[blu3fan]

Hey guys. Just got my 450 back up and running
On the freeway at 75 round a bend she began wobbling. Like bars shifting left and right.
Any ideas on troubleshooting this ?

 

[pemdoc65]

Does your bike have a front fender or fork brace? If so, check the tightness of the bolts. Also check your axle clamp bolts. If you don't have a fender or fork brace, you need one.

 

[Alan F.]

Jack up the bike and check wheel bearings for wobble, check for notchy steering bearings, and check for side to side play in swingarm bushings. Also make sure all engine mounts are tight to spec. Lastly have a look around the frame for cracked welds, unlikely but it can happen.

 

[66Sprint]

Are the axle bottom caps on in the correct direction and tightened in the correct order?

 

[mike in idaho]

Hardtail huh? Did you change the rake or the trail in the front end? Raise or lower either end? Sometimes altering the suspension geometry can make things kind of spooky. You might want to fit some kind steering damper to the forks.

 

[66Sprint]

Good catch Mike..... I was thinking DOHC 450 until I re-read the post......

 

[blu3fan]

I just rebuilt it. No wobbles prior and everything is new
I looked it up and it says to check position of boot running through wheel and loosen wiggle then retighten is what is seems
I've hit 110 on this bike before without any wobbles lol ? as scary as that sounds

 

[blu3fan]

Position of bolt* running through wheel

 

[Chippe]

You got some good tips already but are the wheels in line?
Check the swingarm, many are bent. I have 4 swingarms and they're all bent/tilted more or less.
Edit: Ohh hardtail

Maybe there is a better video but this is what first came up on Youtube:

 

[oupa]

Uh, just wondering, have you checked the air pressure by chance?

With an actual gauge that is. You don't mention where you are (or at least I didn't notice) but it is February. Heating a cold tire with low pressure can do weird things. :-?

 

[Alan F.]

I didn't catch the hardtail part at first either. Is this a welded swingarm or new rear frame? I ask because with the swingarm present there still can be flex with worn bushings.

That only leaves steering and wheel bearings, air pressure, frame cracks, and.... do you have spoked wheels?

And it also leaves wheel alignment, verify chain line is good and run a string forward from the rear tire to see if your wheels are in alignment.

 

[blu3fan]

that video about aligning the wheels . im going to double check my alignment on the back end.
also I found that the lower front wheel pin/bolt mount is not sitting 100% flush with the mount on the fork.
I did loosen it all a touch. push down on the forks a few times. then re-tighten like I found online.

 

[danno]

This is a long shot, but you may have lost a wheel weight.

 

[NighthawkCharlie]

Jacking up the bike to check wheel bearings is not enough. Please remove the wheels and axles and put your fingers into the center of both bearings and check them for smooth rotation and ZERO play. The swingarm bushings must have little or no side to side play. Bad steering head bearings make it problematic to steer easily but probably won't make it wobble. I like the suggestion to closely inspect for a broken frame. Chipped or wrinkled paint can indicate a frame tweak. Don't ask me how I know all this ****, but I've got the scars to prove it.

 

[NighthawkCharlie]

A bad tire can also cause a wobble. It may balance out perfectly but get weird at higher speeds. I once had a customer with a pristine Z-1R who claimed it wobbled at 110 mph, and not until then. I test rode it and he was right. Exactly at an indicated 110 mph it started to shake. Later, a new rear tire fixed it.

 

[blu3fan]

I should say this.
All Bearings are new. 400miles on them max.
Bike had no issues like this prior. was taken apart for paint and wire tuck. then re-assembled. the hardtail conversion was way before.
_________________________
so guys.
I checked a few things.
Rear wheel alignment bolts are even.
front has been *** aligned by loosening. pressing down on the forks until they compress and tightening up.
Tried the string method. Not seeing anything out of alignment.

I made it better but its not fixed.
now she doesn't wobble near as much. But I feel it. its not in my head, at 75 it wants to veer side to side feels like the front is causing it. like death wobble.it only happens on the freeway and around bends. leaning makes it worse..

A wheel weight might make sense here tho. they might have gotten popped off. however. I did paint the wheels. perhaps that caused imbalance ?
ideas ?

 

[76TWIN]

Every change you made how ever little could affect the balance of the wheels. Have you balanced them since they were painted?
Also I saw that someone asked earlier whether you had a fork brace or front fender and I did not see an answer to that. If you don't have either then I would suggest to get one.

 

[76TWIN]

Better yet and for efficiency sake, you should tell us just exactly what changes you have made to the bike since the last time the bike didn't have a wobble.

 

[blu3fan]

Does this answer your questions about the fender ?
Also I bought the motion pro chain alignment tool. Gonna give that a go

 

[76TWIN]

Well then for starter I would have your wheels re-balanced.