Now when you are done just do one more alignment check as per us old men. Have your buddy sit on the bike and hold the bike upright off the side stand, have your buddy hold the handlebars so that the font tire is pointing straight ahead. Take some kite string and run it in a loop from the rear tire , around the front tire and then back to the rear tire. If the tires are not perfectly aligned you will see the string not touching the tires completely even. No brainer - always works. My 1976 Triumph has a center stand so I could do this all by myself once I got the hang of it. I raced my Bonneville and won for ten consecutive years on the back roads of long Island New York. So that should suffice as to the accuracy of my wheel alignments. In other words the handling was impeccable!
Alright Del. Seen a couple of negative things about your presentations recently and and felt compelled to reach out. I just want to say how much your videos have helped me regarding my Thruxton and FXD, always very helpful. Please keep up the good work. All the best from a 68 yr. old ex.pat. Brit in NY State. Cheers.
Thank you so much Sir for your kind words of support... sadly there will always be negative people on the internet and as a wise man said 'your audience is the world, so you're always going to drag in a few gurnards with the cod'... once again, thank you for getting in touch and safe travels my friend.
I drive trucks and had my brother get a new tire mounted on my Roadking wheel, and getting ready to put it back on and adjust belt and Alignment. Yes this will help alot.. I notice you have alot of Good video's with tips.. Its people liike yourself that makes UA-cam such a great place to hang out..
Hello mate, it's 2 bolts to take the pegs off, but if you don't want to, try the old trick of a 6 foot straight edge alongside the rear wheel, look along it's length and check it is parallel with the lower frame rails (the best household straight edge is a flourescent strip light tube...they are perfectly straight & 6 foot long), see how you get on, Del
Thanks Del, that was useful, having just been told by a mate that the wheel on my 'glide was out of alignment I can vouch for was you say are the effects. This happened after I had new tyres fitted and I thought it was the tyres, but turns out the wheel is out, so I will use you method to sort it. Cheers.
+Mark Owen Glad the video can help mate... you wouldn't believe how many times I hear that people have had tyres changed and there is something cocked eyed when it's re-assembled ! They don't earn much money from tyre fitting and it seems they often don't take much care... hope you get it sorted!
Most welcome Sir, and as you're from NC, we're sending all our best wishes and hope the storm hasn't done you any damage, more importantly, hoping everyone is safe there, good luck and tc, D&Px
Hi Vlad', if you are fitting just "slip-on" silencers then they are easy and work right away with no mother mods needed, if its full length pipes from the head right back then i would fit a fueler and free flow filter to balance up the breathing, and if you are going all the way and fitting open pipes,you'll need to do all the above, AND fit an O2 sensor plug bypass (about £14) but if you use some with O2 sensor holes they will work if you fit the fueller.best advice wouild be stick to slip-ons.
Hey Justin... yeah the basic mechanical principles apply to any machine..its just a case of applying them right... good luck and thanks for watching... Del.
Hello Jeff, thanks for your kind comments, it's a pleasure to have been of help ... it isn't hard to do these jobs, but often, understanding them and cutting through the tech jargon is the biggest hurdle... ride safe, my friend, cheers Del
Thank you very much for this simple tip.. so easy, I feel stupid for not thinking of this myself. Great work all around on all of your videos. Keep them coming!
@@Moonfleet41 I have a Dyna fxdb 2013 legends front and 13.5 fox rear suspension. My problem is my rear tire feels like it's on ice almost like it wants to do it's own thing. Not sure if I'm explaining problem correctly, bike went from Amazing cornering and handling to the point where I don't feel comfortable riding at all. Please help!!! Thanks in advance
Hi Edward, congrats on a great bike & glad to hear you are going your own way & painting it! ..The fuel gauge is mounted from underneath, it's mounted through the tank rather than in it, so if you take it off and turn it upside down you'll see the wiring and mount underneath...they are also snugged into their position, so you may need to push it out from below with a screw driver, but either way, once you get it off the bike & turned over you'll see how it's mounted, good luck, hope that helps!
Del, I recently sold my Sportster to get a 2013 Electra Glide Classic, which has a self-aligning rear wheel, but watched this anyhow because I enjoy your talks. And love it that you use gaffer's tape--always have a roll in the garage. Let me know when you and the missus are headed to Florida.
Tom Morrisey Hi Tom, that is our first destination of choice for a dream holiday... to come over and visit our friends in the US and maybe do a 'tour'... too much work make jack a dull boy and all that ! Cool choice on the ElectraGlide, what a beautiful bike... ride safe and enjoy Sir, all the best from Blighty!
Great video! I went to school to be a diesel Mechanic over 10 years ago and I learned how to do alignments the same way, I stupidly never thought of applying it to my bike. I just bought an Iron 883 myself so this information will be useful.
The little dimple in the swing arm pivot is very small and precise. However, the large hole in the axle allows for a lot of movement, or so it appears. In order for this method to work, both points have to be very precise. On Japanese bikes I measured wheel alignment with a piece of welding rod with a small rubber washer slipped over it, so it fit snug but could be moved. I then put one end of the welding rod right at the point where the tire bead meets the wheel, and slid the rubber washer up against the inside edge of the swing arm. I then did the same thing on the other side. If the distances were the same, then the wheel was centered in the swing arm. However, as someone who just bought my first Harley, I don't even know if the wheel should be centered in the swing arm, as I don't know if the swing arm is symmetrical.
