New tires, alignment / brake issues

[bccap]

Continue taking the wheel off, but note the position of the bushings. Lay them out on the floor in the correct order. From the outside right, the bushing in the fork { looks like a short piece of pipe } Inside the fork { looks like a piece of pipe with a large flange } The flange faces the bearing. Left side the speedo mechanism, then the bushing with the small flange. The flange goes from the inside of the fork through. Now that you have it disassembled pull the speedo out of where it sits against the bearing. You will see 2 tabs on the speedo and 2 slots on the wheel for them to fit in. Rotate the wheel a little to get the tabs and the slots to line up and point straight out through the wire guide. I don't think this is going to give you a speedo though as I strongly suspect the idiot broke your cable. Use your new nut on reassembly, but each post should have 2 washers, 1 circular and 1 lock. Check all nuts have this. Do up the nuts hand tight, once you have the axle and bushings installed spin on the axle nut but with visible space between it and the bushing. I am assuming those fender brace bolts have been slacked right off. Now shake things up a bit. Get on the bike and pump the forks a few times. Then spin the wheel and if the GS Gods are on your side it should spin freely. Then tighten everything up, fender last. I recommend using a torque wrench as you don't want brake those fork nut studs. Check bikecliffs website for the correct tension. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY REPORT BACK ! I WANT TO HEAR EVERYTHING YOU CALL THAT !@@#$$%$%ING IDIOT.

 

[bonanzadave]

You will see 2 tabs on the speedo and 2 slots on the wheel for them to fit in. Rotate the wheel a little to get the tabs and the slots to line up and point straight out through the wire guide.

It is possible that F-Stick didnt do this. If the 2 speedo tabs aren't lined up with the slots this is what could be pushing your wheel to the right.

 

[bccap]

It is possible that F-Stick didnt do this. If the 2 speedo tabs aren't lined up with the slots this is what could be pushing your wheel to the right.

You're going to have to explain that to me. How did F-stick change the tire without reinstalling the wheel, which would entail setting the speedo tabs. Not to mention leaving the fork nuts so loose, one fell off on the ride home. This could have caused serious injury !

 

[bonanzadave]

You're going to have to explain that to me. How did F-stick change the tire without reinstalling the wheel, which would entail setting the speedo tabs. Not to mention leaving the fork nuts so loose, one fell off on the ride home. This could have caused serious injury !

What I meant to say was when F-Stick put the wheel back on he may not have got the speedo tabs lined up in the notches. And yes, broke an axle cap stud.

Please print this thread and show it to the service manager. Have a camera at the ready cause we want to see the look on his face......

 

[scott]

Continue taking the wheel off, but note the position of the bushings. Lay them out on the floor in the correct order. From the outside right, the bushing in the fork { looks like a short piece of pipe } Inside the fork { looks like a piece of pipe with a large flange } The flange faces the bearing. Left side the speedo mechanism, then the bushing with the small flange. The flange goes from the inside of the fork through. Now that you have it disassembled pull the speedo out of where it sits against the bearing. You will see 2 tabs on the speedo and 2 slots on the wheel for them to fit in.

Okay I got it apart for the most part. Here are the pieces - axle nut, washer, bushing/spacer, speedometer mechanism, bushing/spacer, axle. The 2 bushing/spacer pieces seem to be the same size.

On the right side, the part with the flange is still on the wheel (held on by a black cover):

On the left side, I think the bushing with the small flange is "behind" the disc which I didn't remove. It seems to match up with the fiche though. Here is the speedometer mechanism "port":

Rotate the wheel a little to get the tabs and the slots to line up and point straight out through the wire guide. I don't think this is going to give you a speedo though as I strongly suspect the idiot broke your cable. Use your new nut on reassembly, but each post should have 2 washers, 1 circular and 1 lock. Check all nuts have this. Do up the nuts hand tight, once you have the axle and bushings installed spin on the axle nut but with visible space between it and the bushing. I am assuming those fender brace bolts have been slacked right off. Now shake things up a bit. Get on the bike and pump the forks a few times. Then spin the wheel and if the GS Gods are on your side it should spin freely. Then tighten everything up, fender last.

I'll move on to these steps next.

 

[bccap]

Just want confirm that you have slackened the bolts that go from the fender brace to the fork, right off. What year and model 550 do you have so I can follow along with service manual ?

 

[Guest]

Just want confirm that you have slackened the bolts that go from the fender brace to the fork, right off. What year and model 550 do you have so I can follow along with service manual ?

His sig states 1980 550E

 

[bccap]

Yeah thanx I just noticed it. What a pain going through the service manual page by page. { over 700 }

 

[scott]

I assume this wasn't supposed to fall out of the speedometer cable - looks like it snapped.

Just want confirm that you have slackened the bolts that go from the fender brace to the fork, right off.

I thought I had but I double-checked and noticed I missed the back fender bolts (I had only done the front bolt on each side). I loosened the back bolt on the right side but the left side bolt is going to require some more work. I don't want to be too liberal with the PB Blaster and leak onto the brake caliper.

