I finally learned the "why" (and better "how") after having watched so many other videos on this topic. Now that I understand the "why" of everything (finally, after watching this video) I won't need to review the steps every time I do it (I'll always remember) Thanks!
Great resource. I was planning on checking my steering stem bearings for grease/servicing them and noticed last time I took my forks off one was super hard to get out of the clamps… so I think I need to realign everything. This will help me figure it out for sure. Thanks!
This is a great way to do it. In case anyone is replacing their seals or similar work, I would suggest to not tighten the fork caps yet, put back in the bike with handlebars removed and follow this procedure. However, when tightening the right hand lug clamps for the last time, you can raise the wheel through its stroke (cartridges' will come out the top) and snug it down somewhere in the middle. I find my forks have the least amount of binding this way, and it's a good way to really confirm it. At full fork extension, the bushings are close together so you have maximum amount of play at that spot. In the middle of the stroke the forks are better settled in their true position. For aer forks you can do this even easier by not pressurizing the fork yet before aligning
@motovated207 Thanks for the feedback! We're working on some others, give us a sub and we'll get some more content up for you! Let us know if you want to see anything specific. Cheers! , - Evan @ SP
I have to say, I'm a motorcycle mechanic as well I can do all this however what I cannot do is explain it in a way that people would understand so well done for doing both really well
I did what you said couple of times and it served me well and thank you. now this time my compression fork extends like 5mm longer and the axle doesn’t pass through easily I have to push on the fork upwards . Do I need a rebuild what could be the cause ?
Your dialed bro, awesome video! Just picked up my first Austrian bike (GasGas) looking forward to getting her dialed in. You just got another Subscriber!
Great video! Probably one of the best on that topic! Can you also make one about ADV bikes? Like you mentioned in the video, the bearings are different there. Thanks
Sure thing, I'll get it on my list soon. The ADV stem brgs are non-tapered ball brg style. You can for sure overtighten them easily & possibly damage the bearing races. I would use the same alignment process, but stick to the factory ADV stem bolt torque (18Nm) Alignment of the radial calipers is slightly different also... stay tuned.
@@sp-ktm Would love to see valve adjustments on 4 strokes, suspension testing for air forks, simpler things "done easy" like bleeding brakes, cable adjustments, proper way to assess spark plugs, etc. I have also previously looked up full 4-stroke top end rebuilds and there isnt a single good video on the youtube platform that encapsulates the process with WHY you do certain things step by step. For new inexperienced home mechanics like myself it can be hard to find the right answers so I actually understand why I am doing something. Hope that helps you develop more content in the future!
Does the service manual state to use grease on the pinch bolts? Lubricating the triple clamp bolts will increase the clamping force significantly. On perfectly clean threads the lubrication would require approx. 40% lower torque to achieve the same clamping force.
Torque value aside, its more an issue for the localized corrosion that happens at the bolt threads with dissimilar materials. Proper bolt torque takes proper thread health. Most every "used" bike has threads that cant achieve proper torque w/o grease or anti-seize on the threads. I don't discount there is some minute torque threshold change, but how many of us have a calibrated wrench either, haha? Its not about the torque, its about thread health. If you prefer dry hardware, by all means you can do that too. The alignment process will be the same. All my years as a factory mechanic lubed threads have been the norm, not the exception. Thanks for the engagement. Cheers!
Thanks for the vid! Easy to follow! I set my fork heights using digital callipers but the axle does NOT go through smoothly? I then adjusted the forks based on the axle going through smoothly but then the fork heights are off by a few mm? What is more important? axle smoothness or equal fork height? Thanks!
Elysia, this can be an indication there is internal variations btwn left and right forks. Spring preload, top out spring length, machining variations, something coming loose (not good) can all cause fork length variations. Off by 0.5mm or so is OK, but a few mm is cause for closer internal inspection of both forks to find the root cause and fix and potential issues.
@@sp-ktm Is .08~1mm acceptable? 2020 Husq 701/690. It seems one fork tops out 1mm sooner then the other. Pulled and pushed both tubes several times and let them settle naturally and 1mm difference was always required to get axle to move/slide freely. Also, do you agree with pulling down fork dust boot, applying a thin layer of grease just below fork seal, then pushing on forks abruptly (tire installed of course) to load a small amount of grease behind for seal to remove/reduce stiction?
Good question, once you have the stem torque set to your spec, the center stem bolt can be torqued to spec. Usually same as the other upper pinch bolts.
Thanks Dave! Anytime you are in the south east PA area, stop on by. We help countless customers by phone and UPS sure makes it easy to ship suspension these days :-) Let us know if we can ever help. Cheers! -Evan @ SP
I remember welding on a kicker and shifter to my '74 YZ80 when the spines stripped out, haha. Gotta learn through hammering on old bikes to make you appreciate working on the good stuff. Glad you enjoyed the video!
Best alignment video I’ve seen by far. I watched a few alignment videos over the years because I forget the proper order of each step. Question: after you set the axel you moved the steering stem. When you let the triple clamp bounce off the steering stops with only the bottom clamp bolt being only hand tight, wouldn’t/couldn’t the triple clamps be knocked out of alignment? 12:05
Good question, no not really. The "bounce" is very light with minimal impact on alignment overall. Most important, which we see happen a lot, is checking steering feel w/o the wheel mounted or damper installed. This changes the feel considerably. Even trailside or between motos, just loosen the (5) upper pinch bolts to retorque the center stem brg bolt, super quick and easy.