This video is over 5 years old.. come up to date and watch the current video mate..! ua-cam.com/video/ljcD1yvfeJI/v-deo.html Either side of your axle is different diameter hole... this tapered tool you can make in minutes for yourself will guarantee to find the all important centre of the axle tube..!
You method is perfectly fine mate, as long as the length from the swing arm axle to the back end of the swing arm is the same, then that will work just as well..... nice one.. Del.
Finally! someone I can understand!!! Thanks so much for all of your uncomplicated info. If I can get it, anyone can. Youv'e been a great help Del thanks again...Jeff
The 2004 XL1200R factory workshop manual suggests using a length of aluminum welding rod bent 90 dg. at one end 1/2" and sharpened a bit to fit in the swingarm dimple, with a grommet slid on the rod near the other end near the axle, slide the grommet to axle center, etc. (Accurate plus saves tape, nails and pencils) Lol. Thank you for the great videos!!
That works real well buddy, we try to pitch the video at those you don't have garage equipment, such as welding rod, as household things can be adapted to do the same job, and it's better that someone does it at all, rather than neglecting it cos they don't have the equipment... but good point well made, thanks for watching!
Thank you mate! Just replaced my brakes and tires and didn’t have the tool (metal rod one not the stupid laser one). I needed something fast so I can get back to riding while I wait for the $15 rod.
Yes mate,can be confusing,as the front wheel steers,then no,it's not aligned with the front wheel,it's aligned with the centre line of the bike,which is 90degrees to the swing arm. Front wheel alignment is getting both fork legs absolutely parrallel to each other in the yokes, so that the wheel runs at exactly 90degrees to the handlebars. As our bodies will naturally straighten the bars for ride comfort the bike will crab unless both alignments are correct, but are independent of each other.
Thanks for the update. I wish I had seen it sooner, could have save me $20. I bought one from Motion Pro, which is pretty much like yours, except instead of having a metal cone, it has a round plastic ball that moves along the wire. My bike is a 2006 1200 Sportster, so it has the front holes in the swingarm pivot instead of close to the rear axle
Sorry buddy, it's always about the timing... it's the principle I was trying to demonstrate of an apparatus that you can set to length and lock off and then translate to the other side for comparison... at least you have a proper one, unlike mine lol !
Yet another brilliant video. Stuff made simple that this over complicated world we live in likes to sell you the newest gadget. In 2021 I bought a brand new 114 softail Fat Boy. When I bought it I had to keep going back to the dealer - complaining it was pulling to one side. After ridiculing me and making me feel like an idiot -like I could not ride, they looked at it several times. There conclusion was rider stupidity. Despite wearing the off side only of the front tyre to illegal level by 3000 miles!!🤬 Being a brand new bike I was reluctant to work on it but….. I took two pencils and a bit of string and could instantly see the rear wheel was out of line. 🤬 I had to buy £50 worth of sockets (I got good impact ones- why would you not 🤷♂️) straightened it using a vernia calliper from axle to the flats on the frame. The bike rides fine now - it doesn’t pull and my “new” tyre is still great after another 3k miles. I have had to change the rear as that got out of whack too. I am sure that the dealer has some very competent mechanics but you don’t know who will be working on it. And if is an apprentice how well they are overseen. We all have to learn - not a problem. However….. I used to be a relatively competent mechanic on older vehicles however through years (more than I care to think about) of not doing it I have lost a lot of confidence to do new stuff. Where is the carb!! 🤣😂 But thanks to your videos I am finding that confidence back - gradually. Old principles still apply. 😊 The money I spend on tools I more than save by not having to pay the dealer - and I know it’s done right. With care and attention to detail. Thank you for such consistently good info and entertainment. 👍 Good luck with your Harley Luke. Harley often do things in a frustratingly strange way but it’s a Harley and you gotta love it. If you got this far thank you for reading my massive rant. Safe rides 👍🤜
ha ha, what a glorious rant and i understand every word, it's hard to trust anyone when we hear so much bad press... but on the whole, most mechanics are hard working people who are just pushed too hard by bosses who are driven by profit and budgets.. in the end there will always be a temptation to cut corners to make it all work, and that's when problems can happen.. no working technician can ever afford to put the meticulous attention to detail in that you can, at home, at your leisure.. it's simple logistics.. It's great to hear you're getting back into it and buying tools, you're right, there is really no different to the bike of 30 years ago, just a bit more electronics and governance, but the nuts and bolts don't change. Take care and enjoy your wrenching buddy.. and thanks for your kind feedback. Del.
Hi Del, my Street Bob 2007 has no marking on the pivot point of the swingarm. Also this pivot point is not very easy to reach, making measuring the distance to the rear axle quiet a job in itself. What I did is measure the distance from the back of the swingarm to the rear axle with a caliper. I presume both the left and right parts of the swing arm are equal in length so that gives a good reference to align the rear axle with the pivot point axis.
Correct, but not very accurate, the belt will run in the middle once the bike has done a few miles becuase it wears itself a comfy groove...and to get it to 'climb' out to one side it would need to be pretty out of line...would work on a new belt and pulley though.. thanks for watching.. Del.
Hi Rob, yeah you can make all kinds of funky tools, but i always loose them and end up using the gaffa tape again lol.... im buried training for a new job all this week, but will catch the videos in between moments..... good going chum... catch you soon... Del.
