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SOHC.co.uk Forums => CB500/550 => Topic started by: alexdecker on April 07, 2024, 03:42:17 PM

Title: Aligning the rear wheel on frame
Post by: alexdecker on April 07, 2024, 03:42:17 PM
Hey all

What is the best method to align the rear wheel on the frame, if you don't have any special tools available? Obviously I can use the marks on the frame, but is there a way to dial it all the way in? I feel a little jitter in the pedal of my rear brake, and I think it might be because of poor alignment.

I aligned the rear wheel according to the marks on the frame. Then I finger tightened the nuts. I then activated the rear brake and while holding down the brake, I tightened the nuts down.

What do you guys do?
Title: Re: Aligning the rear wheel on frame
Post by: Johnwebley on April 07, 2024, 03:46:26 PM
Align the rear wheel with string and the front wheel



That's the best way

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Title: Re: Aligning the rear wheel on frame
Post by: McCabe-Thiele (Ted) on April 07, 2024, 04:38:38 PM
Align the rear wheel with string and the front wheel



That's the best way

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Presumably it must be special string that does not stretch?
Would a decent metal tape ruler work?

Title: Re: Aligning the rear wheel on frame
Post by: Orcade-Ian on April 07, 2024, 04:58:29 PM
You can do what the MOT man does - a long piece of straight, wide timber with a cut out for the stand, not forgetting the front wheel is narrower than the rear.  You can add a strip to the edge which contacts the front wheel - half the difference between the front and rear tyre widths.

Ian
Title: Re: Aligning the rear wheel on frame
Post by: Johnwebley on April 07, 2024, 05:01:27 PM
Not really,

2 6ft straight edges would

The idea is you put it around the front wheel,,about 8in from the ground, then pull equally both sides to the rear wheel,

As the rear tyre is wider, the string should just touch the leading edge of the tyre,

Next you check the gap at the front tyre,

It's fairly easy to see if both sides are equal.
If not, adjust the rear wheel as necessary

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Title: Re: Aligning the rear wheel on frame
Post by: Bryanj on April 07, 2024, 05:57:31 PM
The "jitter" is nothing to do with alignment but either oval or corroded drum, you dont say what bike it is, very frustrating and i dont care if its in the header, shouldnt need to read that!
Title: Re: Aligning the rear wheel on frame
Post by: alexdecker on April 07, 2024, 06:16:13 PM
The "jitter" is nothing to do with alignment but either oval or corroded drum, you dont say what bike it is, very frustrating and i dont care if its in the header, shouldnt need to read that!

Sorry, it’s a CB550F2 from 1977!
Title: Re: Aligning the rear wheel on frame
Post by: Johnwebley on April 07, 2024, 06:34:12 PM
check this out


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBxK-OQ--fg



Title: Re: Aligning the rear wheel on frame
Post by: Seabeowner on April 07, 2024, 06:49:11 PM
Not really,

2 6ft straight edges would

The idea is you put it around the front wheel,,about 8in from the ground, then pull equally both sides to the rear wheel,

As the rear tyre is wider, the string should just touch the leading edge of the tyre,

Next you check the gap at the front tyre,

It's fairly easy to see if both sides are equal.
If not, adjust the rear wheel as necessary

Sent from my SM-A546E using Tapatalk
+1 to that.
That's the way I've always done it.
Title: Re: Aligning the rear wheel on frame
Post by: McCabe-Thiele (Ted) on April 07, 2024, 07:04:26 PM
If they are new brake shoes they might just need some bedding in or is it worse than that?
Title: Re: Aligning the rear wheel on frame
Post by: Bryanj on April 07, 2024, 07:10:24 PM
The 500 has a reputation for cracking drum liners and it is very possible the 550 is following suit, take it apart and check the cast drum part for cracks and rust lifting, if so its either a different wheel or find somebody who can machine out the liner and shrink in a new one.
I know you dont have to mot it but it would be a fail if you did
Title: Re: Aligning the rear wheel on frame
Post by: alexdecker on April 07, 2024, 07:41:46 PM
The inside doesn’t look cracked at all though. I have this picture.

Title: Re: Aligning the rear wheel on frame
Post by: Bryanj on April 07, 2024, 08:04:09 PM
That wheel has been relined alread mate and may not have been turned perfectly true or possibly pulled fractionally out of true when rim laced, it may bed in or may need a very light skim by somebody with a big enough lathe to get the complete wheel in
Title: Re: Aligning the rear wheel on frame
Post by: Laverda Dave on April 07, 2024, 09:32:26 PM
Try Terry at Stotfold Engineering, he's near Biggleswade.
I took my Triton front wheel to him because it was grabbing. Turned out the drum was slightly oval due to being pulled out of shape by the fitting of stainless spokes.
He has a lathe big enough to get a whole wheel in complete with tire. He also machined the brake shoes to match the drum.

http://www.stotfoldengineers.co.uk/motorcycle-restoration/
Title: Re: Aligning the rear wheel on frame
Post by: Johnwebley on April 07, 2024, 09:39:32 PM
The inside doesn’t look cracked at all though. I have this picture.
Alex, were are you based?



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Title: Re: Aligning the rear wheel on frame
Post by: alexdecker on April 08, 2024, 04:52:32 AM
Thanks all for your replies! I am based in Copenhagen, Denmark, so will try and find a local guy who can help me with this.

And thanks for the string method! I will do that as well, even though it doesn’t have something to do with the uneven brake feel 😊

The brake flutter is only slightly when I am driving slow and applying the brakes. Can it be that it just needs to be seated a little but more, and will disappear over time, or should I have this taken care of?
Title: Re: Aligning the rear wheel on frame
Post by: Johnwebley on April 08, 2024, 08:41:18 AM
The flutter, is it front brake?
Or rear?

If it is rear, remove wheel, and tyre,

After finding an engineer that can spin the whole thing in a lathe,

And get them to just remove enough to take care of the oval,



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Title: Re: Aligning the rear wheel on frame
Post by: Bryanj on April 08, 2024, 08:56:56 AM
It may wear in over time as it is little but probably not, personally i would ride it using the brake as much as possible whilst investigating a machinist
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