Low speed wobble

[Nicki66]

Hey guys, I am in need of your help in trying to figure out how to solve my steering wobble at speeds of 40-50. It is really felt when decelerating from high speed through the 50-40 range. I just put new Metezler 880 tires on last week & my bike has not been the same since. I have had my front wheel off & back to the dealer for re-balancing, but nothing changed. I removed the weight & no change.
While I had the front end off the ground I lifted on the wheel checking for head bearing play, felt fine to me. No movement. Wheel bearings feel good. Checked air in forks, both at 7 psi. Removed air, wobble still there.

What do I check for next??

Kevin

 

[dannymax]

When the front end was off the floor did you check the steering head bearing tightness by letting the handlebars fall to one direction and see how hard it hit the stops?
The front end should fall to the stops but not bounce off them. If you get the bearings too tight the bike will weave when you're trying to go in a straight line.
I had a low speed decel wobble and using this test method and a slight tightening of the head bearings the wobble was totally eliminated.

 

[Shuriken]

http://www.vmaxforum.net/showthread.php?t=5442

http://www.vmaxforum.net/showthread.php?t=5663

http://www.vmaxforum.net/showthread.php?t=4808

 

[lankeeyankee]

Your steering head bearings are to tight, adjust them with the advice from here..

 

[one2dmax]

not tight enough actually. The threads will show the way.

Sean

 

[Heretic]

I agree with Sean they are not tight enough. I had the wobble with de-accelerating from 50-45mph. After verifying that the bars had 'the bounce' after dropping from neutral I loosened the top nut and tighted the castellated nuts 1/4 turn. Runs good now to and from 125mph. No wobbles, weaves, or other ailments (for now).

 

[2stangs69-91]

My 2006 did the same thing. I ended up doing the furbur washer fix and it has been great since. When my front tire starts to get cupped it will do it everyonce in awhile.

 

[vmax190]

i have the same problem with my 06, dealership checked bearings and wheel balance and said the entire front fork assembly needs replaced, WTF? dave

 

[one2dmax]

They don't have a clue and want to charge you (or Yamaha). retorque them with the metods described here and tell them they are full of it.

Sean

 

[naughtyG]

i have the same problem with my 06, dealership checked bearings and wheel balance and said the entire front fork assembly needs replaced, WTF? dave

Sounds like your stealer is full if shit!

I wonder how they 'checked your bearings' - by moving the bars from side to side? You can't feel how good or bad the bearings are unless you take all that weight (wheel, forks etc) off the triple-trees, I found that out for myself.

Mine felt just fine with everything on, yet once dismantled it was very obvious they were TOTALLY shot.

 

[Nicki66]

You guys rock! I raised up the front end and did the swing test & had a real good bounce when it hit the stops. I loosened up the top nut, the four bottom bolts on the lower tree and tightened up on the castle nuts until bars moved properly.
Test ride after this was without that dreaded wobble.

Thanks for your help. This forum is the best!!!!!!!!!!

Just made my first donation to help keep this site going.

 

[vmax190]

thanks for the info guys, going to the dealership is like having a conversation with the kids on the short bus. :damn angry:

 

[dannymax]

thanks for the info guys, going to the dealership is like having a conversation with the kids on the short bus. :damn angry:

That's a good one 190!!! Gonna use that in the future if you don't mind!

My last trip to the stealers I was going to order some small OEM part, the brain dead, valium stuffed kid says, "V Max? How big is a V Max?" Knew right then & there this twitch never even heard of a v max. I said never mind, just give me this quart of gear oil, and I'll be on my way.

"How big is a V Max?"

"BIG, IT'S REALLY FUCKIN' BIG"

 

[dannymax]

You guys rock! I raised up the front end and did the swing test & had a real good bounce when it hit the stops. I loosened up the top nut, the four bottom bolts on the lower tree and tightened up on the castle nuts until bars moved properly.
Test ride after this was without that dreaded wobble.

Thanks for your help. This forum is the best!!!!!!!!!!

Just made my first donation to help keep this site going.

Glad the fix worked for you. Sometimes it does, sometimes it's something else causing the problem.
Just out of curiosity, how many miles on your '06 now?
How many miles has it been wobbling?

 

[vmax190]

i am screwed here, i am a electronic dork, not to mechanical and no good bike gururs around here here, but with you guys help i'll get bye, thanks for all your help.:clapping: thanks dave

 

[Nicki66]

Hey Danny, I have 8000 miles on it. The wobble was only there for less then 500. But that was 500 too many.


I went up to bike night last night & it is amazing how many bikes are there. The Vmax still stops people as they are walking around & they look at it. Lots of good comments.

 

[ultra93]

I'm a newby to both the Max and this site. Since getting the V Max 3 weeks ago, I Have read every posting on this site and have learned so much in a short time. Anyway, I fixed the low speed wobble, the not starting in gear problem caused by the clutch switch, and the lowerind the front end by 1 inch. All the bikes problems have been solved.

Thanks to everyone here who takes the time to share the expertise with the rest of us bikers! I have been riding Harley's, sport and dirt bikes for over 50 years and continue to be amazed at the helpfulness of other bikers.

Thanks again.
Ray in Spring Branch, TX

 

[HDKILA]

45 mph wobble question...

I did a search and here is my situation:

My bike has all new steering head bearings courtesy of Jeff. It also has new progressive springs and new fluid.

My wobble comes at 45 mph.

I jacked the front end up and tightened what I THINK is the steering head bearing nut until the steering would just barely bounch off the stops BUT I am wondering if I tightened the right nut or not??? I am also wondering how much tighter I could get the nut as I tightened as much as I can and I still get a little bounce.

Is the steering head bearing nut the large chrome nut under the handlebars above the forks? Or am I digging in the wrong spot?

Thanks gang...

 

[vmax626]

Re: 45 mph wobble question...

I did a search and here is my situation:

My bike has all new steering head bearings courtesy of Jeff. It also has new progressive springs and new fluid.

My wobble comes at 45 mph.

I jacked the front end up and tightened what I THINK is the steering head bearing nut until the steering would just barely bounch off the stops BUT I am wondering if I tightened the right nut or not??? I am also wondering how much tighter I could get the nut as I tightened as much as I can and I still get a little bounce.

Is the steering head bearing nut the large chrome nut under the handlebars above the forks? Or am I digging in the wrong spot?

Thanks gang...

NO it`s not that one. It`s the two thinner ones with the rubber washer inbetween them. YOU torque the bottom one and then put the rubber washer back and then you tighten back up the other one but they have to be aligned because there is a tooth that fits on them both, then you tighten the chrome nut on top.
<<Dave>>

 

[[email protected]]

Re: 45 mph wobble question...

No, not the chrome nut man.

Here is the stack up from the top down

Chrome nut, top triple, special washer, castellated nut, rubber washer (the furber "fix" replaces this)castellated nut, bearing cap.

There are two castellated nuts under the top triple tree that are locked together with a "special washer" that fits in the grooves of these two nuts. Here is what you do.

Raise front end
Loosen chrome nut
Loosen lower triple tree pinch bolts
Tighten the castellated nuts. I do both at the same time.

Cured my wobbles with this method. I had a VERY slight bounce when the bars were dropped to the left. Not when to the right though.