It could be the ten years running a bike dealership, or maybe the thirty years riding motorcycles...but i think its just because i have a really big anorak, and im constantly skint so have to do things for myself...lol thanks for watching.... Del.
Hi Tom, thanks for your kind words mate, its good to know that it can help someone out there and make a bit of difference, i just post up the stuff i knw muself to pass it on to my fellow riders... and also to save them a few pennies too by not having to go to the dealer for everything... cheers mate and ride safe.. Del.
Thanks Dan, as if i could possibly hope to rival the mighty BBHR, you guys where my inspiration in the first place, and like all Zen masters, you always keep a little back to get the jump back on the pupil....prepare for some kickin videos from the 'peace out' Brothers....lol..
I have a 2003 Heritage Softail. If those read adjuster bolts get twisted/adjusted, if the axle hasn't been loosened, it shouldn't affect the alignment, should it? Someone tightened mine to do me a favor LOL, I backed them back out equal to one another, but the axle never did move according to my measurements. Still, I'm a bit paranoid.
with a half inch of 90* bend and an alligator clip...adjustable and holds tight. PS, insert 90* into swing arm center and adjust clip to center of axel. Compare to other side of wheel.
Assumes perfect symmetry and no offset. I know that's not the case on my Softail. If I measured the swingarm pivot point to spindle and copied this on the other side, I'd have a misaligned wheel. As an aside, it's interesting that belt tension increases slightly as you torque the wheel. Been the same way on every Harley I've owned.
Then after you line up the wheel and axle the belt will be either loose or tight . Adjusting the belt tension will screw up the alignment , back to start again.
Brilliant. My belt has been running the outside of the pulley extremely bad. i have been hearing chriping for some time and i think its the belt. been keeping an eye on it and now the wear is pretty hard to ignore. Tonight i tinkered with it because i think the wheel is running crooked. The last guy that worked on my bike likes to drink, like alot. so i have been trying to do everything myself. Was about to say f it ill take it to the shop, then i youtube a vid and of course i check yours first. yep ill be doing this in the morn lol. Your the man delboy!! im gonna try making something like this out of a metal coat hanger.
Nice one buddy, a belt chewing on the side of a pulley is a sure sign of mis-alignment - see how it goes and keep us posted buddy, happy to help if you get stuck - good luck with it, Del
Well i got some time to try to get this taken care of. So my tire has been running crooked according to the tool i made, same concept of what you showed us. so when i straighten my tire up when i roll the tire in reverse the belt will eventually make its way across the pulley and start catching on the tire. run it a little crooked it doesnt do it. i checked and re checked to make sure my tool wasnt off. so what gives? im thinking maybe a bent rim, maybe a pulley, is there a spacer i might be missing? Thanks Delboy!!
Hey Ryan. ok, it doesnt make sense that the belt will foul the tyre when its straight.....so a cpouple of questions... how much gap is there between the tyre and belt when it was running off and chewing the pulley?.... AND... exactly what tyre is fitted to the back.. i mean, what is the full specification... and what bike do you have buddy..?
Thats amazing, we also have Indian names, hers is Tellshimalwayswhattodo, and mine seems to be Doesashestoldifheknowswhatsgoodforhim... but i just ude Del for short.!
Thank you sir! I like your vids. I've still a problem with the rear wheel alignment. The swingarm shaft does not have a center point as the wheel axial shaft bolt does. How can I check in this case the rear wheel alignment? It concerns een softail fatboy from 2005. I hope you can help me with this problem. Thanks. Best regards, Wilfred.
Great tutorial buddy! You could even make a tool that would work good too, just get 2 peices of dowls, one that would slide into the other one, 2 metal spikes on either end, with a wing nut to lock it in position when you have it where you want it, and there you go Bobs your uncle lol Got part 57 uploaded if you want to check it out :) Take care buddy
I get the point of measuring centre to centre of either axles. What about measuring the remaining thread on the back of the tensioners with a pair or verniers equal to one and other i assure that method could also be used.
In the midweek video this week ill be showing how to make yourself an exact and precise measuring tool to set your Harley wheel alignment to the nearest thousand of an inch...and it'll cost you 50p to make.... Video up Wednesday..!
Just did my belt om my 2019 Softail Slim using your method, did not take much adjustment. What I did notice was after I tightened the belt to specs it also will move the roto rmore backward and moves the brake pads further to the edge of the rotor . Any concerns there ? Or a brake caliber adjustment possible ? Thank You
If you look at your brake caliper mounting block, it's on a slide groove, and when you pull the wheel back, the caliper goes with it... so don't worry mate, it'll be fine, the pads stay exactly where they are through the full range of the wheel's adjustment.
No worries, I am OCD a bit, so will get the proper item. Getting g all the tools together, just need to get a garage then will be looking around the dealers for me bike. Bloody raining down here in Sheep land --thanks mate
Hey Delboy, If you have the time I have a question. Recently removed the rear tire and rim on my 2005 Sportster to fix a flat and have the rim powder coated (looks awesome). I did not note which is the left/right side of the rim. I would think this is of great importance as the hub is wider on one side. Thanks in advance Joe Kacmarynski from Jacksonville, FL
Hi Del. Got a few questions which i hope you can answer. Im new to the Harley crew and i bought a sportster xl1200l and just wondering where you got Pennys shocks from and the xl1200l is fuel injected so what are the repercussions for wrapping the standard exhausts? heard something about the pizo ? and fuel usage from the exhausts overheating? Cheers, keep on educating me with your awesome videos.
