Align back wheel on big dog k9

JR03CHOPPER

JR03CHOPPER

Well-Known Member
Measure from the middle of the axle to the swing arm pivot. Should be the same on both sides. If it's still off...your spacers were put in wrong.
 
JR03CHOPPER

JR03CHOPPER

Well-Known Member
Jersey Big Mike said:
Sorry have to disagree JR.
Mid-axle to pivot is controlled by the axle adjusters; ie whether the wheel is straight along with belt tension, wheel spacers will control centering (ie inside of fender.)
Click to expand...
You are correct. I should have been more specific. If the spacers are not incorrectly, i.e. the ones with the lips are in the wrong position...you can cock the wheel and not get a correct measurements. I did that once on the Chopper. Sorry. Should have explained better.
 
badyellowvette

badyellowvette

Active Member
I made this simple tool for alignment. It 's just a stiff wire with a 90 degree bend. On one end I have a wire nut witch fits in the allen head bolt of the swing arm, the other end is a zip-tie with a point cut at the end that fits in the dimple on the center of the axle. The zip-tie is attached very tight so it's hard to move. I set one side and move to the other side and check then adjust the axle as necessary.tool.jpg
 
Brent Herridge

Brent Herridge

Active Member
Here's a recent thread: https://www.bigdogbiker.com/threads/rear-wheel-alignment.85158/

Lots of debate on whether to measure from the swingarm or just the rear axle. My opinion is the swingarm is so much longer, and so much more difficult to measure, there's no way to accurately compare the two sides.

I used the axle measurement only.............but admit I still get the dust on my back wheel.

My problem was the belt hit the tire when it measured just right, so I had to move it a little more just to get the tire and belt separated. Honestly I think it varies a little bike to bike, but I've only worked on mine.
 
knothead

knothead

Second Chance Customs
Yeah there alot of debate on this subject forsure...sometimes some peoples ways works better than others...but a bike is a fabricated piece and some is not as perfect as others...some areas maybe off a 1/16 or even a 1/8 in fabrication...then on top of that motor and transmission is bolted so it can be off a little also....best way i found to align bikes it put it on a jack so tire is off the ground...get the belt tension where u think u want it and roll the wheel several and i mean several revolutions forwards and then several backwards and watch how the belt tracks in both directions on the front and rear pulley and adjust till u get the proper alignment and tension...sometimes it takes a little while to get it perfect but u can and it may end up involving a pulley shim....i have had to loosen motors and transmission to get it all to track right and then tighten everything back down...vibration and other things like hard acceleration, down shifting to hard or doing both can cause things to move...even pot holes or road transitions like a ruff road to bridge transitions, which i know we have all hit those and thought what tha hell that was ruff, can cause things to get missed aligned...it can be done to get it damn near perfect just takes a little time..
 
Minuteman

Minuteman

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Yea, I followed the direction in the manual and it took a little time but got the tire and belt pretty close to perfect. No funny wear on tire or belt. these tires have about 4500 miles and I think I have another 3-4k left. I do run my rear tire about 4-5 lbs under, get more road surface and less wear in the middle as quick.
 
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