Odd handling feel.

[jamesearthdrum]

Hi Guys,
I'm looking for insite into this issue. The '85 has this weird feeling in the bars when slowing down. It feels like when you have a spinning gyroscope in your hand and are trying to make it change direction. I have done the '89 fork bottoms, wheel, and blue spots upgrade. Installed .95lb. springs and 7wt. oil. I am also running a 60 series tire. I have the head bearings adjusted using the flop method. Damper rods are properly installed and set the same. I'm going to try to readjust the head bearings again, but wonder if it might be a wheel bearing. I did install new ones when I did the wheel upgrade.

Thanks,
james

[fj11.5]

im sure  you have checked tyre pressure, have you jacked the front up and checked the wheel is spinning freely, could be a brake pad dragging on one side

[andyoutandabout]

Everytime I've experienced handling vagueries, it's fortunately been the tyres going off and therefore easy to cure. Hope this is the case for you. The Fj seems quiet sensitive to tyres and when you get the good ones on it, the difference is amazing. Tyre tech has really come a long way since these bikes were built and they respond well to newer style tread patterns.

[racerman_27410]

James,

What kind of air pressures are you running in the tire?

too tight head bearings will give a weird weave to the motorcyle.......i've never epxerienced it but i had spoken with riders who have.... did the problem start right after the head bearing adjustment?


. too loose head bearings will let the front end wobble on hands off deceleration.

is your issue happening with both hands on the bars?  does it just feel mushy?



KOokaloo!

[jamesearthdrum]

Hi Guys,
            Took an hour out of work this morning to sort this. I readjusted the head bearing by backing them off until I had wiggle then retightened in small amounts until the wiggle was gone. I did have to back off quite a bit to get the movement. I torqued the cap nut to spec. I also backed the preload off to the lightest settings.  I then checked for front brake drag, they were okay. Tire pressure was next, down to 30 from 36 in the front, and 30 from 38 in the rear. I also checked that I had not done something really stupid like mount the front tire rotation backwards! I hadn't. Result was a complete success!! I realize I should have only done one thing at a time, but hey if someone else has this problem they can have the bases covered in one post.
Thank you Frank, Andy, and fj11.5, didn't get yer name, as always your help resulted in a positive outcome. Now to get my Kookaloo on!!

james

[SlowOldGuy]

Sounds like the steering head bearings are too tight.  That will make it fell sluggish and "notchy" like the bars are stuck in glue.

DavidR.

[jamesearthdrum]

Thanks David,
           See my results post, I'm tending toward it being just that as I had to back off the bearing almost 1/2 a turn to get any movement. Good that I was reminded to check my tire pressure often also.

james

Sounds like the steering head bearings are too tight.  That will make it fell sluggish and "notchy" like the bars are stuck in glue.

DavidR.

[racerman_27410]

Good to hear you got positive results James! 

KOokalooo!



Frank

[fj11.5]

nice work mate, saved a fortune , a mechanic would of cost you a leg 

[RichBaker]

Your last post jogged my memory, last time I did the front end, I had to leave the adjusting nut on the loose side, because torquing the cap nut made the whole thing too tight..... apparently, there's enough slop in the threads that the torque takes it up and the bearing adjustment becomes too tight.