Before you got it all sorted did you notice any offset to the left or right hand side of the bike? For example, my right fork is now closer to my right hand fairing and my left fork is further from the left fairing
The bars being "bent" is a whole different process. However, if you just follow the steps laid out, the triple clamp inherently wants to align it self perfectly with the wheel / bars. Only if something is bent or misaligned, will you find issues.
Great question. I also found tightening the stem nut cause twists to the upper triple clamp. It's very hard to get the bars at 90 degrees. Wish I knew the solution too. And I think he tightened the stem nut before torquing the 4 upper fork pinch bolts which to me seems incorrect, but I'm no mechanic.
Oh man, that's an oldie :-) What specific questions do you have I can help answer? For those old shocks, best check the upper and lower heim joints (spherical bearings) first for corrosion. They used to go bad alot on the older ones. Swingarm pivot bearings are also super important.
Brilliant demo! I have a ktm 890 r that i need to adjust the head stem bearings on - do you have one for this? As it has round bearings not tapered bearings.
Good question, the ADV stem brgs are non-tapered ball brg style. You can for sure overtighten them easily & possibly damage the bearing races. I would use the same alignment process, but stick to the factory ADV stem bolt torque (18Nm)
Fantastic video! After watching your video I’m pretty sure I know what I need to do now. I just put on a Scott’s and Noticed a bit of clunking when I have the bike off the stand and Am rocking the bike back and fourth with the front brake on. I will loosen the shock pinch bolts and tighten the centre bolt down. I’m thinking this should eliminate the clunking noise. Am I correct in my thinking?
Yes, it may be a loose stem bearing. Remove the damper, loosen all (5) upper triple clamp bolts, snug up the center stem bearing bolt or nut to achieve the desired front end sweep feel (per video). Then retorque hardware to spec, reinstall damper. Test ride and enjoy!
Eddi - thanks! Yes, sadly we are not. However our friends at TSWP do an amazing job w WP suspension as well. Give them a shout if you ever need chassis help in the UK. Look us up if you are ever in the US for a ride 💪 Happy to help with any questions you have from afar as well 👍
Thanks Evan, best alignment video I’ve seen… one question, If after setting the initial fork height, is it common to raise or lower one fork to get the axle to slide freely?
Shannon, good question. The need to move one fork height slightly can be needed, but often related to internal fork & spring tolerances. For example this will happen even if each fork has different amount of spring preload or different springs L&R; as the spring force plays against the top out spring length - thus changing the fork length ever so slightly. (Maybe 0.10-0.20mm). IMO unless there is a need to run the fork heights as much as 1 Line different, no need to make height corrections.
@solidperformancektm1105 this comment right here saved me a ton of headache. Just did a single spring conversion to my AERs and had to set one side higher than the other to adjust for spring preload. You sir, are a God send. Thank you so much!
@@DEKEHOUSE Had to install one fork tube 1mm higher for the axle to move freely. It does seem that one tops out 1mm sooner than the other. So is installing one tube 1mm higher acceptable? Or make them same height with some axle binding?
John, good question. The bikes come from the factory @ Line #2. This is the best option for all around riding. If you also use the bike for faster out west riding or MX, line #1 will give more stability.
Nice video/tutorial. Maybe same about KTM 1290 SAR (2022)? Is it same procedure? You mentioned that not.... So would appreciate if you could share key different.
Yes, same procedure - but at the end you have to account for the radial caliper alignment on the rotors, as they don't have and axial float like the offroad calipers. So to the same procedure, but make sure the pistons are fully retracted. Last step is to spin the wheel with the bike elevated, caliper bolts are loose, pump the brake until its tight. Then while holding the brake lever, tighten all (4) calipers bolts snug. Release brake lever, torque bolts to spec. This ensures the calipers are parallel to the rotors, minimizing brake pad drag and helping alignment. Cheers! -Evan
The KTM manual is a good place to start. You'll find within the torque chart a listing of what bolts need blue (241) or green (2701) Loctite. KTM does not specifically say to grease the triple clamp bolts - this is something that I prefer.
@Solid Performance KTM Great video and Thank you! Hoping you can answer this question for me. I recently bought a 22' 500EXCF, and noticed a bit of galling on the axle after swapping a tire. I'm assuming this is likely from a misalignment, correct? Additionally, with these forks being the one compression fork and one rebound fork with clickers and a preload adjustment for each - does it matter if clickers and preload are not set the same settings prior to reassembly and alignment? Thanks Again!
Davin, good questions. First, the axle galling is not from fork misalignment. The axle is quite hard, and for this to happen you need an equal or harder material to gall the surface. I suspect something got in the hub or stuck to the axle grease that caused the issue. I would make sure you remove the high spots with a fine file * sand paper. Also, check the fork lug bore to ensure nothing is lodged in the casting that can cause this again. Second, yes - the WP XPLOR forks are asymmetrical. Which means the external clickers are independent L&R. So the setting for your RHS (red) rebound adjuster may be different than your LHS (white) compression adjuster. The KTM manual has a good suggestion for baseline, comfort and sport settings that can help get you dialed in. But the preload should be the same position on both fork caps. Thanks! -Evan @ SP
So what is stopping the wheel from sliding back and forth on the axle? With that gap on the right side is the caliper the only thing stopping the wheel from sliding? What about on a turn does pressure get put on the brake?