The markings are pretty much accurate on all bike mate, but look closely at them...they are about 2mm thick, so if you're "towards the front" of the mark on one side, and "towards the back" of the mark on the other, you can be up to 4mm out and still accept that you're correct...measuring it from the swing arm pivot in MM's will simply give you a far more accurate measurement.
Hi Victor, no I wouldn't do that, anti-seize compounds are not designed to lubricate, it's a mis-nomer when they call them 'grease', they are simply there to provide a waterproof barrier in the interest of preventing corrosion, axles need grease, if you're worried about water, or the grease washing off, then you can use marine outboard grease or white lithium grease, but do not use copper anti-seize on it... it can actually cause errorsion between rubbing surfaces...
hey Delboy great video nice of you to help out .... i have a little prob. of my own on my 94 softail the rear of the bike gets ~woobly~ from side to side always at around the same speed 140 k\hr under that speed i dont feel nothing do you have any idea i have checked all that i was able to think about form swing arm berrings to wheel berrings with no luck ..tkx mate
Hey buddy....ok, thats about 85mph in our money.... it could be a few things...wheel balancing, tyre wear, or just plain old incorrect pressures, and maybe a combination of more than one thing... So, what Softail is it? Fatboy, STC, Night Train etc (as they run varied wheels), and the pressures are important, also have a look and check to see if you've thrown a wheel weight off (look for skicky patches where its missing).....and what tyre pressures are you running too?... let me know buddy, see if i can help.! Del.
Hi Gerry, an easy trick for that one... you may have 2 x 3mm holes drilled in the swingarm, about 6" forward of the axle (one either side), you can use those, they are an intended reference point, but if you don't have those holes, then draw a line down from the bottom shock bolt and then use those as they will be equidistant both sides.
Hi Del, what service manual do you recommend, I saw one of your podcasts & you were saying it was money well spent, do you mean a genuine HD service manual or Clymer or Haynes. You mentioned that you got yours from Jersey --many thanks
Hello Delboy love you videos, I have a question I took of my rear wheel and my left spacer has a ( > ) notch cut into it like a arrow does the point of the ( > ) notch point to the inner side of the wheel . Please Reply Thank You Again Brother
Hi Victor, generally speaking, spacer arrow would always point inwards to the wheel, but if a spacer is asymmetric, and specifically, sided then it will usually fit one way only... this is one of those things which justifies the cost of a genuine Harley Manual for your bike, not cheap, but always contains just such advice... your Harley Dealer will have them, invaluable!
UPDATED VIDEO: Easy Homemade Alignment Tool : ua-cam.com/video/ljcD1yvfeJI/v-deo.html
A video from 12 years ago...still helping people today. Love it man. Thanks for the tip!
No problem, and thank you, what more could we ask for than our content endure the test of time.
Now when you are done just do one more alignment check as per us old men. Have your buddy sit on the bike and hold the bike upright off the side stand, have your buddy hold the handlebars so that the font tire is pointing straight ahead. Take some kite string and run it in a loop from the rear tire , around the front tire and then back to the rear tire. If the tires are not perfectly aligned you will see the string not touching the tires completely even. No brainer - always works. My 1976 Triumph has a center stand so I could do this all by myself once I got the hang of it. I raced my Bonneville and won for ten consecutive years on the back roads of long Island New York. So that should suffice as to the accuracy of my wheel alignments. In other words the handling was impeccable!
Hey!! Strong Island!!!
Your videos are greatly appreciated.Saved me lots of time as well as money for unnecessary tools.
Alright Del. Seen a couple of negative things about your presentations recently and and felt compelled to reach out. I just want to say how much your videos have helped me regarding my Thruxton and FXD, always very helpful. Please keep up the good work.
All the best from a 68 yr. old ex.pat. Brit in NY State. Cheers.
Thank you so much Sir for your kind words of support... sadly there will always be negative people on the internet and as a wise man said 'your audience is the world, so you're always going to drag in a few gurnards with the cod'... once again, thank you for getting in touch and safe travels my friend.
I drive trucks and had my brother get a new tire mounted on my Roadking wheel, and getting ready to put it back on and adjust belt and Alignment. Yes this will help alot.. I notice you have alot of Good video's with tips.. Its people liike yourself that makes UA-cam such a great place to hang out..
Best bike maintenance videos for DIYers on UA-cam. Practical and smart. Thank you.
Thank you for your kind words. 👍
Hello mate, it's 2 bolts to take the pegs off, but if you don't want to, try the old trick of a 6 foot straight edge alongside the rear wheel, look along it's length and check it is parallel with the lower frame rails (the best household straight edge is a flourescent strip light tube...they are perfectly straight & 6 foot long), see how you get on, Del
Thanks Del, that was useful, having just been told by a mate that the wheel on my 'glide was out of alignment I can vouch for was you say are the effects. This happened after I had new tyres fitted and I thought it was the tyres, but turns out the wheel is out, so I will use you method to sort it. Cheers.
+Mark Owen Glad the video can help mate... you wouldn't believe how many times I hear that people have had tyres changed and there is something cocked eyed when it's re-assembled ! They don't earn much money from tyre fitting and it seems they often don't take much care... hope you get it sorted!
