Author Topic: Front wheel/fork alignment (Read 6395 times)

Scooter · « **on:** December 30, 2013, 11:32:38 am »

Well I have several problems to work on getting my 957 back up to par. I have a list of a few things I want to work on and gathering the parts I will need. One problem that I am not sure how I am going to fix is a misalignment of my front rim/tire. The entire rim and tire rides about an inch or so (maybe a little less) to the right of center. It seems to be parallel to the forks and it is centered more or less in the fork legs. If you look at the picture that is how it looks when I look down at it when I am rolling in a straight line. The tire is offset. It seems if it was an issue with the rim that it wouldn't be centered in the fork. There doesn't appear to be anything obviously out of alignment when casually looking over the fork. Am I missing something obvious or has anyone seen this before? TIA.

w2zero · « **Reply #1 on:** December 30, 2013, 01:52:43 pm »

Is your wheel built centered on the front hub? Are there any spacers missing/extra on the axle? Flip the wheel around and see if it is suddenly offset to the other side of the fork. Might have to un-dish the wheel in the truing stand.

Scooter · « **Reply #2 on:** December 30, 2013, 03:01:39 pm »

Thanks for the reply,I do have a new set of Mavic rims I am going to install. I haven't received the tires yet but I can install the rim and check the alignment. This type of misalignment is not what the fork alignment procedure fixes? I'm kind of worried about it now.

w2zero · « **Reply #3 on:** December 30, 2013, 03:41:03 pm »

The fork alignment procedure is primarily for the earlier forks with the multi part links. Your fork with the one piece upper and lower links shouldn't need that.

Try reversing the wheel first just because it is a cheap and easy check.

The picture is kind of scary looking because of the camera angle and such.

Scooter · « **Reply #4 on:** December 31, 2013, 08:34:39 am »

Although that picture was taken slightly offset from center, that is pretty much what I see when I glance down while riding. I flipped my wheel around last night and the wheel was still offset to the right. I also mounted the new rim I have, same. Really looked closely at all the pieces and I just cant see where anything is tweaked. So, I ordered the bushing kit and the seal kit. I will rebuild it and check that everything is square once the parts arrive.

Also, looking at my fork legs they appear to have vector 2 legs yet they have the one piece type linkage. If you look at the Vector diagram, they have the bracket attached to the fork legs. Mine had that bracket, I cut it off for some long forgotten reason. I read in the forums that 957's came with Carbon crosslink forks. I bought this bike when it was about a year old and these AL forks were what it was fitted with. So, not sure what I actually have.

w2zero · « **Reply #5 on:** December 31, 2013, 01:21:51 pm »

The pivot centers on the Vector vs the crosslink fork leg is different by one and a quarter inches. Those Vector legs need to be replaced with either the carbon or aluminum crosslink legs. While you have it torn down for new bushings, place the upper and lower links on a flat surface and confirm that all points are resting equally on that surface. If the previous pair of legs were replaced due to a major crash, the damage may not have been limited to them. Even if you can cold-set the links back to spec, the shock travel is still short and your bike is riding nose down from where it should be.

That is my opinion from this far-flung location in the wilds of the urban Puget Sound.

Scooter · « **Reply #6 on:** December 31, 2013, 02:18:13 pm »

I'm wondering if it is worth all that. There is a 4000 K2 in what looks to be very good condition for sale in my area for 200 bucks. Maybe I should just buy that.

Spokes · « **Reply #7 on:** January 01, 2014, 01:04:47 pm »

Check that the wheels are in alignment. Run a straight edge from one side of the front wheel to the same side of the rear wheel to see if the frame is twisted.

Chris

Colin · « **Reply #8 on:** January 03, 2014, 04:59:15 am »

Happy New Year everyone! Who thought they'd still be riding a PRO~FLEX in 2014!

Yes! buy the 4000 as well! <GRIN>

Hmmm, those forks are a bit odd, the rubber bump pads on the pivot centres and the strip on the frame are the items that I have only seen on "After Market" Crosslinks intended to be fitted onto other makes of frame, (anyone disagree and got them as OEM on their PRO~FLEX?)

Yes the "bracket" (Cantilever brake cable holder) is a distinct identifier of a Vector fork leg, but looking at the angles of the upper and lower pivot arms, they don't look terribly wrong.

I do remember a discussion thread on the internet when the crosslinks first came out that went something like "can I replace the pivot parts on my Vectors with parts from the crosslink to gain more travel?" and definately some people experimented with doing this, so have you maybe got some sort of very early Vector/Crosslink hybrid?