The wheel assy is stacked against the small side axle lug (brake side), as this sets the axial clearance, etc for disc, caliper, etc. Axle & hub set the spacing left to right, pinch bolts lock it in place.
Great video man. Best video in RUclips i believe. I subscribed. You deserve a million subscibers. Keep uploading without hesitation. If you could add how to properly set front brake calipers in this video it would be more wonderfull. I usually install the front brake calipers like - Install the front wheel and tightens the axle, install the brake calipers on to the disc with a little tight and then spins the front wheel and apply the front brakes and without removing my hands from the brake levers i tightens the calipers. Is this the perfect method.
In order for the axle to slide and rotate freely, one fork tube had to be lower by 1mm. From what I can tell one fork tube bottoms out sooner, 1mm, than the other tube. No matter if I pushed or pulled either fork tubes and let them settle naturally, their would be 1mm difference allowing the axle to more freely. Is this acceptable? Is pulling down fork dust boot, applying a thin layer of grease just below fork seal, then pushing on forks abruptly (tire installed of course) to load a small amount of grease behind for seal to remove/reduce stiction a good practice? BTW- Evan deserves $$$ and is a benefit to the motorcycle community and the human race. Thank you!!
@@sp-ktm 2020 Husqvarna 701. Adjusting forks per my original comment did resolve stiction issues. 1mm difference in adjustment. I did not add grease to the tubes as mentioned. I have been riding the bike and think its good now. Stiction seems typical when comparing to friends 690's/701's.
To make my axle holes concentric the lines on top of forks arnt exact in the triple clamps there both on the first line but ones a little tiny bit higher when i had them both perfect height measured with a caliper the holes didn’t line up perfect
Not the worst thing, this just means there is a "stacked tolerance" in one fork that is causing one leg to be shorter / longer than the other. Everything from cartridge machining tolerances, assembly technique, spring rate, spring preload and top out spring length can slightly effect the overall length between L&R forks. Often on WP AER forks this is common, as the air pressure on the LHS pushes the fork out slightly more than the LHS. Not a huge deal if you are within a 1/4 - 1/2mm btwn each side.
IMO, no. Any movement would be the stem bearing is still too loose. Add tome tension to the steering bearing assembly, and that should keep the front end from moving at static state.
Shouldn’t we tight the steering stem nut with upper triple tight and bottom loose ? Otherwise we change the fork height again. With the bike on the stand, upper triple bolts tight with fork height determined, bottom triple clamp loose and steering nut loose then we get steering stem nut tight which draws bottom triple clamp up (there is no stress it’s just sliding up) then finally tight bottom triple clamp bolts. Is my thought wrong ?
No, the bottom bolts need to keep the forks from falling out. The bike I used has cast clamps, which are a tighter than many billet clamps. In most aftermarket clamps the tolerance is so good, the forks would both fall out if all the pinch bolts were loose (KTM Split clamps, XTrig, ect). Yes the fork height can change slightly, but if the steps are done properly, the final stem brg torque steps (13:50 mark) the fork height will change little to none. If it does, sure go back and reposition both L&R fork heights & would also indicate the stem brg was very loose when the forks / clamps went initially together.
Hi, i am ishan, thanks a ton for making this video, I own a ktm adv 390 in India , the problem i am facing with it is its handlebar is in slight right.. i can see that right fork is near to me, and when i break i feel pressure on my right hand, though if i leave handlebar it goes straight, but as a rider i know its bent towards right side very minute but i can feel the difference while break and leaning. I took it to service they changed the Lower T and adjusted it, but could not resolve it. Could you please tell me what is the problem? I think they haven’t tuned it in the sequence with right torque. I am facing this after a little off-road accident when my front alloy bent. Changed the the front alloy that time. This issue is very irritating and disheartening, could you please suggest me what to do ?
Hard to say, I would follow this same procedure to realign your front end. You can find the same benefit on ADV bikes as well to check fork & triple clamp alignment.
Is it possible to rotate the upper tube of the fork , stickers are not like in your video , rotate 90degrees so the WP sticker sits like yours .Thank You in advanced
Pedro, Yes often the sticker on forks don't align properly. We usually install the fork stickers to ensure the fork bleed screws are facing either the forward or reverse position. We have plenty of spare WP decals here, happy to send a set if you need them. Just shoot me a reply comment. But yes, you can certainly rotate the upper tubes as needed to align either the sticker or the fork cap bleed screw. Just follow the re-torque steps after the orientation is correct. Cheers! - Evan @ SP
I have a 2020 KTM and whenever I put the front wheel on there is a little gap between the front wheel and the fork shoulder and you can see the axle. I’m not sure if that’s correct or not.
Yes, this is ok. The shoulder side of the axle you will see some axle showing between the fork lug and the wheel spacer. Totally normal & good question!
@@sp-ktm personally I think it was perfectly timed, a great delivery at the right pace I know many prefer short sharp vids but sometimes a slower one is just better
I noticed that it looks like the tire isn’t centered on my bike, after looking at the front axle I noticed that there was a line on the side opposite from the brake disc. Does that line have anything to do with fork alignment?
hi i have a 05 400 exc stock front forks one clicker left top is not working its stuck but my forks still go up an down i have no money to take it an have it fixed an is my only way to ride if you could help me please thank you!
