DFT rear end tilt
- Thread starter zoood
- Start date
The axle and the shocks on the left side are actually laying against the muffler when I raise it off the ground. Where as the right side axle and shocks don't touch the muffler at all.
J
Jack Klarich
Guest
Could be tied to slight off set on rear end, or the front end not being true straight while jacking, Are the rear shocks exact same length eye to eye, ride height equal ? Measure sitting totally flat center of the wheel from the ground to the fender same point on each side of the rear wheels is the ride height the same?
Jack, I can understand about the front wheel not being centered on the lift in reference with the back wheels. But the trike when sitting on the ground is the correct level height 5.5 inches from the ground to the bottom of the cases. Which is the correct factory height. Depending on the road conditions. Sometimes the left side ( looking at the body ) will dip and stay lower than the right side. I have to manually pull up on that side of the body to make it level again and it stays there till I hit another jolt in the road. The left side is the side that broke. (Which took place last June) The lower control arm snapped!
This picture below, shows the snapped control arm while en-route.
DFT made good by sending me new lower control arms. One for each side. Since something that thick could actually snap. Left me no choice but to reinforce the gussets, which DFT did for me at their factory. This is a picture of the OEM and the new control arms that I had DFT extend the gussets. Because I could no longer trust their product!
Even though they extended the gussets for me. I did a little more work on the addition of the extended gussets. I added a small section as seen in this picture below. My fingers point to the additional gussets I added. DFT didnt add them here and I felt that since they beefed the rest up. It seemed foolish to not do these places as well.
The only thing I can figure is that the left shocks were stressed beyond their design. Though they still seem to work. I think by raising the trike. It sags on that side because of the stress they endured. I had purchased one new shock. ( 100 bucks!) But just pushing and pulling them by hand. Seemed as though. Nothing was wrong and looked like they would work correctly. But its when I lift the trike that it sags. If the muffler wasn't in the way. I'm sure it would hang even lower. When I'm riding. When I hit an uneven bump in the road that would make the independent suspension try to correct its self. It causes it to feel like it's rocking back and forth. Like the shocks aren't doing the job they were designed to do. The rocking that takes place. Makes me slow the trike down immediately for fear of loosing control. I checked the cases of the rear and there aren't any cracks or elongated holes where the shock mounts pass through. When I replaced the control arms I also changed the bearings and their races. The left side bearings were destroyed when the control arm snapped.
This picture below, shows the snapped control arm while en-route.
DFT made good by sending me new lower control arms. One for each side. Since something that thick could actually snap. Left me no choice but to reinforce the gussets, which DFT did for me at their factory. This is a picture of the OEM and the new control arms that I had DFT extend the gussets. Because I could no longer trust their product!
Even though they extended the gussets for me. I did a little more work on the addition of the extended gussets. I added a small section as seen in this picture below. My fingers point to the additional gussets I added. DFT didnt add them here and I felt that since they beefed the rest up. It seemed foolish to not do these places as well.
The only thing I can figure is that the left shocks were stressed beyond their design. Though they still seem to work. I think by raising the trike. It sags on that side because of the stress they endured. I had purchased one new shock. ( 100 bucks!) But just pushing and pulling them by hand. Seemed as though. Nothing was wrong and looked like they would work correctly. But its when I lift the trike that it sags. If the muffler wasn't in the way. I'm sure it would hang even lower. When I'm riding. When I hit an uneven bump in the road that would make the independent suspension try to correct its self. It causes it to feel like it's rocking back and forth. Like the shocks aren't doing the job they were designed to do. The rocking that takes place. Makes me slow the trike down immediately for fear of loosing control. I checked the cases of the rear and there aren't any cracks or elongated holes where the shock mounts pass through. When I replaced the control arms I also changed the bearings and their races. The left side bearings were destroyed when the control arm snapped.
While working on the trike some more. I noticed that the left exhaust pipe wasn't the same parallel distance ( 1 inch ) from the casing of the undercarriage as it is on the right side. After messing with the left side exhaust for a few hours. I managed to align it like it is on the right side. The left side suspension is still hanging lower than the right. I figured while I had the wheels off. I'd try adjusting the Sway bar links. The left side snapped with the threaded portion inside the long hex nut. Looking at the snapped end. I could see that it was cracked half ways across before hand. Probably when the control arm snapped last year. It is a left handed thread and the easy outs I have are for right handed threads. Ive tried a few different ways to remove the threaded portion with no success. It's soaking in WD40 over night. I'll give it another try tomorrow. Before I give up and buy new ones. Yes new ones. The right side is stuck as well.
zoood
zoood