Simple Harley Frame Alignment Using Lasers

[@williamnixon278]

They (harley) must do an ok job with the solid link on an m8 flhx touring.. Just installed m3 isolators & was shocked how easy the pivot went through...thought i would have had to yank & jerk the eng/trans combo for the pivot bolt to go through...went like butter... Thanks for the video... my bikes never handled like this before

[@Harleyforever20]

Thanks for posting this! I too used Glide Pro parts on my bike as well as this procedure. The only other things I would add would be: 1, make sure your drive belt tension is correct. 2, make sure your neck bearings are at the correct tension and lube if necessary. Also it wouldn’t hurt to make sure that your fork legs are sitting in the triple trees are even. Doing theses checks BEFORE your alignment might save you hours of time.

[@uhih6717823]

Albeit there are usually 100 ways to do things, yours is for sure a nice simple explanation. Thanx. There is a 10000 ways to est a straight line, a laser is just faster. The unknowns are hardly fixable- is the frame sq to the front triple trees?? With that, centering the rake to "0" deg is the only option as there is zero provision for adjusting it. We have to hope HD jigged the frame correctly. A real wheel alignment always starts with the rear on most anything. Great job! I would like to add- If ANY of the mounting points are 5 years old or older, throw them in the dumpster B4 starting as you will be wasting your time. For sure the inside swing arm bushing is shot just from sitting there on the kickstand all leaned over. You will notice this when the frame is leveled and the level says rear swingarm is leaned way over. One last thing -there are several versions of a frame to transmission mounts now available. I do highly recommend installing this as it makes for a very nice platform to ride. No more squiggles!

[@raymondpontremoli4500]

Great video and Thank you for taking the time to show that alignment procedure. I have floating rotors on my Harley that I put on because the stock factory ones warped within 10,000 miles. Since the rotors are floating there is no way to actually tell if they are parallel at any point, they move. Also, this procedure counts on the front wheel to be straight however, you have no way of really "dialing in" straight. One degree off on the handle bars is a bunch of error down at the wheel rotor. The real problem is you don't have any "fixed hard points" to use to set up datums. You can use the rear rotor but once again if that rotor is off by just a tiny amount your going to see a bunch of error at the front of the bike. Even one degree over 8 feet adds up to a huge error..Im a Mechanical Engineer and I have been thinking about this problem for a few days now....I'm going to come up with a way to get my damn RK aligned if it kills me and it may...LOL

[@TheJeffMiller]

Great comment! Thanks for sharing your thoughts. You've hit on the central assumption that underlies this procedure: This only works if the frame and forks are accurately manufactured, and also haven't been bent or tweaked somewhere along the line. If everything is proper and square, then it all works. If the frame/forks aren't square, who knows what you'll get. But if the frame and forks are square to themselves, then setting the front rotor to dead plumb will indeed have the effect of making sure it is pointing perfectly forward.

[@richardarnold570]

8th

[@srl1215]

What about the newer bikes aka Rushmore models.

[@rodneywilson6396]

In this video you have released the top stabilizer link eyelet allowing for Engine top movement. At 3:24 into this video, the front stabilizer link is adjusted while observing the laser lines. The one side of the front stabilizer is tied to the frame and the other side (end) to the Front Engine Motor Mount bracket. This front Motor Mount bracket cannot move, unless you release (untighten) the Main Motor Mount center bolt/flange nut and the corresponding two side bolts/flange nuts on the Motor Mount going to the lower frame crossmember. Correct? I did not see/hear that the Front Motor Mount was untightened (enough) to allow the Motor Mount to move as the Front Stabilizer is adjusted. Did I miss something here?

[@rodneywilson6396]

For my 2004 FLHRSI Road King Custom, looking at my 2004 HD Service Manual for Touring Models (p/n 99483-04A) on page 2-28 Figure 2-37 is the diagram of the Front Stabilizer Link and Engine Mounting Bracket. Bolts F & G are what I am referencing that require loosening.

