touring./ longer trips
- Thread starter rodbargee
- Start date
Could of nitpicking points, I bet my washer is very close to the gap you have Clem. Your light comment Cam has exceptions, takes some mass to achieve that effect. Laverda's are heavy but not that heavy. The string line method works great if everything is in its correct position, if not you can still aline the wheels to parallel but they can be offset from centre, I stuffed up the position of the left side thick washer years ago at a tyre change. It didnt make sense to have 2 spacers on the left so I put it outside the swingarm. I then alined the wheels with string resulting in poor handling and a long term mystery as to why. I then used Clems sectioned straightedge method and discovered the washer error. I then started using a large tramel, or dividers to set the rear wheel parallel to the swingarm pivot and its all tickidy boo checked at silly speeds on a recent run to Dalgetty. Forks are not bound, eg out of parallel and work smoothly with 115mm of workable travel, found by the cable tie method. So it's possible with small stuff-ups to achieve crap handing and can take some effet to find and fix them. This have been a great little thread with heaps of useful info from lots of experienced Laverda owners. As said lots of cat skinning going on.
CLEMTOG
Hero member
You could be right with the spacer thickness Vince, but it needs to be Bob on, not just "close" I would say within .005" would be a good tolerance and there is no need for it, the whole caboodle is bolted up against the fork leg which has the spindle nut, and the other fork leg can float in and out a bit, say 0.120" in and out the fork slider sliding (like that?) along the spindle, then clamp the bastard good and tight when it is comfortable. Ditch the washer, this dimension has variations the washer does not. This method has been common on Moto cross bikes for years and years.
In your case I would loosen the fork yolk clamps and turn the legs 90 degrees, you never know if they are also dead straight.
CLEM
In your case I would loosen the fork yolk clamps and turn the legs 90 degrees, you never know if they are also dead straight.
CLEM
I think its the step in the axel thickness that causes the issue. Sure enough, Clem, if the washer is out it would cause fork binding and loss of free travel. Thats what happened when I first fitted the fork brace. I didnt even get out of the gate before noticing the binding and lack of travel. Its got 5mm of adjustment each side so I continually bounced the fork while tightening it and the fork now is lovely and plush with plenty of good soft damping, maybe too much as I am considering upping the fork oil weight. Maybe after the next big ride.
piranha-bro2
Hero member
- Location
- Melbourne
One fork leg 'floats' on the axle - so unless you tighten it up when that floating leg is under stress (ie NOT floating), it shouldn't bind, Vince. You tighten the floating leg's pinch bolt LAST in the whole process. Reversing the whole setup for calipers front or rear makes zero difference. if it does, it means your wheel wasn't 'dished' dead centre but won't affect the basic setup.
rodbargee
Full member
- Location
- North Yorkshire
VAluable infor here thanks all 8)
78jotadave
Hero member
Me too Clem, made the vernier caliper thingy years and years ago, works a treat. I find if the caliper measurments are equal everything else lines up as it should.CLEMTOG said:
Putting a sheep skin on the seat inproves seat tolerance by several hours, by that time I am well and truly ready for a brew.