Stacy, sorry to hear that. You can rebuild those old WP fork caps for pretty inexpensive. Happy to get you sorted if you want to send them in or we can send the cap rebuild parts. Not an easy task if you are not familiar with the older WP forks, but perhaps we can steer you to a local shop if you are on budget. Where are you located?
Sorry for the delay, yes often new "knobby" tires with a rim lock can produce an out of balance feel on asphalt for sure. Ask the shop to balance your wheels next time if you ride alot of road (dual sports) it will help smooth the ride out for sure.
@@sp-ktm I clearly feel difference in fork binding when I change torque from 20Nm to 17Nm on lower clamps. Grease easily can make similar difference in clamping load. Test it yourself. Install a fork leg without inner cartridge, so that you can move tubes with full range. Then try different torque(and grease) and see how tubes behave. Depending on model, wear of bushing etc you can find small binding even at torques specified by manual. If you apply grease in such scenario. everything will be worse.
I talked alot yes :-). Either or, just make sure you sent final fork height before the last triple clamp bolt torque. I like the axle install method to check if the lug holes are concentric, rather than fork height, but just a preference. Hope this helps clear it up. Cheers! - Evan @ SP
Dear sir, I didn't see you torque the Lower triple Clamp Pinch Bolts before the video came to a close..I will assume they get done last when doing the neck bearing torque..What is the procedure if I just want to tighten up the neck bearing more? Just loosen upper pinch bolts and tighten center nut with bike on stand?
James, good question. If you simply want to snug up your stem bearing, set bike on center stand - loosen all 5 pinch bolts on the upper triple clamp; snug your center stem bolt to achieve your desired bearing friction point or feel, then retorque the upper pinch bolts you loosened. That's it. Cheers! -Evan
This is by no doubt the best fork alignment video I have ever seen! Very thorough and accurate in each step. Kudos to Evan!
Thanks Andy! Glad you liked it, its hard to give all the details in anything short of 17 mins, haha. Cheers! -Evan
Thanks Andy! We are working to update it and add variations for ADV bikes soon. Stay tuned...
I finally learned the "why" (and better "how") after having watched so many other videos on this topic. Now that I understand the "why" of everything (finally, after watching this video) I won't need to review the steps every time I do it (I'll always remember) Thanks!
Thanks Glen! For sure the video is long, but I also feel the extra explanation helps.
Thanks Glen. IMO people need the details rather than the steps. Teach a man to fish... Cheers!
I’ve watched 45 minutes of this 16 minute video. So much detail in this excellent walkthrough. Thanks for taking the time to post!
Thanks Chris, means a lot. Lets us know what other topics you'd like to see us cover. Always looking for new ideas.
Now there's a man who shows attention to detail, great video!
Nothing worse than a poor handling motorcycle, hence the details to get every details covered. Glad you liked it. Cheers!
Great resource. I was planning on checking my steering stem bearings for grease/servicing them and noticed last time I took my forks off one was super hard to get out of the clamps… so I think I need to realign everything. This will help me figure it out for sure. Thanks!
What wealth of knowledge. Thanks for sharing it with us regular guys
Thanks, we are all just dirt bike nerds looking for a better handling bike 🙂
This is a great way to do it. In case anyone is replacing their seals or similar work, I would suggest to not tighten the fork caps yet, put back in the bike with handlebars removed and follow this procedure. However, when tightening the right hand lug clamps for the last time, you can raise the wheel through its stroke (cartridges' will come out the top) and snug it down somewhere in the middle. I find my forks have the least amount of binding this way, and it's a good way to really confirm it. At full fork extension, the bushings are close together so you have maximum amount of play at that spot. In the middle of the stroke the forks are better settled in their true position. For aer forks you can do this even easier by not pressurizing the fork yet before aligning
Thank you for this GREAT resource! I deeply appreciate the expertise shared. Now to get my forks back in alignment!
Heck yea! Happy to help, Cheers!
WOW! Hands down the best front end setup video on the net. Thank you. You have helped me tremendously 👍
@motovated207 Thanks for the feedback! We're working on some others, give us a sub and we'll get some more content up for you! Let us know if you want to see anything specific. Cheers! , - Evan @ SP
Very informative and easy to follow, thank you for this video
Finally someone making a video that knows what they are doing. Great video.
Thanks Pat, much appreciated. If only I can find the time to make more videos, haha.
I have to say, I'm a motorcycle mechanic as well I can do all this however what I cannot do is explain it in a way that people would understand so well done for doing both really well
Thanks, much appreciated!
Thank you Supermario❤ Best hows and whys on internet.
haha, thanks man.
I should buy a lottery ticket for how lucky I am right now having this video. Thanks Evan! 👍
haha, glad to help!
I did what you said couple of times and it served me well and thank you. now this time my compression fork extends like 5mm longer and the axle doesn’t pass through easily I have to push on the fork upwards . Do I need a rebuild what could be the cause ?
that is the most perfect step by step video excellent simple and precise
Thanks!
That's the kind of work, and explanations that makes you want to cheer! Amazing, thank you!!
Awesome! Glad you enjoyed it. Was worried it was a big long, but there's allot of details to cover. Happy trails :-)
This video is virtually perfect! Thanks for the detail and insight!
Thanks Derek, its all in the details :-)
I tweaked my front end pretty good today at pine scrub enduro. Great video man, very thorough. I appreciate the great content!
