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New front fork?

OK....I probably took my last trip (to work :() for the year. I totalled just over 2500 miles since May when I bought her. Not bad for a beginner!

My Harbor Freight lift ($ 59.99) lift arrived about a week ago, and I did a test-lift on the driveway, so I can start getting dirty soon:

MAXIMUM size for a picture is 800 X 600. Oversize pictures will be removed.

Thanks for all the advice. I'll start with new rotors and pads (already purchased) and she how she handles after that.

If needed I'll move on to sliders/tubes/axle etc.

I've got all winter....but my goal is to have her roadworthy by St. Patrick's Day.

I'm sure I'll be back with more questions. Keep you posted.

Thanks
 
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If the forks are bent, I bet it's the tubes. And the tubes can be bought for much less than the prices for the whole thing.

If I were you, I would hold a straight edge (4' level) up side of your front tire (running parallel with the tube angle. Then measure over to each tube (or slider) at different points along the straight edge. Record the measurements and make note of their locations. You might want to put marks of reference on the straight edge prior.

Do that on both tubes and read over your results. If you've got tubes bent bad enough to throw the rotor out I would think it would show up in the numbers. Keep in mind the rotors only have about maximum 8" radius of arc travel, so it's gonna take a good tube bend to wear your pads like that.

I would then hold the same straight against the rotor (might need a helper) and do the same measurements. If you've got a fork problem the numbers are gonna show some deviation.

Check your rotor runout like Jack said and if it's ok. Make sure the rotor base is bolted down flat to the hub. If all that's ok and the calipers don't look damaged, (and you feel it's the forks) I would buy "just" the seals and tubes. I don't know bout your model but on my Dyna I could do that (both sides) for bout $150 plus shipping.

Also if you go ahead and put the stuff in the cart, Ronnies will then show the HD part #s. Although Ronnies calls the tubes "fork pipes". I think Zanottis has the best price on them though.

Replacing the tubes is not that difficult (least on a Dyna it ain't) cause I've watched videos of it. Do a search on YouTube for "Fork Replacement on a Harley". I've done a bit of study on this since I plan on putting 2" over tubes on mine some day.

You'll need a air impact driver (bout $20 depending on sales at Harbor Freight) to get the bolts out of the bottom of the sliders on some models, yours might be different. A bike lift and some basic tools. Take the bars loose and lay them on a towel (on the tank). If the tanks in the way pull it off too. Then just go by the videos on YouTube.
 
Jaguar; Does your bike have a clear title, or a salvage title? I ask because I noticed that your tank badge is not a 2003 Ultra. It looks like it has Road King badge (I think). Also the chrome strips and custom paint graphics on the fairing could be due to crash repair. If the bike was crashed, you may have frame damage as well as forks. Just tossing out a possibility to help you figure out your issue.
 
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Breeze's comment is a very good point given the data presented so far on your bike.

Without professional frame equipment it can be difficult to check a frame. Just putting an inclinometer on the back bone can fluctuate depending on assembly welds, cutting etc. The real important items are front and rear axle and steering stem, tree parallelness. This ignores the vertical realm of same said but that is a bit more difficult to measure. Usually any real problems in the vertical can be shown by placing inclinometer on the front and rear rotors (after the vertical alignment has been done).

In any case the NonVertical alignments spoke of are important in showing frame damage and I've seen it checked this way in the past. You need to set your rear alignment first and have it correct with the alignment holes and/or swing arm axle.

Then you need a front wheel chock to hold the bike "near" upright (doesn't have to be exactly straigh up). Then you need an 8ft straight edge of tight string line to straighten the front tire exacly inline with the rear tire. Some folks use 8ft flourescent bulbs. You will have to measure to get the front tire straight since they are not the same widths or in some cases not centered on the same line as the rear tire. So the means you need a chock that can be bumped and adusted (moved) around on the concrete floor.

After you get all that done. Hang a string bob (a pointed weighted device that hangs on a string) down the center of the ends of both the front and rear axles. You will have to do each end one at a time. Wait until the bob stops swaying and then put pencil mark on the floor for each end of the axles.

