rear wheel alignment question

[DimitriT]

On the 550..

I recently took the sprocket cover off to replace a seal and notice the
chain was not lined up on the sprocket. A few months ago I did a rear
wheel alignment. I'm pretty sure I did it right but I did notice a bit more
chain noise from the front sprocket after the alignment.

I'm thinking the rear wheel is not centered in the frame. Is this possible?
What can I do to fix?

[posplayr]

I'm thinking the rear wheel is not centered in the frame. Is this possible?
What can I do to fix?

Look at the parts fiche for your bike and make sure you have all the proper spacer in there. People have been know to put the rear wheel back incorrectly.

As a simple check put a straight edge against the tire under the chain and see how well it aligns. They should be parallel.

To align the rear wheel use the marks on the swing arm, or for a performance alignment use the "string" method is simplest. Do a google search for "string wheel alignment"

This is what it looks like. You are adjusting the axle distances of the rear wheel in the swingarm till the strings are equidistant from the front wheel (I used brake rotors as references)

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showpost.php?p=1083231&postcount=146

[DimitriT]

Nice instructions!!!

What I did was I borrowed a couple of long aluminum 3/4" square tubes.
Rigid enough to stay straight but small enough to fit under the bike.
I clamped them to either side of the rear tire and centered the other
ends to the front wheel.

Everything looked great except the front sprocket is way out of alignment.
Maybe the front sprocket is missing a spacer. I will check the parts fiche.

[posplayr]

Nice instructions!!!

What I did was I borrowed a couple of long aluminum 3/4" square tubes.
Rigid enough to stay straight but small enough to fit under the bike.
I clamped them to either side of the rear tire and centered the other
ends to the front wheel.

Everything looked great except the front sprocket is way out of alignment.
Maybe the front sprocket is missing a spacer. I will check the parts fiche.

I should have been more clear to indicate rear wheel spacers. For example, if you have one on the wrong side , you can always align the front to back but now the chain will be outta wack

[Speedo]

as PosPlayr says do the string method. Do NOT trust the factory marks...notoriously inaccurate. Use them only to get you "close".
Also, to various of PosPlayr's points, to summarize: trust your eyes.

If things don't look like they are lined up right/running smoothly, they probably are not. Watch the chain move w rear wheel off ground, bike in 1st gear...is it turning straight? Again, use string method, but hey, grab all your levels and use your "hey that picture ain't straight" sense as well.

If your chain and/or sprockets have some age/miles on them (let's say over 1K miles), if stuff is not lined up right and thus causing wear, the sprockets will show it (covered well in my Clymer manual).

Hope this helps...

[OldVet66]

The marks are never accurate but a good starting point if the chain tracks true. The real test is which way does it track on the road with no hands. Adjust the opposite side if it drifts one way or the other. You will never realize you are correcting for it otherwise.

[DimitriT]

Here's the problem I'm seeing.

When I line up the rear wheel so that it looks right the front sprocket
if very crooked. The chain goes over the sprocket at an angle causing
it to make a lot of noise and vibration.

But when I line up the chain so that it lays evenly over the front, the
rear looks out of alignment. The rear wheel looks like its pointing to the
right.

I'm wondering whether the bike has had it's swing arm bent at some
point. I know you can actually measure for this by looking at lengths
from some points on the front to the rear axle. Anyone done this?

[OldVet66]

I think I would see if the motor could have shifted if that is possible.

[posplayr]

Here's the problem I'm seeing.

When I line up the rear wheel so that it looks right the front sprocket
if very crooked. The chain goes over the sprocket at an angle causing
it to make a lot of noise and vibration.

But when I line up the chain so that it lays evenly over the front, the
rear looks out of alignment. The rear wheel looks like its pointing to the
right.

I'm wondering whether the bike has had it's swing arm bent at some
point. I know you can actually measure for this by looking at lengths
from some points on the front to the rear axle. Anyone done this?

This is why I suggested insuring you put the rear wheel and spacer back on correctly. We had a member here who recently removed his rear wheel and on reassembly swapped a spacer from one side to the other. The result was the wheel was over about 2 inches from normal.

You can align your wheels using the sting method, but as a quick check of the swing arm measure the distance between the rear axle center and the pivot bolt centers (front to back). If the rear wheel is in align with the swingarm it should also be in align with the sprocket.

The straight edge against the tire and compared to the chain will tell you roughly if the chain/sprockets are properly aligned.

[Speedo]

DimitriT - can you post a pic or two of what you are seeing for us?

[DimitriT]

Today I put stabil in the tank and and will put it up for storage and work.
First order is to get the sprocket cover off and get to the bottom of a little
oil leak I have. I replaced the shifter rod seal so next up is the counter shaft
and clutch pushrod. I'll also be cleaning up the area and then I'll get some
pictures of it.

[Speedo]

Looking fwd to it/keep us posted. Stabil is great and have used it for years. Works best when used with FRESH gas (read dirctions if you don't believe me) and this is very true. Did you? I use stabil in all my yard equipment and also my bike out here in CA. But when I was in OH, I did not have great luck since winter season is like forever up there...6 months, whatever.

Here's my advice for what it's worth:
1. Add the stabil, fine.
2. Run the bike out of gas, totally out, reserve too
3. drain the float bowls (the stabil will help on whatever ridual gas remains in carbs so carbs don't gum up over winter)
4. pull plugs and squirt a few drops of engine oil into cylinders, crank a few times to circulate (w/out gas, should NOT even try to fire, should jsut turn over), replace plugs
5. pull battery and put on charge tender in the basement (or somewhere)
6. S100 protectant the whole bike

or "Plan B" (which has worked, most of the time):
1. Get fresh gas. Totally fill tank to minimize any air in there (less condensation....water + gas = BAD)
2. Add the Stabil immediately.
3. Run the bike for at least 5 min to make sure all fuel in sys has Stabil in it. (I ended up still draining the float bowls just for insurance)
4. Still squirt a little oil into cylinders and turn over a few times*
5. Pull battery etc
6. S100
* btw, when you first fire it up in spring, it will smoke a little due to the oil in cylinders, but only for a minute or so then should run fine.

Spring: repl battery, pull plugs, turn over a few times with rags in the plug holes to get all the oil you can out of there + make sure she'll turn over smooth (I use my kick starter to do this, you can take ur chances with elec but just carefully listen as you do). If all is good cranking wise - which it should be - replace plugs or preferrably throw in new ones - prime bike with gas for a few seconds with new or old Stabiled gas (to fills bowls) and hit the starter. Might "think about it" for a few seconds but should fire right up.

If not, bummer....usually gummed up carbs due to old gas....start swearing immediately...