Measuring a frame for straightness

[Deleted User 61]

Why remove the spring?

I still don't see how all this is going to move the end of the lever 1/2" away from the frame.


They better take away my moderator privileges before I delete this whole thread.

[gspd]

Who the hell said it has to be 1/2" away from the frame?
That's BS.

Here's mine: clutch in about 1/8", clutch out 3/8" (measured by eye)


The distance could be more or less than that depending on the straightness of the arm and the play in the pivot.
As long as it doesn't rub, it's ok.
use a match pack as a feeler gauge if you need to.

Removing the spring makes it easier to gauge the actual position of the arm as you adjust it.
The spring is only there to prevent the hand lever from vibrating once you give the cable some free play.

[gspd]

Where are you?
Stop kicking yourself, all's well that ends well, I hope.

[Deleted User 61]

I am in central Indiana.
I posted a query on the local club's Yahoo Group, and all I got was to talk to a guy that is about two hours away. Not much help. I was asking for any leads to another twin-shock R65 in the area that I could examine.
But I have modified my request to the local club, now including all twin-shock airheads.

Everyone here seems to ride a post-airhead BMW.

[Jean]

YO Rob. Just returned from the garage...got lots of different observations:
On the /5, the clearance is probably 6-8 mm.
On the R100RS, I doubt I could slide a matchbook cover between the arm and the frame, but it does clear...say a frog-hair!
On the R100s, it is a couple of mm. (eyeball)
I''d say whatever it takes to get moving clearance is what you should shoot for. Maybe the spacers at the rear could be interchanged...maybe one is fatter than the other. wouldn't take much to allow a frog-hair of clearance.

[Deleted User 61]

Real quick before I leave for work. I took off the lever:









Larger images here: http://www.pbase.com/tomfarr/trouble

[ME 109]

Bent like a banana!

And.......I just saw a picture of 'dirt' on GSPD's bike.

[gspd]

It seems Jean is confirming what I said, thanks Jean.
Does that put you more at ease Rob?

If the location of that arm vs. the frame was at all related to how straight a frame is, all airheads would be bent.
The pics don't mean a lot because you would need a new original arm to have something to compare it to.
Im not sure how curved a brand new one is, and there may have been different versions of that arm over the decades.
Maybe r65 arms are specific.

Rob, adjust the arm a bit further back as suggested, and if you still can't slide a matchbook cover in between,
take the arm off, and bend it a bit so it clears.
You can see by its construction that it can't bend easily on its working axis.
The other way it will bend like a pretzel, so do that to adjust it inwards (in a soft jaw vise, not on the bike)

Do you have the link for the post crash pics of your bike? I'd like to re-evaluate how hard the hit actually was.

[Deleted User 61]

Do you have the link for the post crash pics of your bike? I'd like to re-evaluate how hard the hit actually was.

http://www.pbase.com/tomfarr/a_seconds_inattention

Yes, I knew I was off when I said 1/2". I was misquoting someone that earlier had said 1/4", which is in line with the numbers you gave.

But I loosened everything and removed the big spring before I took the arm off. It still hit the frame no matter what.

[gspd]

But I loosened everything and removed the big spring before I took the arm off. It still hit the frame no matter what.

Rob I don't think you are quite understanding how to adjust the arm.
First, remove the cable and spring.
You should be able to swing the arm back and forth easily, but you will feel a strong springy resistance when you start to press it firmly forward against the clutch pushrod.
Now, loosen the locknut and turn the bolt in the middle INWARDS... a lot
That will move the arm BACKWARDS.
It will still swing freely, but the point where "you will feel a strong springy resistance when you start to press against the clutch pushrod". will now happen with the arm further back than it was before.
Now when you hook up the cable, the arm will travel the same distance, but it will start and finish further back.
You say it only rubs when the clutch is all the way in; this adjustment should be enough to move that point back to where it doesn't rub.


I hope this is making sense to you.

IF, and only IF, all else fails, put the arm in a soft jawed vise and bend it inwards A BIT