Looking for some advice on proper rear wheel alignment on an 01 Softtail STd
I recently had to remove the rear wheel to repair a flat.
Long story short, I was hurrying and messed up the alignment of the rear wheel.
I thought I could just move the adjusters until the belt ran in the center of the sprocket, and proper belt tension but that isn't working out so well.
I tried the documented harley service manual procedure (straightedge along back wheel , measure from front tire etc etc,) but you need about 5 people and a really long straightedge

Can I just go back to square one and just do a simple measurement of the adjuster bolts on each side and make sure they are at exactly the same distance . Then, keeping them the same from that point, adjust
for my proper belt tension?

If that isn't right I'm open to any suggestions anyone may have from experience.

Thx in advance

 

I use this tool, or you could probably make a homemade one....


It allows you measure the rear wheel bolt, from a bolt on the frame. The same measurement on both sides means the wheel is straight... hope that explanation is clear?

Probbaly a youtube video on how to use it... pretty simple...

 

Hello,
Thx for the info. . Got it.

 

 

ok... well I made a tool and took a measurement using it on each side from the dead center of the swingarm bolt back to the dead center of the axle bolt.
I did this on both sides and they match exactly.

BUT, the belt side is definitely turned in farther than the brake side.
I do not know if this was always this way or not.
It seems like they should be the same (my dirtbike is)? But I really don't know.
Based on what I've been told,read etc, the key measurement is the straightline distance from the center of the swingarm bolt to the center of the axle on each side,
and they match side to side.
I'm assuming that if you could just measure how many turns in the adjuster is the harley shop manual would just state that, or atleast indicate that you can do it like that
but I don't really know. Everything I've read indicates to measure from the swingarm to axle

Does anyone else see a difference in how far in the adjusters are turned from one side to the other?

 

"the key measurement is the straightline distance from the center of the swingarm bolt to the center of the axle on each side" ...... That measurement should make the wheel straight..... adjusters aside, does the wheel look straight in the swing arm/frame?...

I just looked at my '01 FXSTS and '03 FLSTCI.... on both bikes, the adjuster screws seem to match. I didn't measure the threads or use a micrometer, but they look the same.

You may want to check to make sure the adjuster screws are positioned INTO the detent/indent/gap (whatever you want to call it) of the spacer they push against. If one is in the detent, and the other on the rim of the spacer (outside the detent) they would certainly look, and need to be, adjusted to different lengths. Maybe check to make sure the adjusters are the same length, and that the end (tip) one of the adjusters didn't break/wear off to make it shorter than the other...

Other than that, it's an '01, I guess there could be another issue requiring one to be significantly different from the other, to make things straight... but that would suggest something is bent/tweaked/loose...

 

Thx. The wheel does look straight. I had already checked the adjusters screws(as you said) and they are ok and both side are in the detent of the ring on each side.
I'm gonna do more checking. Will be away for a week and will get back to it then. Thx for the info

 

As long as the measurements from swingarm center bolt to axle center are the same on both sides you're good.

 

As Ranger73 states "axel center". You can not use the edge of the axel tube as they are usually smaller on the non drive side than the drive side. I use different diameter center punches placed inside the axel tube, facing outward to use the point as a center indicator. Works best for me.

 

Well, took awhile to get back to this. But as the nice weather is finally here in upstate NY on got off my butt and took care of this I think.
I've made a tool to do this measurement. I drew pencil lines across the hex points on the swingarm bolts on each side to find the exact center. Then using a metal rod (I think it was 3/16, but not positive), I bent it to a 90% angle and attached a pin nail to that end, which I then use to put on the point identifying the exact center of the swingarm bolt.

For the axle end of this so-called 'tool' I found that a plastic tie wrap, when wrapped around the rod fits absolutely perfectly into the hole in the center of the axle shaft with no play
in any direction.
This worked out nice, as the tie wrap can be moved up and down the rod.
So all I had to do was put the nail point on the center point of the swingarm bolt and then move the tie wrap until it fits into the hole on the axle shaft.
Then just move the 'tool' to the other side and make sure it is the same WITHOUT having to move the tie wrap.
The only tricky part was bending the 90 on the metal rod so that it remained parallel to the swingarm.

Once I had that it seems to work fine (and it was off a bit).

Now, the measurement is the same on each side. And although the adjusters are truly not 100% equal, side to side (which I thought they always were ,but honestly really never paid much attention to them), the measurements using this tool confirm it's the same on each side, hence the wheel is in alignment ( guess).

Thx for all the suggestions/info.