Oh yeah, the old Scub Pine sand whoops (and the trees that don't move, haha) Glad it helped out, cheers! - Evan @ SP
I would trust this man with my bike
Thanks :-)
Nice video Evan! I appreciate your guidance and expertise with this!
Thanks Shawn! Glad you found good info, cheers!
Phenomenal demonstration/instructional. Thank you!!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you for taking the time to discuss detail!! Subscribing for more!
Thanks for the sub!
Your dialed bro, awesome video! Just picked up my first Austrian bike (GasGas) looking forward to getting her dialed in. You just got another Subscriber!
Yea buddy! Congrats on the new whip :-) Glad you liked what we have posted thus far.
Great video! Probably one of the best on that topic!
Can you also make one about ADV bikes? Like you mentioned in the video, the bearings are different there.
Thanks
Sure thing, I'll get it on my list soon. The ADV stem brgs are non-tapered ball brg style. You can for sure overtighten them easily & possibly damage the bearing races. I would use the same alignment process, but stick to the factory ADV stem bolt torque (18Nm) Alignment of the radial calipers is slightly different also... stay tuned.
Hell yeah dude, you should do more instructional videos you’re great at explaining these things. Just subscribed, thanks so much for taking the time.
Thanks for the sub! What other things would you like to see?
@@sp-ktm Would love to see valve adjustments on 4 strokes, suspension testing for air forks, simpler things "done easy" like bleeding brakes, cable adjustments, proper way to assess spark plugs, etc. I have also previously looked up full 4-stroke top end rebuilds and there isnt a single good video on the youtube platform that encapsulates the process with WHY you do certain things step by step. For new inexperienced home mechanics like myself it can be hard to find the right answers so I actually understand why I am doing something. Hope that helps you develop more content in the future!
Does the service manual state to use grease on the pinch bolts? Lubricating the triple clamp bolts will increase the clamping force significantly. On perfectly clean threads the lubrication would require approx. 40% lower torque to achieve the same clamping force.
Torque value aside, its more an issue for the localized corrosion that happens at the bolt threads with dissimilar materials. Proper bolt torque takes proper thread health. Most every "used" bike has threads that cant achieve proper torque w/o grease or anti-seize on the threads. I don't discount there is some minute torque threshold change, but how many of us have a calibrated wrench either, haha?
Its not about the torque, its about thread health. If you prefer dry hardware, by all means you can do that too. The alignment process will be the same. All my years as a factory mechanic lubed threads have been the norm, not the exception.
Thanks for the engagement. Cheers!
Please could you make some more videos on different maintenance topics? Love your attention to detail! Thanks
Sure thing! What topics would you want to see?
Thanks for the vid! Easy to follow! I set my fork heights using digital callipers but the axle does NOT go through smoothly? I then adjusted the forks based on the axle going through smoothly but then the fork heights are off by a few mm? What is more important? axle smoothness or equal fork height? Thanks!
Elysia, this can be an indication there is internal variations btwn left and right forks. Spring preload, top out spring length, machining variations, something coming loose (not good) can all cause fork length variations. Off by 0.5mm or so is OK, but a few mm is cause for closer internal inspection of both forks to find the root cause and fix and potential issues.
@@sp-ktm Is .08~1mm acceptable? 2020 Husq 701/690. It seems one fork tops out 1mm sooner then the other. Pulled and pushed both tubes several times and let them settle naturally and 1mm difference was always required to get axle to move/slide freely. Also, do you agree with pulling down fork dust boot, applying a thin layer of grease just below fork seal, then pushing on forks abruptly (tire installed of course) to load a small amount of grease behind for seal to remove/reduce stiction?
Great vid, thanks! I didn't see when you tighten the upper pinch bolt by the steering nut, you never got to that...
Good question, once you have the stem torque set to your spec, the center stem bolt can be torqued to spec. Usually same as the other upper pinch bolts.
You guys do great videos! I wish you were my local shop!
Thanks Dave! Anytime you are in the south east PA area, stop on by. We help countless customers by phone and UPS sure makes it easy to ship suspension these days :-) Let us know if we can ever help. Cheers! -Evan @ SP
Great video. Makes me cringe thinking of my younger self just throwing together stuff and off I went 😁
I remember welding on a kicker and shifter to my '74 YZ80 when the spines stripped out, haha. Gotta learn through hammering on old bikes to make you appreciate working on the good stuff. Glad you enjoyed the video!
Outstanding presentation! Appreciate your knowledge. 👏
Thanks Josh!
Best alignment video I’ve seen by far. I watched a few alignment videos over the years because I forget the proper order of each step. Question: after you set the axel you moved the steering stem. When you let the triple clamp bounce off the steering stops with only the bottom clamp bolt being only hand tight, wouldn’t/couldn’t the triple clamps be knocked out of alignment? 12:05
Good question, no not really. The "bounce" is very light with minimal impact on alignment overall. Most important, which we see happen a lot, is checking steering feel w/o the wheel mounted or damper installed. This changes the feel considerably. Even trailside or between motos, just loosen the (5) upper pinch bolts to retorque the center stem brg bolt, super quick and easy.
Was really useful mate! I had a bit of a crash and got the things twisted a bit but could restore the basic condition😂cheers
Perfect, glad it helped. Cheers as well :-)
Before you got it all sorted did you notice any offset to the left or right hand side of the bike? For example, my right fork is now closer to my right hand fairing and my left fork is further from the left fairing
No this i did not observe.
