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just finished up a build on the panhead with a wishbone frame, put a 70,s era springer, about 19" over stock on the frame, needed to cut up the frame to make it fit, went up, 4.5", out about 2", and raked it to 46 degree,s. it should handle ok but its very wobbely at low speeds, feels extremely top heavy, ive got 3.50" of trail. i did find issues with the neck, it may be bent, its hard to tell just by eye, i am wondering if any of you guys have built something similiar, and if so, what trail numbers did you use to make easy to ride, if your numbers are close to what i have, i bet my problem is in the neck of the springer, if i cant fix the springer how the f am i gonna get another front end that long with out selling other shit to pay for it. thanks
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Can you post a pic of your bike.... I'd like to see the stance....... -
I was wondering what size tires are you running???? Does the front end flop badly???Comment
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When you say "wobble at low speeds", what do you mean? Barely rolling and the wheel wants to "flop", i.e... fall over? Or do you mean, you're riding along at 20mph and the wheel is wobbling back and forth (shaking your handlebars).
The trail number is good (assuming you're measuring accurately) but "flop factor" is probably not. Dropped rockers would likely help. You should read this as a starting point: http://www.chopperhandbook.com/rockers.htmComment
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Assuming you did your math right...
That springer better be tight, like every bushing/bearing and spring rod. If your running worn bushings, what'd you expect?
I bet that 19" over front end flexes like a Ukrainian gymnast. Especially with that much rake.
Neck and wheel bearings come into play here too. Heck Is the wheel true and balanced? Got enough air in there?Comment
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When springers get to that length, they can suffer from torsional effects even when all the bushings are tight. Point the wheel straight ahead (at rest) and quickly move the bars left to right, back and forth. See if there's any lag in the wheel response. Sometimes it's just the nature of long springers. BTW, you should be OK with 3.5" of trail.
BobComment
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unless you have some sugar bear type rockers, there is almost no way you have 3.5 in. of trail with that setup.
and even if you trail number is correct, it's not gonna handle like sport bike at low speed...Comment
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block frame up straight with a 2x4 or something small and lets see a picture straight on and side view with bike weight on suspensionComment
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If he won't respond to our questions I guess we can't help him?????????Comment
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i reply, ive done all that you guys have suggested, and i do have 3.5" of trail, front tire is a new 18", runs true, good/new bearings, new bearings in the rockers, its, fxxx, cant remember the name, its a top name brand of 1970, cant remember shit, guess its the over the 60 year mark that makes memory hard. its a heavy springer, i know that, i think i may have found the issue, hopefully, last nite i had the time and energy to jack it up and really think it thru, it may be the amount of play in the neck bearings which are new and cups are new, ive got 4 other bikes, the way i set up the neck bearings is tighten it up real snug to mae them seat with the grease, turn it a bunch of times then keep loossening the nut until i just get a c hair of up and down movement, by grabbing the legs and physically lifting the thing, once i find the point of a c hair of movement, tighten it a c hair more to where the movement stops, then lock it down and done, on this springer its really hard to get the feel of the tension, i think all along that i may of had it too tight. i will post pics if some one can tell this ol fuck how to do it, i got em on one drive, and thanks for all of your helpComment
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You don't need any up and down movement in the neck bearings.. I like them to be a little tight on a long front end bike... What size tires are you running????Comment
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Here's a tutorial, or you could download your pics to your computer then post from there.
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Lots of good help and suggestions so far, the pic doesn't look too wicked to me, looks like it should steer o.k.
I'll share a problem I had and maybe it helps you maybe it doesn't. I was having terrible handling issues, couldn't hardly steer the thing. Final result was a piece of weld slag / penetration in the neck was rubbing against the steering stem. I didn't realize it when assembling the bike. Took a round file to the high spot and all was well after that.
Good Luck.Comment
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