Then put a straight edge across the fork tubes RIGHT BELOW THE bottom tree. At any point along the straight edge on either side of the front end drop the string bob and wait for it to stabliize. Then have a helper put a mark on the floor for each side.

Now draw lines from one respective mark to the other. I.e. a line through one front axle end mark to the other front end axle end mark. Then a line from the fork tube/tree marks and then a third line thru the rear axle marks.

Now get a large framing square and slide a straight edge next to it, and draw a line perpendicular with (and at the center of) the rear axle line, all the way far enough to go across the tube/tree and front axle lines.

If you don't have a framing square you can measure from the center point on out 4ft along the rear axle line. Then go back to the center start point and measure a short arc 3ft towards the the front axle line. Then go the 4ft measurement on the rear axle line and measure 5ft over to the drawn arc. Where ever the 5ft crosses the arc is where you will draw your perpendicular line down the center. Please excuse the grade school geometry just trying to be complete in case you don't have a framing square. This is what is referred to in construction layout as the 3-4-5 triangle and we use it to get walls square when laying out.

They should all be perpendicular (90 degrees) to the crossing line. It might be hard to read the angle clearly on a protractor so measure equal distances out from this center crossing line (at least 1.5 feet), on each side at all 3 (axles and tube/tree) lines.

Now at these distant marks measure the distance from same lines. They should match fairly close. I.e. the distance from the front axle to the tube/tree line should be near the same on both sides. I doubt they will match exactly but should be fairly close.

If your rear alignment is correct AND you have measured your front tire inline with the rear and moved the chock to hold this, then the numbers returned from will show any problems with the frame, tubes or whatever.
 
had the spongy brake issue as well, if you tires are looking wierd and you ride straight down the road as you have stated, i would rebuild the calier from the pics it looks preety dirty in there and this can cause the pistons to not retract properly giving you a spongy feeling. Be advised these caliper can be a pain to bleed. This is a lot less expensive than a front end good luck and hope this helps
 
Before getting into the front end exchange I'd go completely over the brake calipers and mounting hardware, they are to float or slide on the mounting pins/bolts. Clean the pins/bolts or replace them and make sure they are lubed a bit with the proper lube, replace the pads and make sure they are held in place by the guides. Check the rotors for warpage. It may not be noticable to you because of your riding style but check them anyhow using a dial indicator, also check your wheel bearing preload on the axle nut and check the wheel runout at the rim edge. any movement in these areas may cause the brakes to wear as you have shown, but mostly it looks like your calipers are binding on their pins/bolts. Good luck.
 
Wonder how the OP came out on this ? I was talking to a bike builder the other day on another forum and they use this state of the art Cad table. It cost them 5 grand but it's machined perfectly flat and you bolt the bike to it and they can map coordinates to "any" and all items on the bike.

They then load the coord file into a Computer Cad program. They use it to modify the frame mostly, but if he (the OP ) could find one those shops he could for sure find out exactly what part is bent or out of line. Each coord for any given location is married to a 3 "planes" of x,y and z. So all they would have to do is see if the x of the caliper face is parallel with the x of the disc face. Probably wouldn't take 15 mins.

I imagine he's gonna have to buy some kind of parts or just go with a new setup from someone though.
 
Ok, it took a while, but I am back and happily riding again. Took the whole front end apart. Cleaned calipers and padpins throrougly, replaced pads, replaced rotors, cleaned and relubed axle and put it al together again.

Had a 5k miles maintenance done. Had it inspected, it failed for rear brake pads and a broken enginemount bolt, which had to be drilled out retapped etc. It then passed inspection. Forked over half a month's salary to the dealer and drove away happily.......

She now rides, handles and brakes like a charm!

Thanks to everybody for the advise!

Breeze3at wrote:
Jaguar; Does your bike have a clear title, or a salvage title? I ask because I noticed that your tank badge is not a 2003 Ultra
Yes it has a clear title, but the previous owner took of the badges and sold them the moron!! It seems near impossible to get new ones if at all, but that's probably for another topic

When you re-read my first post in this topic I get the feeling the repair shop owner I went to initially didn't have a clue.

Thanks again all.
 

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