Last years accident damage - help please.

As a consequene of bouncing the SV along the road last year There is are 2 "slight" alignment problem with the steering!

1) With the front wheel pointing straight ahead the top yoke points approx 5 degrees to the left. No problem riding, around 4K miles since the drop.

2) When investigating further at the weekend I spotted some damage to the steering stop on the LHS. It has a dent in it where the corresponding stop on the bottom yoke hit it! This means that on full LEFT lock the bars come much closer to the tank than on fulll right lock. - not a trap point but noticably different.

Now with the first MOT coming up I am getting panicky.

As far as I can tell the steering angle is only "off" at the top of the yoke.
The only explanation I can come up with is a bend at the top of the left fork.

Can it be straightened?
Can I buy one to replace the damaged one or do I need a pair?
Is there another possibility?

As far as the steering stop goes is it possible to build up the damage by welding to the ally?
Any ideas where I could get this done, as I belive ally welding needs specialist kit?

Thanks for any help anyone can give.

ally is a diff kind of welding...but there are places that will do it.

the forks are both likily to be bent. had an incident with a car and it looked ok till the light of day. replace the top stanchions at the same time and it should sort it out.

[Sid Squid]

Doubtful. Most likely the yokes are out of line.

Originally Posted by Sid Squid Previously

If the forks have been disturbed is it possible that the forks are slightly twisted in the yokes, to rectify this, loosen the front spindle, the spindle clamp/s, the lower yoke bolts, and the steering head nut, don't loosen the top yoke clamps or it'll fall on the floor. Then bounce the front end up and down as hard as you can, if the yokes are a little off the action of the forks compressing and extending will true them up, when you're satisfied that it's all lined up right, try sitting next to the forks and sighting across from one to the other, they should be completely parallel, tighten from the bottom up, carefully so as not to disturb the alignment, so the order should be; spindle, clamps, lower yoke pinch bolts and finally steering top nut. Finally loosen the handle bar clamps and the 10mm headed 'bar positioning bolts under the top yoke - don't remove them - make sure the bars are pushed right the way forwards, or backwards, they are quite a loose fit in the holes on the bar holder, so that the bars are aligned properly, when you're happy that they are aligned tighten it all up.
If it will line up when the various bits are loose, but then twists when all are tightened, it is likely something is bent.

That was written for a curvy, the only difference being how the 'bars are located, otherwise it's identical.

[Speedy]

With regard to your steering angle,may just be a case that your forks have turned/twisted in the yokes,if they were bent,there would be resistance when they are compressed,and possible fork oil getting past the seals. So try loosening the yoke pinch-bolts and align your 'bars with your F.Wheel in the straight ahead position.
Lock stop,depends how bad/close everything comes on that particular lock.
Good Luck Matey.
Speedy

yeah that too but still would check it properly.

Buy a new bottom yoke if you're worried about the lock stop. Well one on ebay if you can...

[jambo]

if SidSquid's post doesn't get it, it may be worth getting it looked at by someone able to straighten or condem bits scientifically. Not hugely local to you but maidstone motoliner http://www.motoliner.co.uk/ do this sort of work and can bend most things back straight if they're un-bendable.

[jambo]

Originally Posted by Speedy

if they were bent,there would be resistance when they are compressed,and possible fork oil getting past the seals.

Depends where & how they're bent, the fork bottom dosen't slide up the whole stanction.

Thanks guys!

That gives me someting to go at over the weekend, and some hope that the credit card might get a brief rest!

Sid, that post was exactly what I needed - thanks.

Razor - if only - the damaged stop is the one on the frame, not the yoke - boo hoo.

Once again thanks all.

Chris

[Sid Squid]

As you know the frame is aluminium, and the yoke is a fairly low carbon steel, which means that welding the yoke is easier than the frame, file the damaged bit of the frame nice and flat, get someone to weld a blob onto the lock stop stub on the yoke, it doesn't matter which part is built up - as long as the material is there, reassemble and then file down the blob until the yoke stops in the right spot.

Much cheaper and much easier than either replacing the yoke or welding the frame.