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    wheel alignment

    Has anyone ever used a proaligner wheel alignment tool? Proaligner.com
    Current Rides: 82 GS1100E, 00 Triumph 955 Speed Triple:twistedevil:, 03 Kawasaki ZRX1200, 01 Honda GL1800, '15 Kawasaki 1000 Versys
    Past Rides: 72 Honda SL-125, Kawasaki KE-175, 77 GS750 with total yosh stage 1 kit, 79 GS1000s, 80 GS1000S, 82 GS750e,82 GS1000S, 84 VF500f, 86 FZR600, 95 Triumph Sprint 900,96 Triumph Sprint, 97 Triumph Sprint, 01 Kawasaki ZRX1200, 07 Triumph Tiger 1050, 01 Yam YFZ250F
    Work in progress: 78 GS1000, unknown year GS1100ES

    #2
    Nope. Have never needed it with any of my bikes.

    If one of my wheels is out of alignment, either my forks or my swingarm is bent.

    .
    sigpic
    mine: 2000 Honda GoldWing GL1500SE and 1980 GS850G'K' "Junior"
    hers: 1982 GS850GL - "Angel" and 1969 Suzuki T250 Scrambler
    #1 son: 1986 Yamaha Venture Royale 1300 and 1982 GS650GL "Rat Bagger"
    #2 son: 1980 GS1000G
    Family Portrait
    Siblings and Spouses
    Mom's first ride
    Want a copy of my valve adjust spreadsheet for your 2-valve per cylinder engine? Send me an e-mail request (not a PM)
    (Click on my username in the upper-left corner for e-mail info.)

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      #3
      i use string, available from anywhereyoucaretolook.com.au

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        #4
        Originally posted by Steve View Post
        Nope. Have never needed it with any of my bikes.

        If one of my wheels is out of alignment, either my forks or my swingarm is bent.

        .
        Mm must have been a good day at the factory if its perfect aligment.

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          #5
          No alignmenttool required. Or do you have reasons to worry about your bike? Looking at the wear on the sprocket will give some info. I do wish though that all sprockets had the same thickness.

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            #6
            Originally posted by Steve View Post
            Nope. Have never needed it with any of my bikes.

            If one of my wheels is out of alignment, either my forks or my swingarm is bent.

            .
            I have to ask , how big are the chicken strips?

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              #7
              I use a length of 12mm aluminium angle for initial alignment (new tyres etc) then use the marks on my swingarm .

              Cheers , Simon .
              http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/h...esMapSimon.jpg

              '79 GS1000S my daily ride in Aus

              '82 (x2) GS650ET in the shed

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                #8
                Originally posted by posplayr View Post
                I have to ask , how big are the chicken strips?
                Reasonably small.






                Originally posted by Grand Rouge
                The Beauty of The Shaft.
                Thank you for noticing.

                One of the advantages (or curses) of a GS shafty is that there is no adjustment possible on the rear axle.

                .
                sigpic
                mine: 2000 Honda GoldWing GL1500SE and 1980 GS850G'K' "Junior"
                hers: 1982 GS850GL - "Angel" and 1969 Suzuki T250 Scrambler
                #1 son: 1986 Yamaha Venture Royale 1300 and 1982 GS650GL "Rat Bagger"
                #2 son: 1980 GS1000G
                Family Portrait
                Siblings and Spouses
                Mom's first ride
                Want a copy of my valve adjust spreadsheet for your 2-valve per cylinder engine? Send me an e-mail request (not a PM)
                (Click on my username in the upper-left corner for e-mail info.)

                Comment


                  #9
                  Eyeball works for me, stick my eye in line with the tire and use my line of sight like a string. Once I have checked it, I look at the marks on the swingarm, if they are perfect then using them is good enough. If they are off a little I put a spot of paint there to use, or make a little nick with a file… Finally look at how the chain is riding and wearing.

                  Alignment being off is often the fault of worn swingarm bearings.
                  http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...tatesMap-1.jpg

                  Life is too short to ride an L.