This was a gift that keeps on giving, thank you From Northern California.
Most welcome Sir, and as you're from NC, we're sending all our best wishes and hope the storm hasn't done you any damage, more importantly, hoping everyone is safe there, good luck and tc, D&Px
Simple, quick, and costs $0 for most people who have a roll of packing tape and two pointy things. Thanks for the video from 2024!
Thanks for watching!
Thank you sir this is one of the most valuable video I’ve seen since getting my harley
Glad it helped
Hi Vlad', if you are fitting just "slip-on" silencers then they are easy and work right away with no mother mods needed, if its full length pipes from the head right back then i would fit a fueler and free flow filter to balance up the breathing, and if you are going all the way and fitting open pipes,you'll need to do all the above, AND fit an O2 sensor plug bypass (about £14) but if you use some with O2 sensor holes they will work if you fit the fueller.best advice wouild be stick to slip-ons.
Hey Justin... yeah the basic mechanical principles apply to any machine..its just a case of applying them right... good luck and thanks for watching... Del.
Hello Jeff, thanks for your kind comments, it's a pleasure to have been of help ... it isn't hard to do these jobs, but often, understanding them and cutting through the tech jargon is the biggest hurdle... ride safe, my friend, cheers Del
Great video. I love seeing the wold way of doing things. Good to see a video from ya!
Thank you very much for this simple tip.. so easy, I feel stupid for not thinking of this myself. Great work all around on all of your videos. Keep them coming!
Thank you my friend, much appreciated! Glad the videos can help you out....
@@Moonfleet41 I have a Dyna fxdb 2013 legends front and 13.5 fox rear suspension. My problem is my rear tire feels like it's on ice almost like it wants to do it's own thing. Not sure if I'm explaining problem correctly, bike went from Amazing cornering and handling to the point where I don't feel comfortable riding at all. Please help!!! Thanks in advance
Hi Edward, congrats on a great bike & glad to hear you are going your own way & painting it! ..The fuel gauge is mounted from underneath, it's mounted through the tank rather than in it, so if you take it off and turn it upside down you'll see the wiring and mount underneath...they are also snugged into their position, so you may need to push it out from below with a screw driver, but either way, once you get it off the bike & turned over you'll see how it's mounted, good luck, hope that helps!
Del, I recently sold my Sportster to get a 2013 Electra Glide Classic, which has a self-aligning rear wheel, but watched this anyhow because I enjoy your talks. And love it that you use gaffer's tape--always have a roll in the garage. Let me know when you and the missus are headed to Florida.
Tom Morrisey Hi Tom, that is our first destination of choice for a dream holiday... to come over and visit our friends in the US and maybe do a 'tour'... too much work make jack a dull boy and all that ! Cool choice on the ElectraGlide, what a beautiful bike... ride safe and enjoy Sir, all the best from Blighty!
Great video! I went to school to be a diesel Mechanic over 10 years ago and I learned how to do alignments the same way, I stupidly never thought of applying it to my bike. I just bought an Iron 883 myself so this information will be useful.
This man is awesome! It would be cool if I had a neighbor like him.
Very good and simple tip mate thanks,keep up the good work!!!!!
Thanks mate, appreciate you watching and glad it helped out.
The little dimple in the swing arm pivot is very small and precise. However, the large hole in the axle allows for a lot of movement, or so it appears. In order for this method to work, both points have to be very precise. On Japanese bikes I measured wheel alignment with a piece of welding rod with a small rubber washer slipped over it, so it fit snug but could be moved. I then put one end of the welding rod right at the point where the tire bead meets the wheel, and slid the rubber washer up against the inside edge of the swing arm. I then did the same thing on the other side. If the distances were the same, then the wheel was centered in the swing arm. However, as someone who just bought my first Harley, I don't even know if the wheel should be centered in the swing arm, as I don't know if the swing arm is symmetrical.
This video is over 5 years old.. come up to date and watch the current video mate..! ua-cam.com/video/ljcD1yvfeJI/v-deo.html
Either side of your axle is different diameter hole... this tapered tool you can make in minutes for yourself will guarantee to find the all important centre of the axle tube..!
thats how we used to build stuff string lines and plumb bobs simple but EFFECTIVE good job thanks for sharing be safe peace !!!!
You method is perfectly fine mate, as long as the length from the swing arm axle to the back end of the swing arm is the same, then that will work just as well..... nice one.. Del.
Finally! someone I can understand!!! Thanks so much for all of your uncomplicated info. If I can get it, anyone can. Youv'e been a great help Del thanks again...Jeff
Excellent video! I am going to be changing my tires and I was curious about the alignment. This helped me a lot.
The 2004 XL1200R factory workshop manual suggests using a length of aluminum welding rod bent 90 dg. at one end 1/2" and sharpened a bit to fit in the swingarm dimple, with a grommet slid on the rod near the other end near the axle, slide the grommet to axle center, etc. (Accurate plus saves tape, nails and pencils) Lol. Thank you for the great videos!!
That works real well buddy, we try to pitch the video at those you don't have garage equipment, such as welding rod, as household things can be adapted to do the same job, and it's better that someone does it at all, rather than neglecting it cos they don't have the equipment... but good point well made, thanks for watching!
