AJS & Matchless Owners Club

Hi all,

I've noticed during my test rides on my 1963 G12 CSR that the front wheel isn't straight or "in-line" (90 deg.) with the handlebars. How can this be? What part of the front fork/steering could it be that is not straight and/or damaged? Sometimes I think it looks like it's down in the wheel mounting or hub but that seems wierd... Any suggestions of source and cure?
Thanks!

start by loosening the pinch bolts on the yokes and the fork topnuts and see if you can line it up

Twins aren't my interest, but the forks won't be too different.

Did you re-assemble the forks yourself? If so, were the tubes pulled fully up into the top yoke with a puller and were the seatings in the top yoke properly clean? If you've had stoving or spraying work done the latter might not be the case.

Loosening is one thing, but don't fully unfasten both the pinch bolt and top nut at the same time. I'd be careful not to let the inner tube slide out of the top yoke because if you do it's best to use a puller to get it back in; it's easy to strip the first few threads of the top nut if there's only a little engagement and you use it as a puller. Better to make a puller up from threaded rod and an old top nut.

On the expensive side, there's always a chance that the inner tube has cracked just above the bottom yoke, but's not go there yet.

Good luck.

Johnny B

Thanks both of you! I'll give it a try the way you recommend and then we'll see what's the problem.

Cheers!

all you have to do as a first try is to loosen every thing off, thats loose, nor removed, put the front wheel between your legs, and twist the bars straight; a drop of WD 40 on the bottom yokes will help, as would a whack on the top yoke at 90 degrees to the nut; generally this will shift things a bit; sometimes they are a pig to move but generally they will move.you can then line every thing up.

Thanks! I'll give that a go and pray the fork itself isn't damaged

If the former ideas do not get a result then check the handlebars as if the bikes has been dropped it can leave them lopsided and would suggest the wheel was not straight when the bars were.

I have been there with a pals' bike.

Les Smith

The alternative way to try straightening up the front end also involves loosening stuff. I'd loosen the pinch polts on the lower fork yoke and the bolts on the right-hand fork slider axle clamp. Take the bike off the stand, pull on the front brake and bounce it up and down on the forks, HARD, for a good few times. Do up the yoke pinch bolts, then the axle cap. If there's still a problem, investigate further.

Now I've tried it the way first recommended (loosening bolts in the yoke and tring to bend the wheel right with my knees) but hardly any result. After looking closer on to it, it seems as if one of the fork legs ain't straight. A good projec for the winter since I belive it's still safe for riding as the fork bends (works). Will give it one last shot by the way ChazzyB suggested and then I'll take it from there. Thanks all!

Cheers

I had this problem - a complete stripdown revealed that the lower Yoke had at some time been in a VERY bad smash and become twisted, the only answer to this was a replacement part, I was lucky and was able to purchase a complete set that was perfect.

Also - the steel inner legs were bent. If both bends had been in the same plane it might have mattered less, but one was fitted with the bend forward and the other was to the rear giving about 15mm of twist in the handlebars when standing on the pegs looking down onto the front wheel.
Good Luck
Ray in the UKEdited by - Ramon518 on 08 Apr 2008 09:38:03 AM