Two questions: 1. Have you ever done a wheel alignment on a dirt bike and how did you do it? 2. In regards to the centrelines of the front and rear wheel, how far would you allow before trying to correct any misalignment? 0.5mm 2mm ? I'm about to bolt on a new wheel set to my Sherco. The wheels are aftermarket and the supplier had to modify the spacers to suit the bike. Due to this, I gave them a measure up to see how they compared to the OEM rims. Looks like they'll fit and sprockets + discs will line up OK. (I haven't put them on the bike yet). The centre of the new rear rim is 3mm closer to the sprocket which made me wonder how it'll line up with the front. I couldn't measure the front stock rim properly (it's buckled) but I did get an indicative measurement and the new rim could be approx 5mm off the centreline of the stock rim... hence the above questions.
May affect handling due to offset but may not be noticeable. If hub and sprockets set as stock hub and disk did then may be more to do with lacing of the wheel and dish.
I'll probably put the rims on with no tyres and take some measurements to see if the front and back are inline. Then check if they're off-centre. So... no one has done the dirt bike wheel alignment? It mustn't be common as I could find any info on the world wide webs.
Back in the 70s I would lay a couple of straight 2x4s alongside the wheels... or a long string around the rear tire and turn the tire so the string is rearward and laying against the sidewalls. Pull both sides forward and sight down them and see. Maybe check alignment to swingarm first, measuring axle on either side to swingarm pivot. If that is even then do the string routine. At least will give you any gross mis aiming of the rear wheel and alignment. Rim offset maybe should just be taken off a stock wheel and then dish the replacement to match and call it good.
This vid kinda covers it, it harder on a dirt bike due to the knobbies but you'll get the drift...you could buy motionpro wheel alignment bars but this vid is pretty much the method l use to align my road racebikes. View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QzDWhSOJFQ Also, another simple method is making sure your chain is aligned meaning the front and rear sprockets are properly aligned.
Question 1 1. Have you ever done a wheel alignment on a dirt bike and how did you do it? Put the bike on some sort of stand that does not block putting strings between the wheels. Place the string around the rear wheel down low around the knobs or other features equally on each side. Put the front wheel exactly in the middle of the strings as you move them noting how they contact the front of the rear tire. Spin the wheels first and make sure the tires run true. Make adjustments with the chain adjusters. If the disc to the center of the rim is not the same as origional loosen spokes on one side and tighten on the other to get the rim in the proper place. I have noticed spoked wheels for disc brake bikes with pistons on each side of the disc have spoke placement to accommodate this. If the new wheels do not have spokes, well I don't feel like typing that much. Since you state the front wheel was buckled finding out if the steering tube aligns with the center line of the bike and rear wheel should be in order, depending on how it got buckled. I did for a while mount ktm clamps on that bike in my current avatar with the husky forks. The ktm clamps have a wider spacing for the forks so the front wheel was not centered. Surprising it didn't seem noticeable, I really don't recall how far off it was, perhaps a bit less than a quarter inch. Eventually I got all of the ktm stuff for the front, wheel brake axle.
Thanks for the reply guys. I should be giving this a go today. I've been in no rush because I still can't walk without crutches. Not only did I buckle my front wheel, I broke my leg too..!
