Low Speed Wobble

[Slide]

Last weekend I took my Max on a 1700 mile ride. All went very well except for discovering a low speed wobble that was worse than most high speed ones. At about 50 mph I took my hands off the bars to readjust my gloves. As the bike slowed to about 40mph the front end started to shake and became violent when the speed slowed to 30mph. I tried this no hands thing several times and it happened every time but never when my hands are on the bars. Has anyone else had this happen to them. The bike has brand new Metzler ME880 running 33/36 lbs. At high speeds it runs straight and true without any hint of wobble with hands on or off the bars. I now plan on checking my bearings but am also wondering if anyone makes a set of needle rollers for the front end as they really tightened up the front end on my streettracker. I would really appreciate any and all info. Thanks.

 

[G Man]

Hi Slide: Mine is a 2006. I have exactly the same symptoms as you do. I know another guy with an '06, also the same. Works o.k. with one and better with both hands on the bars. Some day if I'm inclined, I may begin some of the suspension improvements others have done. May also consider a steering damper if I can fit one nicely.

 

[shawn kloker]

The bearings are too loose.They probably broke in some since new.

 

[firefly]

I have an 03, it did it once at about 40 MPH after hitting a pothole, even though I have racetech, so I tightened the steering head and it never happened again.
How does the bike react after you hit a bump? if you feel any sideway movement then it is definitely the steering head, very noticeable while in a turn and hitting a bump or pothole. provided tires are in a good condition.

 

[one2dmax]

Set your bike up on the centerstand and let the bars fall to one side and then the other. I will bet that the steering head bearings are too loose as has been said already.

The bars should take a slight push to start movement and then should fall and stop on the bottom. If they bounce (or if they won't stay halfway down when setting them there) the bearings are too loose.

It's a very common problem as many don't know how to set the right. Too tight and you won't be able to keep going in a straight line without constantly correcting the steering. Too loost and you can't take your hands off.

Sean Morley

 

[Slide]

Thanks for the replies fellows. I will give the front end a going over this weekend. I would really like to see if I can locate some tapered roller bearings that will fit the neck and stem as this would be the way to go. They give 10 times the bearing surface and eliminate those crappy balls and races. The conversion on the tracker made the whole front end snug and there has never been any sign of a wobble and this being on a bike that is noted for a hinged frame.

 

[one2dmax]

Thanks for the replies fellows. I will give the front end a going over this weekend. I would really like to see if I can locate some tapered roller bearings that will fit the neck and stem as this would be the way to go. They give 10 times the bearing surface and eliminate those crappy balls and races. The conversion on the tracker made the whole front end snug and there has never been any sign of a wobble and this being on a bike that is noted for a hinged frame.

These aren't ball bearings. They are cylindrical bearings. No hunting needed to upgrade them.

Sean Morley

 

[Lew L]

Just my $0.02 and what worked for me.
Did the Furbur Fix--- new aluminum washer was easy to make. Adjusting the tightness of the steering head bearings is easy with no rubber washer. Good tires also helped---- I actually put a 120 tire on the front. Looks massive and the bike is steady in high speed work. Also dropped the forks in the triple trees about 3/4".
Lew

 

[Remeber Me]

Till I get a manual for my vmax I assume you have to remove everything from the top of the steering head then tighten then take the locking pins from between the two cogs then tighten the bottom cogged nut (lack of a real name) till it performs correctly? Is a spanner (sp?) wrench needed to tighten that cogged nut or is there another way?

 

[Rusty McNeil]

Low speed wobble=loose bearing tension in the front if bad front tire is ruled out.

Guarenteed.

The factory bearings are tapered roller bearings and nothing wrong with the design IMO.......If a bearing could be found that had more bearings in a smaller diameter ( IE needle bearings) versus the bigger rollers it would probably be an improvemant like Sean said...

Mine were flat spotted from water intrusion/ corrosion at a mere 12,000 and it gave me all kinds of problems. You should not need any suspension upgrades to elimante a low speed wobble...

