut down a little, but didn't go all the way. With the bike in neutral and on the centerstand, I spun the rear wheel by hand. Several revolutions later I looked at how the chain was sitting on the rear sprocket. I tweaked the alignment until the chain could be moved left or right on the sprocket (after spinning), this way I know the chain is running in alignment with the rear sprocket.

[handyhiker]

Just a note on the vee adjusting plates that the adjuster bolts push against...they are not symmetrical. The axel on the left is full diameter but on the right is turned down and threaded. If you reverse these parts on reassembly, you will definately have an out of alignment axel if you use the stock alignment marks.

Rich

Oh sure, Thanks a lot!! Now I have to run out to the garage and make sure I put these back on correcty after I just installed TKC80's. :confused:

[2wrdr]

What happened to pics?

[roger123]

What happened to pics?

Original post is over a year old, he probably changed hosting sites or something like that.

[ChuckD]

http://forums.ninja250.org/viewtopic.php?p=668685&sid=82912fd84b7da054157f0349c1ba55b6#668685

Try this, it may be the same.

[honest bob]

I thought it was more important to align the rear wheel with the front wheel:confused: Is it possible to do both? Bob...

[clovett]

I thought it was more important to align the rear wheel with the front wheel:confused: Is it possible to do both? Bob...

I have a cheap laser building level I paid like $35 for. I put the bike on the center stand then I set the beam on next to it. It's a pain to get the front and back of the front and rear rims exactly the same but when I do I'm aligned. The worst is getting the front tire set straight then scotched so it can't move. Takes me about 5 min to adjust the bubbles on the level and then 10 - 15 minutes to actually check/set the alignment. In that 10-15 minutes you really get tired of checking the front and back rim distance to the beam. The level I'm using has a stand and a bubble level built in. I originally bought it to help build a garage and just found a new purpose for it.

Note I check to the rims and not to the tires.

Oh and I just remembered, when I was a kid I aligned my wheels with 8 ft florescent tubes. We just put em down the sides of the tires. I prefer to use the laser level to the rims but frankly the tubes would be much better than nothing at all.

[honest bob]

Plus 1 on the laser Clovett;:cool: My thinking is that it's better to wear out the chain/sprockets a little, rather than having the wheels tracking in their own little directions:confused: and me trying to figure out how to compensate for that in every corner. Not to mention the tire wear.:rolleyes: JM2$W Bob... PS maybe you could use this jig (see pic ) to align the front and hold it steady?<a href="http://s658.photobucket.com/albums/uu302/honestbob63/?action=view&current=tiedown.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i658.photobucket.com/albums/uu302/honestbob63/tiedown.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

[Dntouch]

Well after two tries on the threaded rod idea i had my dad make up some tools like in the original post. (i know the picts are gone). I have had an issue with my bike walking left even if there was a crown in the road or the wind was pushing me right.

Anyway seems my rear wheel was 1/4" out of alignment and i used the factory marks previously. When i say 1/4" i mean from the new measuring points using the ends of the rods. The tire itself was probably only tweaked 1/16" or so but after a quick ride yesterday i could tell it made a difference.


Thanks again "readytoride" i appreciate the picts and idea. Hopefully it will save me some chain and sprocket wear in the long run.

[james1300]

Wheres the pic's!!!:confused: