Front end not perpendicular to ground

[GARYD]

OK, I don't think I've seen this situation discussed here.

I was cleaning my TG last week and noticed my front wheel wasn't parallel with the fender. I stepped back and looked at the front end and noticed that the whole front end, wheel & shocks were at about a 4* angle leaning to the right.

I brought it to the dealer and the service manager said that was normal for a TG and since I just had the H-D Anarchy wheels put on (they are bigger) it is more noticable.

Last night at our chaper meeting I checked another members Lehman conversion and his is leaning about 2* to the left.

Any TG expert technicians out there that can shed some light on this. It just doesn't seem right to me that the front end shouldn't be straight up and down. :Shrug:

I do not notice anything out of the ordinary handling wise. Everything seems fine, that's why I never noticed it before.

Just for giggles, look at your TG from about 15' in front with wheel pointed straight ahead. See if I'm the only one or not.

 

[gottab3]

OK, I don't think I've seen this situation discussed here.

I was cleaning my TG last week and noticed my front wheel wasn't parallel with the fender. I stepped back and looked at the front end and noticed that the whole front end, wheel & shocks were at about a 4* angle leaning to the right.

I brought it to the dealer and the service manager said that was normal for a TG and since I just had the H-D Anarchy wheels put on (they are bigger) it is more noticable.

Last night at our chaper meeting I checked another members Lehman conversion and his is leaning about 2* to the left.

Any TG expert technicians out there that can shed some light on this. It just doesn't seem right to me that the front end shouldn't be straight up and down. :Shrug:

I do not notice anything out of the ordinary handling wise. Everything seems fine, that's why I never noticed it before.

Just for giggles, look at your TG from about 15' in front with wheel pointed straight ahead. See if I'm the only one or not.

So I'm NOT losing my mind!

 

[Helipilot]

Your trike needs leveling in the rear, this will fix your front end problem. Measure up to the rear fenders from the ground at the rear of the fender, one side will be lower than the other. Eight bolts on the frame, four on each side. You have to remove the rear compartment to do the adjustment. Not a bad job at all. Had the same problem, you can check with a square against the front disk brake and the ground. You will find the forks are leaning caused by the rear out of level. Thanks, Jerry

 

[jaxbobg]

This isn't just a TG phenomenom. I've seen this on both of my trikes, one a Suzuki/Lehman and the latest a BMW/Hannigan.

However, if I nudge the handlebars to the left, it looks like the front tire angles to the left. If I nudge them to the right it straightens up and heads towards the right.

I'm no mechanic and am wondering if this has something to do with the way a trike shifts it weight from left to right along the drive train line of sight as the handlebars are shifted left or right? Since the back end remains level, the front end must be moving around. Any comments?

 

[GARYD]

Helipilot, I just measured the fenders. They are the same dimension in the back of the fenders and the front of the fenders. I also measured the front - one side is 1/8" higher then the other, but don't see that as the reason that the whole front end in cocked on an angle.

Maybe there's a suspension expert out there that can shed some light on this.

 

[Dragonrider]

Would the pressure in the rear shocks have anything to do with this?

 

[GARYD]

Nope

 

[saab9k]

sounds like a twisted frame perharps. Level in rear, not in front, bend in the middle.

 

[GARYD]

I don't think it is the frame - I've never hit anything to harm the frame. I'm thinking it has something to do with the steering for a trike - I just don't know. That's why I would like a suspension expert to chime in. Is it normal or not?

Everything looks perpendicular up to the front end. My first thought was that I turned too tightly and twisted the steering head, but I don't think that's possible . . . . . is it?

 

[rhino 2]

I just looked at my 11 Tri Glide, Every thing is perfectly straight. [17 thousand miles]
But when i first got it [new] There was an inch difference height wise at the rear fenders, They leveled it out while i waited, Are you sure yours is only an 1/8 off?

 

[GARYD]

The front axle was 1/8" off. The rear fenders were perfectly level....in the front and the back.
My service manager assures me it's normal so I have to believe him until I hear differently. I would like comfirming statements just for peace of mind.

So far I have one that says they have the same thing and one that says his is straight up and down.

 

[saab9k]

You have to believe the one with the answer there makes you happy.

Just my thinking.

 

[THEREALTRIKKY]

I'll jump in on this one, just for "fun". First of all, you SHOULD NOT measure from a fender, or body component. These are bolted to the chassis separately, could be shimmed, or spaced on ANY trike. On the Tri-Glide, the fenders are bolted to the body also, which has some "fudge room". If you're going to check your suspension, check the suspension, don't measure the body, and compare to the suspension, you will get a false reading almost EVERY TIME.

The first thing you have to do when checking suspension, is simulate correct load, just like when you set up the suspension on any vehicle. If you read any book on proper set up of suspensions, especially on motorcycles, this is a cardinal rule!

You need to simulate the "normal" stance of the motorcycle as if you were riding it down the road. Any vehicle will measure differently in a neutral state and "normal ride" state. With proper "load" on the suspension, measure to a fixed point of the chassis itself, not the body. When someone is checking a frame, do you see them measure from a body part that may or may not be consistent, or from a true point on the chassis itself?

 

[GARYD]

Now I'm really confussed. Last night after a long ride, I parked the bike and looked at the front end again. The front end was straight up and down. :Shrug:
I guess unless I see abnormal tire wear, I'm just going to ignore it. ThumbUp