Rusty

 

[frantheman39]

Yeah, I'm a member of the wobble club w/my 1988. Low speed, and high speed, if there's a bump, there's a slight wobble. I'll have the bearings checked as you all seem to recommend that. I do have 25k miles on the bike. It does seem that the steering turns too easily. Anyway, i'm getting tired of keeping both hands on my bars ~ unless i'm crankin' wheelies!!
:rocket bike:

 

[one2dmax]

simplest way to adjust is to get the bike on the centerstand (or equivalent) with front wheel off the floor. You loosen the 4 pinch bolts on the lower tripple (not the 2 on the upper) and the large center cap nut on the top tripple. Then you can either get a spanner or you can even use a blut flat screwdriver and hammer and snug them up. move the bottom one and the top will follow (provided you haven't done the "Furbur" washer unneeded swap).

You want the tension to be enough that the front end will "fall" with a nudge and not bounce on the stops. You want it to fall and stop in place. Don't worry about the factory torque amount as I've seen anywhere from 20-100lbs be required to get them set right. Once you have that set then retighten the big nut and pinch bolts.

When you ride it if you seem to constantly correct the steering to stay straight then you have then too tight. If you get a low speed wobble (20-40mph) when taking your hands off the bar then you have them too loose.

Sean Morley

 

[Remeber Me]

Till I get a manual for my vmax I assume you have to remove everything from the top of the steering head then tighten then take the locking pins from between the two cogs then tighten the bottom cogged nut (lack of a real name) till it performs correctly? Is a spanner (sp?) wrench needed to tighten that cogged nut or is there another way?

Actually no need to remove everything the manual states. You only need to loosen the top steering head nut and top fork bridge allens connecting both shock tubes. Then, just tighten the lower ring nut while leaving the top ring nut with rubber washer and lock washer in place. After adjustment just tighten the allens and top steering head nut. Much simpler! unk:

 

[one2dmax]

depending on the year of the bike loosenging the top tripple instead of the bottom will actually cause the tubes to be put into a binding condition. Loosed the bottom bridge and NOT the top.

Sean

 

[Remeber Me]

Sean must mean '85 through '92 with the fork air linkage. The on-line manual states the tops so that manual is also incorrect for those years (unless it is cover in a Supplemental which I hadn't noticed). I have a '99 and had forgotten about the air linkage on the earlier years.

Weird, I didn't notice the post right above mine described much better how to do this adjustment for all years but I can't delete mine now.

Hal

 

[one2dmax]

yes, I was referring to those years but also keep in mind that any adjusment made with a loosened up top tripple will make the fork tubes change position in relation to the flushness of the tubes. Some are pretty anal about things like that.

Sean

 

[Remeber Me]

But with the bottom clamp loose if someone goes too far with loosening the top nut (takes it off by mistake) the whole front end could slide way down on the tubes, right?

 

[one2dmax]

as long as the top clamp is tight the front end will not come off.

Sean

 

[82ndCowboy]

OK,
I started getting a wobble when I take my hands off the bars.
After 25,000 miles I've never done anything to the steering bearings, they are stock and never been adjusted.
So I put the Max on the center stand on smooth concrete at work. When I push the bars to the side they will not swing to the stop. They just stop when you stop pushing on them.
Best I can tell the throttle cables are stopping the bars from swinging on their own.
They do tend to fall when you get the bars pushed almost all the way to the side.
Is this normal or should they fall from center?

 

[dannymax]

OK,
I started getting a wobble when I take my hands off the bars.
After 25,000 miles I've never done anything to the steering bearings, they are stock and never been adjusted.
So I put the Max on the center stand on smooth concrete at work. When I push the bars to the side they will not swing to the stop. They just stop when you stop pushing on them.
Best I can tell the throttle cables are stopping the bars from swinging on their own.
They do tend to fall when you get the bars pushed almost all the way to the side.
Is this normal or should they fall from center?

82nd, you may want to remove or relocate your lines so they can't interfere with the swing.

Mine had a little binding going one way, but not the other. This was caused by cables, brake lines, etc. My front would swing on it's own after just a small nudge off center. I kept adjusting the head nut until I got one light bounce (per Sean's directions). I measured the torque at each adjustment and ended up with 23 ft. lbs. before I got the light bounce I was looking for. No wobble, no weave, it handles perfectly.

Good luck,

dan