 

[TheCafeKid]

Been a while since I've messed with a single brake front end but I swear you're missing the top hat spacer on the right side (sitting on the bike) of the front wheel. Usually there are two spacers on the side. One is clamped in the end of the fork with the end caps, the other butts up against it and the wheel. But that's a two disc set up, I can't imagine they're that different however.

 

[TheCafeKid]

Oh I see there's a Fiche in the thread... Doesn't look like you have that spacer... Is there a spacer/bearing cover behind that black plastic cover where the second disc would be?? Looking at that last pic it just looks like there's nothing to be cinched up in the fork, like that one spacer isn't enough.

Something else to check too, since you have it apart, when you go putting it back together, make sure the forks don't bind as you bolt everything up. This will require removal of the fork spring to do right, but that's no biggie.
Sometimes you have a fork leg that will get pulled out of line by not paying attention or leaving the fender bolted tight (there's a steel brace under most of em thats not as flexible as the fender looks) and when whomever tightens everything up, the forks bound because it's not moving in a straight line. Just found this exact thing on Kparkfans 850 a few weeks back.

 

[bccap]

Take that picture with you when you go to the shop. The one with the kink in the cable. You might as well make them put it on as well. There is no question it is their fault.

 

[Zmike]

Okay I got it apart for the most part. Here are the pieces - axle nut, washer, bushing/spacer, speedometer mechanism, bushing/spacer, axle. The 2 bushing/spacer pieces seem to be the same size.

On the right side, the part with the flange is still on the wheel (held on by a black cover):

On the left side, I think the bushing with the small flange is "behind" the disc which I didn't remove. It seems to match up with the fiche though. Here is the speedometer mechanism "port":

I'll move on to these steps next.

You are missing a washer on the left side...part no. 08322-11148
WASHER, LH

 

[scott]

I reassembled to hand tight and tried rocking/pushing down the forks/etc. There's still some resistance but it's better than it was. Should the tire just "glide" around?

Oh I see there's a Fiche in the thread... Doesn't look like you have that spacer... Is there a spacer/bearing cover behind that black plastic cover where the second disc would be?? Looking at that last pic it just looks like there's nothing to be cinched up in the fork, like that one spacer isn't enough.

There's a spacer/bushing in that black pastic cover:

You are missing a washer on the left side...part no. 08322-11148
WASHER, LH

You're right - I totally missed that! I wonder if that's something I can just get locally at a Lowes/Sears. I guess the thickness is pretty important so I should probably get the actual part. By adding the washer, wouldn't it "push" in the left fork/caliper inside? If so, I think that would put the brake disc more centered between the brake pads.

Something else to check too, since you have it apart, when you go putting it back together, make sure the forks don't bind as you bolt everything up. This will require removal of the fork spring to do right, but that's no biggie.
Sometimes you have a fork leg that will get pulled out of line by not paying attention or leaving the fender bolted tight (there's a steel brace under most of em thats not as flexible as the fender looks) and when whomever tightens everything up, the forks bound because it's not moving in a straight line. Just found this exact thing on Kparkfans 850 a few weeks back.

I'm hoping the missing washer is enough. Taking apart the forks would be new to me - I'm sure there's a guide somewhere.

So it looks like my parts list is now:

• speedometer cable
• fork pinch nut, washer, lock washer (if I want the official parts)
• left-side axle washer

Anything else I might need? I wonder if I should get new brake pads after I basically rode the bike with them partially engaged.

 

[bccap]

Definitely inspect the break pads, but I don.t think they will be shot due to your ride. When you spin the wheel, its not going to spin like a bicycle wheel. I suspect that washer may line things up quite nicely. I assume your shopping list does not include you paying for any of these items.

 

[bonanzadave]

fork pinch nut, washer, lock washer (if I want the official parts)
Anything else I might need?

Can you remove the RT axle cap with the one remaining nut. It sure looks like the back stud is broke off. The one without the nut.

 

[scott]

Can you remove the RT axle cap with the one remaining nut. It sure looks like the back stud is broke off. The one without the nut.

I think it's just the lighting in that previous pic. I took another one with the cap off. The stud seems okay to me if we're talking about the same thing:

 

[bccap]

How is the job progressing ? Did each of those nuts have 2 washers ? I think those nuts are somewhere around 22 lb.'s torque. Check the manual. You don't want to break a stud.

 

[scott]

How is the job progressing ? Did each of those nuts have 2 washers ? I think those nuts are somewhere around 22 lb.'s torque. Check the manual. You don't want to break a stud.

I haven't made much progress since Zmike pointed out the missing axle washer on the left side. All the fork pinch nuts have the 2 washers so that should be good. The left side of the axle measures 15mm but it looks like there's a notch where the washer goes - it's too close to the end to measure. The washer part number is 08322-01147 which implies 14mm. I'm going to pick up a 14mm and 15mm washer from Sears or Lowes today. Even if it's not the exact correct thickness, I'm thinking it will be close enough to let me ride the bike at least. I'll get an OEM washer but that always takes a while.

The Clymer manual says to use a window on the calipers. I popped off the plastic piece but I'm not sure what to make of this. What am I looking at?

I'm guessing that's not good though.

 

[bccap]

I don't know what you're looking at either. But I'm pretty sure it aint good. You had better pull the pads for inspection.