Great video, what method do you use to make sure the bars are straight and the wheel is 90 degrees to the bars?
The bars being "bent" is a whole different process. However, if you just follow the steps laid out, the triple clamp inherently wants to align it self perfectly with the wheel / bars. Only if something is bent or misaligned, will you find issues.
Great question. I also found tightening the stem nut cause twists to the upper triple clamp. It's very hard to get the bars at 90 degrees. Wish I knew the solution too. And I think he tightened the stem nut before torquing the 4 upper fork pinch bolts which to me seems incorrect, but I'm no mechanic.
Yes ...Totally Agree Awsome. Could U do early 2000's rear suspension??
Oh man, that's an oldie :-) What specific questions do you have I can help answer? For those old shocks, best check the upper and lower heim joints (spherical bearings) first for corrosion. They used to go bad alot on the older ones. Swingarm pivot bearings are also super important.
Brilliant demo! I have a ktm 890 r that i need to adjust the head stem bearings on - do you have one for this? As it has round bearings not tapered bearings.
Good question, the ADV stem brgs are non-tapered ball brg style. You can for sure overtighten them easily & possibly damage the bearing races. I would use the same alignment process, but stick to the factory ADV stem bolt torque (18Nm)
Worth while info here,thx repair guy.
Thanks David!
Fantastic video! After watching your video I’m pretty sure I know what I need to do now. I just put on a Scott’s and Noticed a bit of clunking when I have the bike off the stand and Am rocking the bike back and fourth with the front brake on. I will loosen the shock pinch bolts and tighten the centre bolt down. I’m thinking this should eliminate the clunking noise. Am I correct in my thinking?
Yes, it may be a loose stem bearing. Remove the damper, loosen all (5) upper triple clamp bolts, snug up the center stem bearing bolt or nut to achieve the desired front end sweep feel (per video). Then retorque hardware to spec, reinstall damper. Test ride and enjoy!
@@sp-ktm Thanks for confirming! That’s what I did. No more clunking 👍
One word: Perfect! Sadly you are not in the UK.
Eddi - thanks! Yes, sadly we are not. However our friends at TSWP do an amazing job w WP suspension as well. Give them a shout if you ever need chassis help in the UK. Look us up if you are ever in the US for a ride 💪 Happy to help with any questions you have from afar as well 👍
Thanks Evan, best alignment video I’ve seen… one question, If after setting the initial fork height, is it common to raise or lower one fork to get the axle to slide freely?
Shannon, good question. The need to move one fork height slightly can be needed, but often related to internal fork & spring tolerances. For example this will happen even if each fork has different amount of spring preload or different springs L&R; as the spring force plays against the top out spring length - thus changing the fork length ever so slightly. (Maybe 0.10-0.20mm). IMO unless there is a need to run the fork heights as much as 1 Line different, no need to make height corrections.
@solidperformancektm1105 this comment right here saved me a ton of headache. Just did a single spring conversion to my AERs and had to set one side higher than the other to adjust for spring preload. You sir, are a God send. Thank you so much!
@@DEKEHOUSE Had to install one fork tube 1mm higher for the axle to move freely. It does seem that one tops out 1mm sooner than the other. So is installing one tube 1mm higher acceptable? Or make them same height with some axle binding?
GREAT job Evan. Thank you for putting in the work on this.
Thanks Kevin!
Awsome tutorial!!!👏👏
Thanks buddy!
Awesome can u explain how to set fork height on the 22’ ktm 500? What line is optimal?
John, good question. The bikes come from the factory @ Line #2. This is the best option for all around riding. If you also use the bike for faster out west riding or MX, line #1 will give more stability.
I wish you would work on my KTM lol this is what i believe every ktm mechanic should be like
Happy to work on your KTM :-)
Excellent video. Thanx
Glad you liked it!
Nice video/tutorial. Maybe same about KTM 1290 SAR (2022)? Is it same procedure? You mentioned that not.... So would appreciate if you could share key different.
Yes, same procedure - but at the end you have to account for the radial caliper alignment on the rotors, as they don't have and axial float like the offroad calipers. So to the same procedure, but make sure the pistons are fully retracted.
Last step is to spin the wheel with the bike elevated, caliper bolts are loose, pump the brake until its tight. Then while holding the brake lever, tighten all (4) calipers bolts snug. Release brake lever, torque bolts to spec. This ensures the calipers are parallel to the rotors, minimizing brake pad drag and helping alignment.
Cheers! -Evan
I learned a lot right here!
Thanks Steve!
QUESTION: How do I know which bolts on my 250 excf to lube, and which to loctite?
Are torque settings for lubed or unlubed?
Thanks loads!!! 🙏
The KTM manual is a good place to start. You'll find within the torque chart a listing of what bolts need blue (241) or green (2701) Loctite. KTM does not specifically say to grease the triple clamp bolts - this is something that I prefer.
@sp-ktm thanks man! Do you adjust the torque when you grease them?
Great vid. Thanks, man!
Glad you liked it!
@Solid Performance KTM Great video and Thank you! Hoping you can answer this question for me. I recently bought a 22' 500EXCF, and noticed a bit of galling on the axle after swapping a tire. I'm assuming this is likely from a misalignment, correct? Additionally, with these forks being the one compression fork and one rebound fork with clickers and a preload adjustment for each - does it matter if clickers and preload are not set the same settings prior to reassembly and alignment? Thanks Again!