[@charlesmccormick4443]

So you dont think anything needs loosening up before you start adjusting the adjustment links . I take one bolt out of each adjustment adjuster , loosen the 4 large swing arm cap bolts that is also the rear foot rest brackets , loosen all 4 of the header pipe nuts at the head , loosen the 2 front (or remove) motor support mounting bolts to the frame and the center main support bolt . I use a hammer handle ,piece of wood ,what ever between the frame and the engine block at the front motor support to scoot/move the engine from side to side - the direction it needs to go . Why ? When you put the hammer handle or what ever , you can wrap it with tape , in there and start to move the engine you will see just how weak/flexible the main frame is down at the front motor support area , try it you will see , mine is a 08 ultra , the frame is a little stronger at the top adjuster . I move the engine by hand to align the front and rear wheels ,then adjust the adjuster to line up with the bolt holes and mount it , so the frame isnt pulled away from where it normally sets . The frame flexes at the front motor support every time you go into a curve from the force and weight against the rear wheel . On some harleys they put 2 bolts in the top of the engine guard/crash bar to help brace the weakness of the lower frame at the front motor support , with 1 bolt at the top it pivots .I jack mine up enough to hold the bike up right then use thin what ever to level , you dont align a car up off the floor because when you set the weight of the vehicle down on the wheels the alignment can change . Now do what ever you want to , its yours .........

[@TheJeffMiller]

Honestly, I was going to say I think you're making it way harder than it needs to be but otherwise aren't hurting anything, but re-reading that, I think your procedure is just plan bad. With these rubber mounted engines, the entire system (engine/transmission/exhaust/starter/primary/everything) is rubber isolated from the frame: The front motor mount, the donuts on the swing arm, the rubber exhaust hangers and then two heim joints to keep everything lined up. Loosening the brackets covering the rear donuts probably doesn't hurt anything, but I don't see how it does you any good. But loosening the exhaust flange nuts? That's just a plain bad idea. What do you think happens after you've moved the motor, then go to re-tighten those flanges? If you're lucky, you'll pull them up tight and that's that. But you're also needlessly introducing the possibility of an exhaust leak, and for what benefit? The exhaust is hard mounted to the engine, but rubber isolated from the frame at the back. All you are doing is taking whatever flexing those rear exhaust isolators experience during the heim joint adjustment and imposing exactly the same flex on them later. Only your way your forcing the flex via the exhaust flange nuts, rather than when the whole system moves during heim joint adjustment. That's introducing a potential problem, not solving one. And this stuff about using a wooden handle to move the engine because the frame is too weak? Not sure what I can tell you other than I just disagree.

[@charlesmccormick4443]

@@TheJeffMiller Thanks for removing all doubt of exactly how little you know about mechanic work and what your working on , Ive forgot more about mechanic work than you will ever know , I wont waste my time any further ............

[@williamdecamp7343]

Totally not necessary, string method works just fine with front rotors plumb and then plumb rear rotor with turnbuckles loose and make adjustments to bring swing arm and wheel plumb.

[@bikersoncall]

3:51 What is this reading 899? Edit: I see now, just up against 90 degrees, close enough to a perfect 90.

[@raymondpontremoli4500]

its 89.9 degrees..... He's only .1 degree off of perfect vertical.

[@bikersoncall]

@@raymondpontremoli4500 Yeah, you saw my edit , good. I had originally not seen the decimal, I doubt anyone can, it looked like 899, that's why 6 months ago, I edited the comment after realizing there must be one in there. 89.9 makes a lot more sense than 899.

[@raymondpontremoli4500]

@@bikersoncall Nope didn't see the decimal point...LOL. You got it ....It's all good in the hood..

[@bikersoncall]

@@raymondpontremoli4500 haha, plus, I've used a zillion levels, lazer, old school, never used a digital, I stopped doing that 'stuff' a decade or so ago, lol, so I haven't really taken note of what they would put up in the digital display. Peace.. (note to self: go buy a digital level) :)

[@badsanta518]

@@bikersoncall did you really think it read 899 degrees?

[@671homey]

If something is 2"x3", it's not square. Beside that, all of this can be done with string, and a tape measure.