[big jojo]

until I can fix this problem. I've had the death wobble at 90mph for a while...every since I went darkside. But now i'm getting it with the speedo reading 80mph. I just ordered a set up shock bushings for the rear and will be replacing them as soon as they come in. Hopefully, that will fix the issue but if not I guess the next step will be to work on the neck bearings...which i'm dreading!

Are there others in the area that may need their neck bearings replaced? If so it may be time for a tech session. Otherwise i'm going to be tackling this on my own real soon.

 

[whiskeyrockr]

it's not hard to change them out, you can do it....so it's happening at 81(@ 10% off of the 90mph reading) and 72(10% off of the 80mph reading) or have you already took the 10% decrease off the 100mph/80mpn?

 

[tomkat100]

Sorry about the problems you're having, big jojo. I can't imagine that the change to darkside created the problem, but if you didn't have the wobble before the conversion and started having it after, hmmmm :hmm2:. I hope you have someone up your way to help with the neck bearing. I was lucky enough to have a member in a nearby town come over yesterday and do mine. I might tackle it myself in the future, but for those of us without any experience doing it, it's pretty intimidating. Good luck to you (keep it under 90).

 

[big jojo]

it's not hard to change them out, you can do it....so it's happening at 81(@ 10% off of the 90mph reading) and 72(10% off of the 80mph reading) or have you already took the 10% decrease off the 100mph/80mpn?

Thanks, it's definitely an intimidating task. Those are exact readings and the speedo hasn't been modded yet either.

Sorry about the problems you're having, big jojo. I can't imagine that the change to darkside created the problem, but if you didn't have the wobble before the conversion and started having it after, hmmmm :hmm2:. I hope you have someone up your way to help with the neck bearing. I was lucky enough to have a member in a nearby town come over yesterday and do mine. I might tackle it myself in the future, but for those of us without any experience doing it, it's pretty intimidating. Good luck to you (keep it under 90).

I don't believe it created the problem but I do believe it amplified it. There are several guys in this area that have seriously impressed me so i'm hoping we can get some masterminds together to help us inexperienced wrenchers.

 

[Charlie D]

If you have a windshield pull it off and go for the same ride and see how it does.

things that can cause the wobble

Stem bearings
Shock bushing
bad axle alignment front
bad fork oil low or just shot
windshield
tires out of round or low psi balance
swingarm bearings

 

[Spoiler]

If you have a windshield pull it off and go for the same ride and see how it does.

things that can cause the wobble

Stem bearings
Shock bushing
bad axle alignment front
bad fork oil low or just shot
windshield
tires out of round or low psi balance
swingarm bearings

Swingarm bearings? Is that common? I realize that would certainly be a big factor if they were bad, but I've just never saw any threads about it... :hmm2:

 

[X46290]

What tp are you running on the back? Hamph

 

[whiskeyrockr]

Swingarm bearings? Is that common? I realize that would certainly be a big factor if they were bad, but I've just never saw any threads about it... :hmm2:

i changed mine out on the kawi when i did the complete physical on her earlier in the year...worn indeed and without proper maint. it will wear continually...i solved the problem by putting in a grease fitting so that i don't have to tear it all down just to grease things up...

 

[cmills5767]

Big Jojo Check this thread out

http://www.vtxcafe.com/showthread.php?t=62713&highlight=Darkside

 

[Cage SC]

If you have a windshield pull it off and go for the same ride and see how it does.

things that can cause the wobble

Stem bearings
Shock bushing
bad axle alignment front
bad fork oil low or just shot
windshield
tires out of round or low psi balance
swingarm bearings

Big Jojo Check this thread out

http://www.vtxcafe.com/showthread.php?t=62713&highlight=Darkside

Forgot the most COMMON cause of a true death wobble and one I just had fixed: FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS. And THAT you could change out yourself, if you had to.

Good luck! atriot:

 

[big jojo]

If you have a windshield pull it off and go for the same ride and see how it does.

things that can cause the wobble

Stem bearings
Shock bushing
bad axle alignment front
bad fork oil low or just shot
windshield
tires out of round or low psi balance
swingarm bearings

Wow, thanks! I guess i'll start with the simplest/cheapest ones first and then work my way to the hardest/most expensive.