Right on. I might try with a wire coat hanger.
indeed, there is always the old way, the original way, and once you learn that, the rest is juyst gagets... cheers buddy, take care.. Del.
RIDIN' 42YRS. AND YOUR OLD WAY IS THE BEST WAY.THANKS!
48tats Thanks buddy...
The less info the less liability. Thanks for the tip. Didn't know reference point myself.
Thank you mate! Just replaced my brakes and tires and didn’t have the tool (metal rod one not the stupid laser one). I needed something fast
so I can get back to riding while I wait for the $15 rod.
Watch all your vids thenbfix everyones bikes. They think im an alien cuz of the vast knowledge i have. Thanks im a hero in my circle
Yes mate,can be confusing,as the front wheel steers,then no,it's not aligned with the front wheel,it's aligned with the centre line of the bike,which is 90degrees to the swing arm.
Front wheel alignment is getting both fork legs absolutely parrallel to each other in the yokes, so that the wheel runs at exactly 90degrees to the handlebars. As our bodies will naturally straighten the bars for ride comfort the bike will crab unless both alignments are correct, but are independent of each other.
Thanks Del. I measured the thread on the belt adjusters. I will do it this way before I use the bike again.
+Martin Billingham No worries, Martin.. give us a shout if you need any more help buddy!
Ahh amazing advice. No better way than the old way! Many thanks
Thanks mate, you're very kind, and we appreciate the support... take care.. Del.
Thanks for the update. I wish I had seen it sooner, could have save me $20. I bought one from Motion Pro, which is pretty much like yours, except instead of having a metal cone, it has a round plastic ball that moves along the wire. My bike is a 2006 1200 Sportster, so it has the front holes in the swingarm pivot instead of close to the rear axle
Sorry buddy, it's always about the timing... it's the principle I was trying to demonstrate of an apparatus that you can set to length and lock off and then translate to the other side for comparison... at least you have a proper one, unlike mine lol !
Yet another brilliant video. Stuff made simple that this over complicated world we live in likes to sell you the newest gadget.
In 2021 I bought a brand new 114 softail Fat Boy. When I bought it I had to keep going back to the dealer - complaining it was pulling to one side. After ridiculing me and making me feel like an idiot -like I could not ride, they looked at it several times. There conclusion was rider stupidity. Despite wearing the off side only of the front tyre to illegal level by 3000 miles!!🤬
Being a brand new bike I was reluctant to work on it but….. I took two pencils and a bit of string and could instantly see the rear wheel was out of line. 🤬
I had to buy £50 worth of sockets (I got good impact ones- why would you not 🤷♂️) straightened it using a vernia calliper from axle to the flats on the frame.
The bike rides fine now - it doesn’t pull and my “new” tyre is still great after another 3k miles. I have had to change the rear as that got out of whack too.
I am sure that the dealer has some very competent mechanics but you don’t know who will be working on it. And if is an apprentice how well they are overseen. We all have to learn - not a problem. However…..
I used to be a relatively competent mechanic on older vehicles however through years (more than I care to think about) of not doing it I have lost a lot of confidence to do new stuff. Where is the carb!! 🤣😂
But thanks to your videos I am finding that confidence back - gradually. Old principles still apply. 😊
The money I spend on tools I more than save by not having to pay the dealer - and I know it’s done right. With care and attention to detail.
Thank you for such consistently good info and entertainment. 👍
Good luck with your Harley Luke. Harley often do things in a frustratingly strange way but it’s a Harley and you gotta love it.
If you got this far thank you for reading my massive rant.
Safe rides 👍🤜
ha ha, what a glorious rant and i understand every word, it's hard to trust anyone when we hear so much bad press... but on the whole, most mechanics are hard working people who are just pushed too hard by bosses who are driven by profit and budgets.. in the end there will always be a temptation to cut corners to make it all work, and that's when problems can happen.. no working technician can ever afford to put the meticulous attention to detail in that you can, at home, at your leisure.. it's simple logistics.. It's great to hear you're getting back into it and buying tools, you're right, there is really no different to the bike of 30 years ago, just a bit more electronics and governance, but the nuts and bolts don't change. Take care and enjoy your wrenching buddy.. and thanks for your kind feedback. Del.
Hi Del, my Street Bob 2007 has no marking on the pivot point of the swingarm. Also this pivot point is not very easy to reach, making measuring the distance to the rear axle quiet a job in itself. What I did is measure the distance from the back of the swingarm to the rear axle with a caliper. I presume both the left and right parts of the swing arm are equal in length so that gives a good reference to align the rear axle with the pivot point axis.
Same issue here! Same bike too! Thanks for the tip.
There’s a small hole drilled in both sides of the rear fork (swing arm) for this purpose.
It’s outlined in the 2005 Dyna Service Manual.
Correct, but not very accurate, the belt will run in the middle once the bike has done a few miles becuase it wears itself a comfy groove...and to get it to 'climb' out to one side it would need to be pretty out of line...would work on a new belt and pulley though.. thanks for watching.. Del.
Hi Milo, Great job with the race paint buddy.....cheers Del..
Hi Rob, yeah you can make all kinds of funky tools, but i always loose them and end up using the gaffa tape again lol.... im buried training for a new job all this week, but will catch the videos in between moments..... good going chum... catch you soon... Del.
Used metal rod bend one end 90 degrees slide rubber o ring down rod for accuracy worked great
Thats what I like about you moonfleet , old school it. Thanks again.