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                    #10
                    Can almost guarantee that the marks are off. If your chain and sprockets are wearing abnormally, how would one know how much it is out of alignment? I would pay more for a chunk of aluminum or something made of metal and long enough to work than I would for the tool which is $30
                    Current Rides: 82 GS1100E, 00 Triumph 955 Speed Triple:twistedevil:, 03 Kawasaki ZRX1200, 01 Honda GL1800, '15 Kawasaki 1000 Versys
                    Past Rides: 72 Honda SL-125, Kawasaki KE-175, 77 GS750 with total yosh stage 1 kit, 79 GS1000s, 80 GS1000S, 82 GS750e,82 GS1000S, 84 VF500f, 86 FZR600, 95 Triumph Sprint 900,96 Triumph Sprint, 97 Triumph Sprint, 01 Kawasaki ZRX1200, 07 Triumph Tiger 1050, 01 Yam YFZ250F
                    Work in progress: 78 GS1000, unknown year GS1100ES

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                      #11
                      Properly executed it is hard to beat the string method.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by Steve View Post
                        Reasonably small.







                        Thank you for noticing.

                        One of the advantages (or curses) of a GS shafty is that there is no adjustment possible on the rear axle.

                        .
                        Good one. .......

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Maybe I just need more practice (or more likely, more patience and a warmer garage), but I didn't have an easy time with the string method on my 750E. The strings kept hitting either the exhaust or sidestand... when I brought them out far enough to avoid either of those, it seemed like they were too far away from the front wheel to measure/eyeball with significant accuracy. (And I was having a tough time making sure the forks were pointing perfectly straight ahead.)

                          For now it's aligned via the hash marks, but I'll probably revisit the string method in the spring when it's warmer out.
                          Charles
                          --
                          1979 Suzuki GS850G

                          Read BassCliff's GSR Greeting and Mega-Welcome!

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by eil View Post
                            Maybe I just need more practice (or more likely, more patience and a warmer garage), but I didn't have an easy time with the string method on my 750E. The strings kept hitting either the exhaust or sidestand... when I brought them out far enough to avoid either of those, it seemed like they were too far away from the front wheel to measure/eyeball with significant accuracy. (And I was having a tough time making sure the forks were pointing perfectly straight ahead.)

                            For now it's aligned via the hash marks, but I'll probably revisit the string method in the spring when it's warmer out.
                            Some older discussion

                            This forum contains old posts which may have information which may be useful. It is a closed forum in that you can not post here any longer. Please post your questions in the other technical forums.


                            I used a strong kite line although some other thin line would substitute. Wrap the line around the bottom of the tire. I am running a radial so the tire edge very closely tracks the rim. If you tire is much more run out than your rim, clamping a couple of pieces of wood to the wheel rim, will space out beyond the tire width.



                            Here I am keeping the lines taught by tipping a heavy (back) metal box on edge (it is partially sitting on top of a block of wood) so that it pulls against the lines. This keeps them taught and makes everything much more stable. The red weight is keeping the block of wood from slipping on the carpet. You should be able to figure out something that accomplishes the same.



                            I used a caliper to measure the distance between the string and two points on each side of the wheel (Front and Back). By doing this you should be able to get both strings parallel as well as equidistant from each rotor.

                            When doing this adjust your chain first, and then only make rear wheel adjustments on the brake side to get the front wheel to split the two springs. After done clamp everything down. If in the future you need to do a chain adjust , just count the number of flats (1/6th of a turn on the adjustment nuts) you have to turn the adjuster by on the chain side. Match that on the other and you will be close enough that you don't have to redo the string just for a chain adjust.
                            Last edited by posplayr; 03-05-2014, 01:17 PM.

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                              #15
                              The hash marks work for me eil. I used a scratch awl to make sure I counted the correct number of hashes and it's worked fine for me.

                              Once I do the rear drum brake job, I can correct the bracket to the inside since it was installed incorrectly.


                              Ed
                              GS750TZ V&H/4-1, Progressive Shocks, Rebuilt MC/braided line, Tarozzi Stabilizer[Seq#2312]
                              GS750TZ Parts Bike [Seq#6036]
                              GSX-R750Y (Sold)

                              my opinion shouldn't be taken as gospel or in any way that would lead you to believe otherwise (30Sep2021)

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