[irv]

Went for a good ride yesterday but hit a washout at a pretty good clip, the front dove in the rut and stopped me dead. I didn't go over the bars so I guess I wasn't going fast, just to fast for the conditions? Anyways I had a quick look at everything and everything seemed ok visually but when we got back to the cottage I noticed the right wheel seemed to be pointed to far the the right with the handle bars straight? Definately more toe out than I have ever had. The handle bars have a slight bit of play but I can't remember if it was there before or not? Any ideas what I have probably bent? I am guessing and hoping it is only the tie-rod? How do I know which one? They both look OK looking at them. Could it be anything else? Should I replace something or just get it aligned? Any tips on an alignment would be appreciated, I have never done it before and I do have a manual. Thanks.........Irv

 

[sneutel]

Irv I did the same thing a year ago, except I went over the bars! ( I was dooing 70km/h, and stopped dead, and flew off the bars for about 30 meters!)

With mine I know I bent/recessed the A-Arms, top and bottom, a bit.

I just aligned the toe in (tie rod) and I straightened the handlebar (by standing on the floor board and pulling it up).

I know my left front wheel is about a centimeter further back than my right front wheel. Personally it has made no difference to me!!

Any way good to hear you did not get hurt!!

 

[irv]

Thanks for the reply Beast, I took off the wheels today and had a look but I couldn't see anything obvious? I thought maybe i'd see a bent tie-rod or end, a bent something but I couldn't see a thing? I had my dad look too and he couldn't see anything obvious either? Was your tie-rod or end bent and if so was it obvious? If the control arm was bent, would you not see some cracked paint or a stress fracture? I never noticed this toe out before I put my new tires on but I wasn't looking either so maybe it was like that anyways? It just seems too obvious of a toe out for it to be normal? How do you go about adjusting the tie-rods? The service manual is very vague on how to do it, did you leave your tires on when you did your's?

How bad did you get hurt Beast? You must have felt like superman flying through the air! I know the feeling, I have done that a couple times on the dirt bikes and when your flying through the air your thinking, Man, this is going to hurt!! You must be in the air about a split second but it feels like a small eterinty waiting for the impact!! I don't wish that on anyone. Thanks for your help........Irv

 

[sneutel]

Irv, if it is just "toe in" ie left/right movement, it is a quick easy fix. If I remmember you just need 2x 14mm flat spanners and away you go!

Leave the tyre on, loosen both outer nuts on the tie rod and manually turn the rod with your hand. Every know and then stand back, do a visual, and ajust more if need be. Then tighten the two nuts up!! and you should be done.

I could see no cracks or anything obvious on mine, a year later and I dont even have a rust mark to show me now!!


As my "one and only" fall, well my ego was crushed, I had an audience of 6 two wheelers at the time. I fortunately was wearing full mx kit, and all I had was a nasty bruise whre the side of my chest protector cut into my back and my wrist hurt from the hand gaurd, that caught it!!

It's all character building.

Stangely the Grizz never went over, it stood on the soft sand vertically on the front bumper!!

 

[irv]

Thanks again Beast, I did the tie-rods today and it was real easy. I think I have it about "0" toe-in now? The guys I deal with said that "0"toe-in-out was the best for running 589's? I took it for a little ride today and it is a lot easier to steer and handle.

Glad to hear only your pride got hurt Beast! I have to learn to slow down some! I get on it and think I am still dirt biking?....Thanks again.....Irv

 

[falshh]

Bear How do you know you bent your a-arms a bit without seeing it. I have the same problem and I replaced my steering column and that helped about 50% but there is a bit left that needs to be fixed. If I look at the one a-arm it isnt bent or anything but if looking at the bottom a-arm where they connect to the frame they are both pushed back to the back of there slots they are in (the area where they pivot) It seems like if they were bent a bit it would be a bit more noticable in respects to the amount of toe out I can see.

In my polaris manual it says to run a long string around both back tires towards the front and square it up with the rear wheels and see where they end up when next to the front tires.

when riding staight down a road if I put my handle bars strait I pull to the one side a bit If I leave the bike going stait like it wants to then I go stait but the handle bars are over to one side?

 

[falshh]

One more thought. It would seem that if you ever knocked it out of alignment and it required realignment then something must have bent and you correct it with an alignment. I would think this must be true for cars also then? IM just curious because everything is rigid and for it to come out of alignment something must have to bend? Anyone price out a new set of a-arms for one side?

 

[sneutel]

falshh
check out ebay, for a stipped bike's A-Arm

 

[falshh]

Well I did the alignment and all is good again, but the steering arm is adjusted a bit longer now, I guess it doesnt matter, but something must be bent slightly, not enough to worry about it now though.

Thanks for the reply