Thank You So Much For The Tips Brother I Definitely Appreciate All The Knowledge my Friend
Most welcome, am glad they help you out and thanks so much for your feedback!
It could be the ten years running a bike dealership, or maybe the thirty years riding motorcycles...but i think its just because i have a really big anorak, and im constantly skint so have to do things for myself...lol thanks for watching.... Del.
I use a coat hanger bend one end at a 45 and put a wire tie on the other end so into can move , simple and old school
Great info and impeccable advice
Hi Tom, thanks for your kind words mate, its good to know that it can help someone out there and make a bit of difference, i just post up the stuff i knw muself to pass it on to my fellow riders... and also to save them a few pennies too by not having to go to the dealer for everything... cheers mate and ride safe.. Del.
Thanks Justin.
Oh my god that is so simple thank you so much
thanks, I got a Harley Davidson manual and a good understanding on how to check axle end play. I was just making a comment .
Great Videos Del!!
Good video, and very informative. Thanks a bunch from Illinois .........
Thanks Dan, as if i could possibly hope to rival the mighty BBHR, you guys where my inspiration in the first place, and like all Zen masters, you always keep a little back to get the jump back on the pupil....prepare for some kickin videos from the 'peace out' Brothers....lol..
Is disc lock needed when adjusting alignment?
You're welcome, i hope it helped you.. Del.
Mines close enough. Thanks for the help!
This is awesome. Thank you !!
I have a 2003 Heritage Softail. If those read adjuster bolts get twisted/adjusted, if the axle hasn't been loosened, it shouldn't affect the alignment, should it? Someone tightened mine to do me a favor LOL, I backed them back out equal to one another, but the axle never did move according to my measurements. Still, I'm a bit paranoid.
Straighten out a wire coat hanger, works well.
with a half inch of 90* bend and an alligator clip...adjustable and holds tight.
PS, insert 90* into swing arm center and adjust clip to center of axel. Compare to other side of wheel.
Thanks buddy, glad you found it useful, cheers, Del.
Assumes perfect symmetry and no offset. I know that's not the case on my Softail. If I measured the swingarm pivot point to spindle and copied this on the other side, I'd have a misaligned wheel. As an aside, it's interesting that belt tension increases slightly as you torque the wheel. Been the same way on every Harley I've owned.
Cheers mate, dopnt tell anyone, but i used to watch a lot of blue peter....lol..
Then after you line up the wheel and axle the belt will be either loose or tight . Adjusting the belt tension will screw up the alignment , back to start again.
Good tip , you could also use a large compas or divider
Yep, the kind teachers use for blackboard use in schools..!
Thanks Gary, you are too kind, Like PennyPitstop camera girl says..."its a simple trick for a simple'ton" !
Brilliant. My belt has been running the outside of the pulley extremely bad. i have been hearing chriping for some time and i think its the belt. been keeping an eye on it and now the wear is pretty hard to ignore. Tonight i tinkered with it because i think the wheel is running crooked. The last guy that worked on my bike likes to drink, like alot. so i have been trying to do everything myself. Was about to say f it ill take it to the shop, then i youtube a vid and of course i check yours first. yep ill be doing this in the morn lol. Your the man delboy!! im gonna try making something like this out of a metal coat hanger.
Nice one buddy, a belt chewing on the side of a pulley is a sure sign of mis-alignment - see how it goes and keep us posted buddy, happy to help if you get stuck - good luck with it, Del
Well i got some time to try to get this taken care of. So my tire has been running crooked according to the tool i made, same concept of what you showed us. so when i straighten my tire up when i roll the tire in reverse the belt will eventually make its way across the pulley and start catching on the tire. run it a little crooked it doesnt do it. i checked and re checked to make sure my tool wasnt off. so what gives? im thinking maybe a bent rim, maybe a pulley, is there a spacer i might be missing? Thanks Delboy!!
Hey Ryan. ok, it doesnt make sense that the belt will foul the tyre when its straight.....so a cpouple of questions... how much gap is there between the tyre and belt when it was running off and chewing the pulley?.... AND... exactly what tyre is fitted to the back.. i mean, what is the full specification... and what bike do you have buddy..?
thank so much im poor and needed to know this so bad your awesome
You're welcome.
Thats amazing, we also have Indian names, hers is Tellshimalwayswhattodo, and mine seems to be Doesashestoldifheknowswhatsgoodforhim... but i just ude Del for short.!
You're welcome buddy, im glad it helped you... Del.
I would like to see a video on how to check axle end play . after installing a set of wheel bearings. thanks for your video,s
Thanks bro, just saved my ass.
Really?
Thank you mate!!!
Thank you sir! I like your vids. I've still a problem with the rear wheel alignment. The swingarm shaft does not have a center point as the wheel axial shaft bolt does. How can I check in this case the rear wheel alignment? It concerns een softail fatboy from 2005. I hope you can help me with this problem. Thanks. Best regards, Wilfred.
always checking in
My sportster has small holes on the swing arm a few inches in forward from the nuts, are they not used for alignment?
Thanks mate, glad it helped you..