Davin, good questions.
First, the axle galling is not from fork misalignment. The axle is quite hard, and for this to happen you need an equal or harder material to gall the surface. I suspect something got in the hub or stuck to the axle grease that caused the issue. I would make sure you remove the high spots with a fine file * sand paper. Also, check the fork lug bore to ensure nothing is lodged in the casting that can cause this again.
Second, yes - the WP XPLOR forks are asymmetrical. Which means the external clickers are independent L&R. So the setting for your RHS (red) rebound adjuster may be different than your LHS (white) compression adjuster. The KTM manual has a good suggestion for baseline, comfort and sport settings that can help get you dialed in. But the preload should be the same position on both fork caps.
Thanks! -Evan @ SP
Excellent. Thank you.
You are welcome!
So what is stopping the wheel from sliding back and forth on the axle? With that gap on the right side is the caliper the only thing stopping the wheel from sliding? What about on a turn does pressure get put on the brake?
The wheel assy is stacked against the small side axle lug (brake side), as this sets the axial clearance, etc for disc, caliper, etc. Axle & hub set the spacing left to right, pinch bolts lock it in place.
Excellent service explanation!
Can you turn camera 90°? Will look better once uploaded to RUclips for viewers.
Good feedback, I'll try that next time.
Great video man. Best video in RUclips i believe. I subscribed. You deserve a million subscibers. Keep uploading without hesitation.
If you could add how to properly set front brake calipers in this video it would be more wonderfull. I usually install the front brake calipers like - Install the front wheel and tightens the axle, install the brake calipers on to the disc with a little tight and then spins the front wheel and apply the front brakes and without removing my hands from the brake levers i tightens the calipers. Is this the perfect method.
Thanks very much for the kinds words! We have plenty more videos in the works. Stay tuned :-)
In order for the axle to slide and rotate freely, one fork tube had to be lower by 1mm. From what I can tell one fork tube bottoms out sooner, 1mm, than the other tube. No matter if I pushed or pulled either fork tubes and let them settle naturally, their would be 1mm difference allowing the axle to more freely. Is this acceptable? Is pulling down fork dust boot, applying a thin layer of grease just below fork seal, then pushing on forks abruptly (tire installed of course) to load a small amount of grease behind for seal to remove/reduce stiction a good practice? BTW- Evan deserves $$$ and is a benefit to the motorcycle community and the human race. Thank you!!
Thanks! Lets dive into your bike more specifically, what exact bike & model do you have?
@@sp-ktm 2020 Husqvarna 701. Adjusting forks per my original comment did resolve stiction issues. 1mm difference in adjustment. I did not add grease to the tubes as mentioned. I have been riding the bike and think its good now. Stiction seems typical when comparing to friends 690's/701's.
To make my axle holes concentric the lines on top of forks arnt exact in the triple clamps there both on the first line but ones a little tiny bit higher when i had them both perfect height measured with a caliper the holes didn’t line up perfect
Not the worst thing, this just means there is a "stacked tolerance" in one fork that is causing one leg to be shorter / longer than the other. Everything from cartridge machining tolerances, assembly technique, spring rate, spring preload and top out spring length can slightly effect the overall length between L&R forks.
Often on WP AER forks this is common, as the air pressure on the LHS pushes the fork out slightly more than the LHS. Not a huge deal if you are within a 1/4 - 1/2mm btwn each side.
I am having a problem with it moving to the right when I release my hands. Could the uneven shock absorber oil levels cause such a problem?
IMO, no. Any movement would be the stem bearing is still too loose. Add tome tension to the steering bearing assembly, and that should keep the front end from moving at static state.
Who hasn't crashed "very hard"? In all seriousness... Thanks for info. 👍
We all do, haha. Thanks!
Thanks a lot ! 🙏🙏🙏 Very precise
Thanks very much!
Shouldn’t we tight the steering stem nut with upper triple tight and bottom loose ? Otherwise we change the fork height again. With the bike on the stand, upper triple bolts tight with fork height determined, bottom triple clamp loose and steering nut loose then we get steering stem nut tight which draws bottom triple clamp up (there is no stress it’s just sliding up) then finally tight bottom triple clamp bolts. Is my thought wrong ?
No, the bottom bolts need to keep the forks from falling out. The bike I used has cast clamps, which are a tighter than many billet clamps. In most aftermarket clamps the tolerance is so good, the forks would both fall out if all the pinch bolts were loose (KTM Split clamps, XTrig, ect). Yes the fork height can change slightly, but if the steps are done properly, the final stem brg torque steps (13:50 mark) the fork height will change little to none. If it does, sure go back and reposition both L&R fork heights & would also indicate the stem brg was very loose when the forks / clamps went initially together.
Thanks. Do you need to grease the pinch bolts or loctite them?
You can only loctite the upper center stem brg clamp pinch bolt. All the upper & lower fork pinch bolts need a dab of grease or anti-seize.
@@sp-ktm thanks.
Hi, i am ishan, thanks a ton for making this video,
I own a ktm adv 390 in India , the problem i am facing with it is its handlebar is in slight right.. i can see that right fork is near to me, and when i break i feel pressure on my right hand, though if i leave handlebar it goes straight, but as a rider i know its bent towards right side very minute but i can feel the difference while break and leaning.
I took it to service they changed the Lower T and adjusted it, but could not resolve it.
