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[Grumpy-jim]

Anyone out there know who may have a jig for confirming a frame is not bent??

[LarryB]

that's tall request, what happened

[jettjocky]

I guess I am confused, if that frame was "bend" believe me there would be  VERY substainal evidence of such on the frame,   Is it possible you just got new glasses and are not yet accustom to them?

[GregKhougaz]

Jim,

     I moved this thread so that more folks may see it.  Perhaps you could give some more information if you have a specific issue.  That should help you get more information.  Your local dealer or maybe insurance co should know someone with a gig to repair / check a frame but I think the bike has to be entirely disassembled.  Good Luck!

GK

[DCFIREMANN]

The measurements for the jig are in the manual. Or I should say they use to be. If the frame is bent it is hard to see with the naked eye unless it is really bent. Also look around the neck for paint that has chipped away. If it has that is the first sign. The other way to tell is to install new triple trees and then try to slide the fork tubes in. If it is bent they will not go. There is a shop in Maryland called R & R Cycles they are or were in Oxon Hill. They have a frame jig. A lot of times the bike does not need to come down to a bare frame. The front end must come off though.

Good luck


Be Safe

THE DAWG

[JCZ]

Anyone out there know who may have a jig for confirming a frame is not bent??

The Frame Man..........   http://www.motorcycleframeman.com/   They want the bike with motor & tranny in it....remove the sheet metal and front end.

I've saw more than a few bikes go there that visually you couldn't tell they were bent until they got put into the jig.  

My own experience in 89.....when a car drove into the front end of my 86 Heritage.......the frame was straight.  The front end was trashed.  But also, the neck bearing races were knocked out of round.  Wasn't visable with the eye but was bad enough it would have made a difference trying to ride it that way.

[Grumpy-jim]

thanks

[Jon Seddon]

Anyone out there know who may have a jig for confirming a frame is not bent??

I've not used this method on Harleys but have on other bikes.  It helps if you can put the bike on a centre stand or on a workshop stand - someone could stand it upright and vertical.

To check if the wheels are inline:
 
Get two long lengths of cotton (the sort used in sewing). 
Get the bike upright with the front wheel pointing straight ahead.
Tie the two lengths of cotton to one of the rear wheel spokes and loop each one behind the tyre low down enough to be able to run underneath the bike on either side of the rear wheel from the back to the front wheel.
Get down low by the front wheel  and pull the two cotton lengths taut on either side of the front wheel.
Looking down the bike pull the two cottons until they are just touching the back and front edges of the rear wheel, at the front wheel the cottons should be equidistant on either side of the front wheel or if front and rear wheels are both the same width they should touch either side at front and back of the front wheel as the threads touch at the front edge of the rear wheel.

If they are not equidistant then you either have not got the front wheel straight ahead or your wheels are out of line - bent frame or misaligned rear wheel.

Next vertical alignment.

[Jon Seddon]

Anyone out there know who may have a jig for confirming a frame is not bent??

Vertical alignment.

Get the bike upright again and another couple of lengths of cotton.

Tie a small weight to the end of each length of cotton (a nut or something to make two plumb lines).

With the bike upright and vertical with the front wheel straight ahead(if you have a mate sitting on the bike with a spirit level across two points you know should be at the same height - could be the handlebar clamps?) hold each plumb line against two points that are a mirror to each other close to the fork tops on either fork leg. it doesn't really matter where it is as long as the two points are a mirror to eahc other and the plumblines drop reasonably close to the end of the fork leg or the front wheel.  If the plumblines are not equidistant on either side of the wheel or fork leg then either you have a bent forkleg, bent yokes or a twisted steering head.

You do the same at the rear of the bike at a convenient point like the shock mounting points or any other points that mirror each other on either side of the rear wheel.  Again if the plumblines are not equidistant then the rear of the frame or swinging arm could be twisted.


With all  this you need to have checked that your wheels are not bent by spinning them and looking closely to see if they don't run true - it'll be obvious because they'll look like they wobble if they are bent.

Hope this is clear enough, it's helped me in the past.

Jon

[Grumpy-jim]

Had to lay to bike down to avoid a collision with a girl on her cell phone. Anyway, I survived but the right side of the bike and the front faring took a beating. The dealer swears the frame is bent. I am trying to confirm or deny this. I cannot see any chipped or missing paint from the frame.

The gusset under the oil pan is bowed up some. I have looked at other touring bike to compare and they do not seem to look like mine. This is about all I can see that's different. I would like to get it checked out by someone in the know before it goes back together.

I'm open for more ideas. Thanks, Grumpy

[LarryB]

if the gusset is bowed then the frame is bent, is the engine guard is bent and has pulled on the mounting tab, the frame is bent

[Grumpy-jim]

the engine guard is bent

[skreminegul07]

if the gusset is bowed then the frame is bent, is the engine guard is bent and has pulled on the mounting tab, the frame is bent

I agree technically with that statement, but the tab is easily straightened and has nothing to do with alignment strength and safety.  The enging guard is not part of the structual integrity.
Yes, this is enough for the insurance company to writye a frame.

My buddy had this happen.  They wanted to total the bike, he didn't (fool).  He had to sign a waiver that the insurance company was not liable for damages relating to a bent frame.  In two minutes the tab was straightened.
Another friend has an autobody shop with access to a frame machine for bikes.  He has found bent frames that the new owners did not see.  Bike bought on ebay.

[Grumpy-jim]

anyone in FL, GA or AL who can check out my frame??