Alignment Problems

Andy Pabstalaniec /

I had a minor crash on my moped a while back, and after that when I'm going straight, the handlebars aren't pointed straight, it's like everything else is pointed straight but the bars are at an angle, and not perpendicular to the road. The bike landed on the end of the left side of the bars so I thought it was the bars that had been bent, as the forks still look fine, and in alignment with the wheel and frame. However, when I put new bars on, it's still off.

It's not that radical, you don't even notice when you're riding, unless you look down at the bars.

Can anyone give any tips as far as alignment issues go? Do you guys usually ignore minor problems when it comes to these things? Any tips on finding exactly how things are out of alignment. In your experiences, when it's something minor, is it like chasing some ghost down and basically requires replacing the forks and bars and all that front suspension shit because you just can't figure out the part that's messed up?

thanks (edited)

Re: Alignment Problems

That's twisted.

Re: Alignment Problems

new furks

Re: Alignment Problems

Patrick Keaton /

Take the front wheel, and put it between your legs, so the front wheel will not move, and turn the handle bars to straighten it out. You can go to a library or college where they got a bike rack, and put the front wheel in that, and turn the hadlebars to straighten it out. There are two bolts in the area where the handle bars are mounted that can be loosened, if the first idea does not work without loosening them, then tighten the bolts back when done.

Re: Alignment Problems

Andy Pabstalaniec /

Patrick, what part exactly are you suggesting I straighten? Bend the bars to straighten the forks, bend the bars? I'm not sure what you're getting at.

thanks.

Re: Alignment Problems

Patrick Keaton /

By turning the handle bars, with the front wheel stationary and unable to move, this should straighten it out.

Re: Alignment Problems

Downhill Harvey (OFMC) /

Front wheel between legs,

Grasp handle bars,

Straighten it out.

Re: Alignment Problems

Andy Pabstalaniec /

Sorry for beating a dead horse, but both answers just say to do a thing, but don't say what it does. I've never had to straighten out an alignment problem, so what exactly am I straightening? Am I straightening the forks? The rod that goes through the wheel? How do you know exactly what is bent, because like I said, it's impossible to see where the problem is.

thanks dudes, I've never dealt with an alignment problem so you're gonna have to spell it out. I don't wanna start hulking on things, as it might make things worse if I don't know what i'm trying to fix. (edited)

Re: Alignment Problems

Patrick Keaton /

Do not loosen the bolts at first. I never thought about what is exactly happening. I was just wanting to straighten it out.This will give you the results you are looking for. You are straightening the forks. I have done this before. I might not know what is exactly bent, but the results that are obtained from doing it is all that matters to me. As long as you do not loosen the bolts up first, you can not make things worse, unless you have a problem that is needing to be found out before you would want to ride it. On Puch mopeds, the bolts that were to be loosened up, have a TOP THREADING COUPLING that can strip out, and/or the bolt can strip out, and cause this problem to not be fixed by this method, because those bolts have to stay tight.

Re: Alignment Problems

Rob @t ATTN! Burrito /

one or both of the tubes of your forks are bent. disassemble your forks, bend them straight, reassemble.

Want to post in this forum? We'd love to have you join the discussion, but first:

Login or Create Account