Could you please tell me what is the problem? I think they haven’t tuned it in the sequence with right torque.
I am facing this after a little off-road accident when my front alloy bent. Changed the the front alloy that time.
This issue is very irritating and disheartening, could you please suggest me what to do ?
Hard to say, I would follow this same procedure to realign your front end. You can find the same benefit on ADV bikes as well to check fork & triple clamp alignment.
10 out of 10!!
Thanks!
Thank you, perfekt video
Thanks!
Nice job.. Thanks!
No problem 👍
Hi have a question about dis alignment of feont wheel
Sure thing, what is your question?
Is it possible to rotate the upper tube of the fork , stickers are not like in your video , rotate 90degrees so the WP sticker sits like yours .Thank You in advanced
Pedro, Yes often the sticker on forks don't align properly. We usually install the fork stickers to ensure the fork bleed screws are facing either the forward or reverse position.
We have plenty of spare WP decals here, happy to send a set if you need them. Just shoot me a reply comment.
But yes, you can certainly rotate the upper tubes as needed to align either the sticker or the fork cap bleed screw. Just follow the re-torque steps after the orientation is correct.
Cheers! - Evan @ SP
Excellent!
Thanks Mark!
Thank you.
You're welcome!
Dang, that was awesome.
Thanks man! Appreciate that :-)
I have a 2020 KTM and whenever I put the front wheel on there is a little gap between the front wheel and the fork shoulder and you can see the axle. I’m not sure if that’s correct or not.
Yes, this is ok. The shoulder side of the axle you will see some axle showing between the fork lug and the wheel spacer. Totally normal & good question!
Mustache is fire
Thanks Dave, I water it everyday. 🤠
brilliant
Thanks! Only wish I could have made it shorter, but there is ALOT if info to cover. Glad you found it useful. Cheers! - Evan
@@sp-ktm personally I think it was perfectly timed, a great delivery at the right pace
I know many prefer short sharp vids but sometimes a slower one is just better
whats with the portrait mode picture?
It's what the "free" phone software made it into, haha.
I noticed that it looks like the tire isn’t centered on my bike, after looking at the front axle I noticed that there was a line on the side opposite from the brake disc. Does that line have anything to do with fork alignment?
Ashton, what specific bike do you have?
thanks man
No problem!
hi i have a 05 400 exc stock front forks one clicker left top is not working its stuck but my forks still go up an down i have no money to take it an have it fixed an is my only way to ride if you could help me please thank you!
Stacy, sorry to hear that. You can rebuild those old WP fork caps for pretty inexpensive. Happy to get you sorted if you want to send them in or we can send the cap rebuild parts. Not an easy task if you are not familiar with the older WP forks, but perhaps we can steer you to a local shop if you are on budget. Where are you located?
Hi, I've had my forks rebuilt but now I have a bobble when I ride down the road. Front end seems to bounce . Any ideas?
yo same. lemme guess? ur forks compress but dont fully rebound
@@bradyn2193 it turned out to be because it had brand new tyres on and on the tarmac it was making it bounce
Sorry for the delay, yes often new "knobby" tires with a rim lock can produce an out of balance feel on asphalt for sure. Ask the shop to balance your wheels next time if you ride alot of road (dual sports) it will help smooth the ride out for sure.
great
Thanks!
I’ve always thought that grease on a bolt will change the torque spec.
Not enough to notice IMO. Its more about mitigating the effects of environment and corrosion on bolt torque.
@@sp-ktm I clearly feel difference in fork binding when I change torque from 20Nm to 17Nm on lower clamps. Grease easily can make similar difference in clamping load. Test it yourself. Install a fork leg without inner cartridge, so that you can move tubes with full range. Then try different torque(and grease) and see how tubes behave. Depending on model, wear of bushing etc you can find small binding even at torques specified by manual. If you apply grease in such scenario. everything will be worse.
I'm a little confused. You did not specifically set fork height and yet your checking for a smooth floating axle @6:11 ???
I talked alot yes :-). Either or, just make sure you sent final fork height before the last triple clamp bolt torque. I like the axle install method to check if the lug holes are concentric, rather than fork height, but just a preference. Hope this helps clear it up.
Cheers! - Evan @ SP
Landscape Mode! Please!
Some content is better than no content, haha. Noted for next time. Cheers!
Dear sir, I didn't see you torque the Lower triple Clamp Pinch Bolts before the video came to a close..I will assume they get done last when doing the neck bearing torque..What is the procedure if I just want to tighten up the neck bearing more? Just loosen upper pinch bolts and tighten center nut with bike on stand?
James, good question. If you simply want to snug up your stem bearing, set bike on center stand - loosen all 5 pinch bolts on the upper triple clamp; snug your center stem bolt to achieve your desired bearing friction point or feel, then retorque the upper pinch bolts you loosened. That's it. Cheers! -Evan
This guys knows. I like the spin the tire method. But with this very detailed alignment it’s not needed. Several ways to skin a cat
Thanks Tim!
How are we supposed to watch this? Turn the phone!
:-)
I feel targeted
You’ll thank me at some point :-)
We all know you crashed that KTM
And never really checked it all out properly huh !
Yeah don’t worry I’m the same 🤦♂️
@@r3fl3xion I hate a twisted front end
Bro we could rip the hole bike apart before u align that shit dammmmmm
Haha, thank man. Many years as a race mechanic makes you quick at bike assembly / disassembly.