Great tutorial buddy! You could even make a tool that would work good too, just get 2 peices of dowls, one that would slide into the other one, 2 metal spikes on either end, with a wing nut to lock it in position when you have it where you want it, and there you go Bobs your uncle lol
Got part 57 uploaded if you want to check it out :)
Take care buddy
I get the point of measuring centre to centre of either axles. What about measuring the remaining thread on the back of the tensioners with a pair or verniers equal to one and other i assure that method could also be used.
thomas watson ah but what if tensioner bolts are different lengths or crushed at the end inside , centre of pin is accurate
In the midweek video this week ill be showing how to make yourself an exact and precise measuring tool to set your Harley wheel alignment to the nearest thousand of an inch...and it'll cost you 50p to make.... Video up Wednesday..!
Thank you so much!!
Just amazing idea... Thank you sir ..
Just did my belt om my 2019 Softail Slim using your method, did not take much adjustment. What I did notice was after I tightened the belt to specs it also will move the roto rmore backward and moves the brake pads further to the edge of the rotor . Any concerns there ? Or a brake caliber adjustment possible ? Thank You
If you look at your brake caliper mounting block, it's on a slide groove, and when you pull the wheel back, the caliper goes with it... so don't worry mate, it'll be fine, the pads stay exactly where they are through the full range of the wheel's adjustment.
Thanks mate!
No worries, I am OCD a bit, so will get the proper item. Getting g all the tools together, just need to get a garage then will be looking around the dealers for me bike. Bloody raining down here in Sheep land --thanks mate
Raining?.. i bet its still warm though..? lol
Yep very close, big thunderstorm on the way.
Hey Delboy,
If you have the time I have a question. Recently removed the rear tire and rim on my 2005 Sportster to fix a flat and have the rim powder coated (looks awesome). I did not note which is the left/right side of the rim. I would think this is of great importance as the hub is wider on one side.
Thanks in advance
Joe Kacmarynski from Jacksonville, FL
great tip i will remmber this one for sure
Thanks for the great advice.
Hi Del. Got a few questions which i hope you can answer. Im new to the Harley crew and i bought a sportster xl1200l and just wondering where you got Pennys shocks from and the xl1200l is fuel injected so what are the repercussions for wrapping the standard exhausts? heard something about the pizo ? and fuel usage from the exhausts overheating?
Cheers, keep on educating me with your awesome videos.
Good stuff del cheers
Are the markings on the rear axle of a Japanese bike proven to be accurate or is it still best to apply this method to Japanese bikes as well?
The markings are pretty much accurate on all bike mate, but look closely at them...they are about 2mm thick, so if you're "towards the front" of the mark on one side, and "towards the back" of the mark on the other, you can be up to 4mm out and still accept that you're correct...measuring it from the swing arm pivot in MM's will simply give you a far more accurate measurement.
Thank you for this video A great tip!!! I need to know this after I take the wheel off to replace the rotor.
More people have tape than TIG filler. Cool trick.
Also can I use Permated Copper Anti Seize Lubricant on my axle instead of GREASE.
Hi Victor, no I wouldn't do that, anti-seize compounds are not designed to lubricate, it's a mis-nomer when they call them 'grease', they are simply there to provide a waterproof barrier in the interest of preventing corrosion, axles need grease, if you're worried about water, or the grease washing off, then you can use marine outboard grease or white lithium grease, but do not use copper anti-seize on it... it can actually cause errorsion between rubbing surfaces...
Thanks good vid, Whats the method on a older hardtail harley ?
Ha ha, i too have a wife that likes to break her bike with alarming regularity...lol
hey Delboy great video nice of you to help out .... i have a little prob. of my own on my 94 softail the rear of the bike gets ~woobly~ from side to side always at around the same speed 140 k\hr under that speed i dont feel nothing do you have any idea i have checked all that i was able to think about form swing arm berrings to wheel berrings with no luck ..tkx mate
Hey buddy....ok, thats about 85mph in our money.... it could be a few things...wheel balancing, tyre wear, or just plain old incorrect pressures, and maybe a combination of more than one thing... So, what Softail is it? Fatboy, STC, Night Train etc (as they run varied wheels), and the pressures are important, also have a look and check to see if you've thrown a wheel weight off (look for skicky patches where its missing).....and what tyre pressures are you running too?... let me know buddy, see if i can help.! Del.
Cool trick but on my 05 Dyna the Axle pivot point is covered on both sides so I don't know what to use as a point of reference for this method.
Hi Gerry, an easy trick for that one... you may have 2 x 3mm holes drilled in the swingarm, about 6" forward of the axle (one either side), you can use those, they are an intended reference point, but if you don't have those holes, then draw a line down from the bottom shock bolt and then use those as they will be equidistant both sides.
Hi Del, what service manual do you recommend, I saw one of your podcasts & you were saying it was money well spent, do you mean a genuine HD service manual or Clymer or Haynes. You mentioned that you got yours from Jersey --many thanks
Hi Geoff, get the genuine HD service manual from thre main dealer only... !
Hello Delboy love you videos, I have a question I took of my rear wheel and my left spacer has a ( > ) notch cut into it like a arrow does the point of the ( > ) notch point to the inner side of the wheel . Please Reply Thank You Again Brother
Hi Victor, generally speaking, spacer arrow would always point inwards to the wheel, but if a spacer is asymmetric, and specifically, sided then it will usually fit one way only... this is one of those things which justifies the cost of a genuine Harley Manual for your bike, not cheap, but always contains just such advice... your Harley Dealer will have them, invaluable!