Kawasaki Sportsbike Riders Club - Australia - Online Forum

Hey Guys 'n' Gals,
What is the best method for doing a wheel alignment by myself. I am a lonely person that has no local friends that wish to help. So what options do I have?? The local bike shop (600Km round trip) is not an option. I under stand the string line method but this requires 2 people doesn't it??

Cheers

Chris

I use 2 heavy Blocks to tape the string to at the front wheel.... in fact I use old bike batteries as they are the perfect height.

I use a couple of car axle stands (they are adjustable for height) at one end to tie the string to
and go from there

where is that pic of the wheel alignment tool???

here is a homr made one

farked if I can embed it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqSOEg8LZxU

That tool aligns the rear wheel to the frame, fair enough but a stringline aligns "wheel" to "wheel" ........ which is the reason to do it in the first place, you want your wheels to line up

Heres a rough example.... I move the batteries in & out until the string hits both edges of the back wheel the measure the gap at the front on both sides to work out which way the rear wheel has to be adjusted.

I didn't think that you could do it on race stands. Would this still work with the rear wheel in the air??

If u bounce the front end with loose pinch bolts it should be straight and not binded, then measure from a fixed point on the frame/swing arm to the axle on both sides for the rear to be straight?

I found a tool that is a straight bar with 2 locating spikes that slide along it. They locate inside the hollow axles and swing arm bolts. How accurate are these tools??

I was silly and went out and bought a laser do hickey. I don't think it's any faster or more accurate than tape measure from axle to swingarm pivot. Sometimes can do it by sound when the spirits visit me. If she makes a noise or has periodic shuddering in the chain she aint straight. Or the engine sprocket is gone.

Mad RS wrote: How accurate are these tools??

Depends on the engineer that made them, & if there is any play in the spikes you may as well be inserting your old fella

& as for trusting the frame for measurements, I know a Superbike rider (not a Factory rider) that will take delivery of a new bike from the crate & strip it to have the frame straightened

So in regards to aligning frame vs front tyre. If my rear is off re: the frame/front sprocket, then my chain and sprockets last a few months each and I go broke. If my rear tyre and sprocket are aligned but the front tyre is a little out, then whats my problem besides having one of my turn directions a little more dangerous at extreme angles/speed?