Have we seen a piccie of the whole bike? is it definately a 957?

Col.

Scooter · « **Reply #9 on:** January 03, 2014, 09:09:24 am »

I am meeting the 4000 seller tonight. Pretty excited. He said he is the original owner and from the pictures the bike looks to be in excellent condition. It looks like it is a Way Big size. Will the EVO suspension be a significant change from the World Cup style? My other bike is definitely a 957. I am very surprised to hear about the weirdness of the fork. I bought the bike around 98/99 and it was in like new condition at the time. Who knows what happened to it in its first year of life. I did a ton of downhill and other crazy rock/single track stuff on it and never felt the geometry was incorrect. I am pretty attached to it. I will probably have to keep it with the intent to restore the frame and some day find another crosslink fork. I have slowed way down, No longer seeing who can get to the bottom of the mountain fastest

So I will be proud to be riding a 16 year old bike that is in great condition. Here's a picture I took of the 957 last week. The frame has lost its luster but other than the fork it is mechanically sound (minus maybe needing a nitrogen charge).

kiwi · « **Reply #10 on:** January 03, 2014, 04:26:46 pm »

the 957 had carbon Girvin vectors as opposed to the Noleen crosslinks from 98

http://idriders.com/proflex/files/K298%20faq.doc

Colin · « **Reply #11 on:** January 04, 2014, 03:42:33 am »

A couple more thoughts.............and hopefully just trying to be helpful...........

The frame does not appear to have a model number on it....? what makes you sure it's a 957?

I'm wondering if it's actually a 956; which were either sold as complete bikes with carbon Girvin CL forks (956LE) or Aluminium Girvin AL forks (956) or as a frameset to be built up. The fork legs on Scooters bike look definitely to be Vector or Girvin AL legs but the pivot arms are the later "Crosslink" ones.
(Girvin CL and AL legs had centrepull Canti brake cable holders)

We have previously had a discussion on here (maybe without definitive conclusion?) on what the leg pivot mount spacing difference is between Vectors, Girvin AL/CL's and Crosslinks......Maybe if they're the same on Girvin AL/CL's and Crosslinks then you could swap the pivot and shock hardware over between them, resulting in this "hybrid"....?
Scooter, measure the distance (in mm preferrably) on the legs between the two pivot points and I'll compare that to my Vectors and Crosslinks.

Of course it could be any other sort of x57 that has been paint stripped and your reference to sweat discolouring the frame does seem to imply it is a bare metal frame rather than the highly polished and lacquered finish that 956/957's had.

I'll plump for the latter, i.e. it's a x57 that's been stripped and rebuilt with various bits......let us know the first 4 digits of the serial number (under the BB) and we might be able to date it a bit better.

Oh and Kiwi, thanks for pointing to the PRO~FLEX document where they refer to the x57 frame as the "World Cup Frame"! I knew PRO~FLEX had used this name for the x57's as well as for the x56's......... I'm finally Vindicated! <GRIN>

Happy New Year All!

Col.

Scooter · « **Reply #12 on:** January 04, 2014, 10:24:03 am »

The bike used to have 957 stickers on it but over time they started becoming ragged so I removed them. But, on to my latest news. Last night I added this to my growing stable. I think I got a great deal. It does have a couple mechanical issues that I think will be no big problem. One is the front derailleur is out of adjustment and the chain slips occasionally. I think maybe a tweaked chain or chain ring. Will fix that stuff this weekend. Like I reported before, it is a Way Big original owner. Looks like mostly stock minus maybe seat/post and stem/handlebars. He even gave me a box of parts including original manuals

Spokes · « **Reply #13 on:** January 05, 2014, 02:55:19 pm »

Truth be told my 4000 is probably the best all round bike I have. It does everything well. Awesome bike.

Chris

Colin · « **Reply #14 on:** January 06, 2014, 01:34:59 am »

I agree, my 4000 is the best of my bikes for off-road (to be reviewed once the Oz is rideable! <GRIN>)
But my XP-X (x56) has been transformed into a very nice road tourer, with the benefits over a traditional tourer of full suspension to cope with the inevitable pot holes and ability to go off tarmac onto rough roads!
I now have a pair of x57 frames which I also plan to make into long distance tourers suitable for trails and rough roads.

I think we have a new "addict" in the form of Scooter! <GRIN>

Col.

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Author Topic: Front wheel/fork alignment (Read 6395 times)