What tp are you running on the back? Hamph

I tried 40/38 but got better results from 40/40.

Big Jojo Check this thread out

http://www.vtxcafe.com/showthread.php?t=62713&highlight=Darkside

Thanks, good info.

Forgot the most COMMON cause of a true death wobble and one I just had fixed: FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS. And THAT you could change out yourself, if you had to.

Good luck! atriot:

Thanks Cage.

 

[WoodyZ]

Forgot the most COMMON cause of a true death wobble and one I just had fixed: FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS. And THAT you could change out yourself, if you had to.

Good luck! atriot:

+1 Exactly what I was just gonna say. I remember your post on that Cage.

Jojo, check out the Florida section. I think we are on the way to a tech session in the middle of Oct.

 

[Gnu Guy]

I have a wobble like that at 80 MPH, uncorrected. It is more noticeable going thru a sweeping curve. If I take the darkside tire off and replace it with a motorcycle tire, the wobble is gone. Put the darkside back on, and it reappears. So I think of it as a built in safety feature, I keep it under 80.

 

[COSVTX]

I also had this wobble before - though not since I went darkside. I found that my problem was simply an old front tire - replaced that and it solved the issue. A little more expensive than some of the other solutions but still not a bad one.

I also have noticed that in the curves while running darkside if I give it too much torque I get a "wobble" but from the rear that just seemed to me that it was the tire "walking" on the edge - I just keep a steady speed and don't whomp the accelerator in the curveys.

I think that if I had to do it over again - I might have just "rebuilt" the front wheel with new bearings and cleaned everything up when I put the new front tire on (more or less just to know it was done as I was the second owner). Food for thought - or maybe ... :stirpot:

 

[2jugsup]

wobbling

After i put on my Michelin Hydroedge on the rear, i had wobble in the curves at 90. Added steel shot from shotgun shells (act like dina beads) to front tire and it solved 50% of problem. Still not satisfied, I changed out the front tire from the biased tire to a radial and problem went away. I guess it makes sense not to mix biased with radials.
Anybody else using mixed tires and solving wobble?

:stirpot:

 

[Cage SC]

:hmm2: Is this by any chance happening on CONCRETE roads versus asphalt?

The distance between breaks of the concrete makes a noticeable, but not dangerous wobble of a Darkside tire at speeds in the 80-85 mph range. You start a rythem of that runs up the wheels and frame that creates a seasicking rock from side to side only occurs on these concrete slab roads at high speeds. Engineers can explain it. It has something to do with the same reason you don't march troops in formation over a bridge in cadence. They cross at a random route step instead. Anyway, it never happens with a cage due to the displacement of the "bump" among the four tires and the frame. It's somewhat exacerbated on a two wheeled vehicle.

Anyway...that's what I think...

Concrete is NOT an issue for me here in SC except on bridges and I don't hit enough of them long enough to notice, but I definitely noticed it on the concrete freeways up in KY and VA.

 

[Donut]

Rear shock bushings.
Adding All-Balls.
Dynabeads.
Progressive front springs.
All work together for a better ride.
However front end shaking at high speed I would be changing the neck bearing.
Donut/Dougatriot:

 

[Lone Rider]

:hmm2:GYTT 70R 15, no beads, 40psi... 110mph (corrected)... No problems.


Could be a broken band in the tire or an improperly seated bead, but most likely it's not darkside related.

JMHO... good luck!

 

[lamaybl5711]

I get a bad wobble around 95ish. I can see I need to replace my shock bushings and have them it's just a matter of changing them. I haven't done my neck bearings yet but have the wobble when in the 45mph range while on decel. I'm hoping to do the neck bearings soon and will probably do the wheel bearings when I change my tire/wheel in a couple of months. For me the easy solution has been I have no reason to push close to 100mph so I keep it within 20 of the speed limit.

 

[wharriso]

If you have a windshield pull it off and go for the same ride and see how it does.

things that can cause the wobble

Stem bearings
Shock bushing
bad axle alignment front
bad fork oil low or just shot
windshield
tires out of round or low psi balance
swingarm bearings

That can certainly happen after changing a tire.