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[martys]

This is probably not just characteristic of the SERG but of any Bagger, so I'm hoping that some of you mechanic types can help me to diagnose and fix this annoying problem.
     When I am traveling at speed down the road I should be able to lift my hands from the bars, and the bike should travel in a straight line, but when I set my cruise and let go of the bars the bike drifts to the left quite sharply.  Now I have done some research on it and I can say up front that it has nothing to do with the way I load the bags, empty, full, one side empty, the other side empty... it still pulls left.  I thought I would try to correct this by realigning the rear tire with the adjusters, but after my test ride, on which the bike did not pull to the left nearly as bad I discovered that my rear tire was being wore down very uneven and started to cup.  I reset the adjusters so that they are exactly the same distance back from the frame and went on another test ride.  The bike once again was pulling to the left but the tire was not showing the same signs of ware.  Has anyone ever experienced this problem with their bike? If so could you please give me some advice?  My Steelership is way too expensive to let them try to "diagnose" this problem and not trustworthy enough to repair it.  So any suggestions would be helpful.  I do have a buddy who is a very good wrench and accomplished custom builder that could help me with this problem once I figure out what the problem is.

Thanks

Marty 

[1sharprdkg]

Just throwing this out there...bad tires? Are they ok?

[60FLH]

I'd replace the rear isolators and do a laser alignment. If you to the glide pro website, he has videos explaining it. They arent highly polished vids but your mechanic will understand whats being done. It's about $100 worth of tools from sears.

[Twolanerider]

Marty, my old SERG will run down the road with hands off the bars with no problem (assuming no crown in the road of course).  

Assuming no tire issue or some very slight drag from a left side caliper nor other more common issue there is something to consider that is less often thought of but still happens to these bikes.  The swingarm bushings have to be a consideration too.  But the swingarm itself can be a problem.  The old 01 and older box frame type swingarms will tweak or even crack.  Have seen them actually break.

If you're unfortunate to find that as your problem you can find the old swingarms reasonably priced good used.  You can use the newer (better) 02 and newer swingarm though.  You'll need newer 1" axle and will have to swap out the bearings in the wheel.  Maybe or maybe not even have to bore the center of the wheel to accept the larger OD spacer that goes with the 1" bearings.  

The shaft through the transmission and swingarm is a different size also.  Larger on the 02 and up bikes.  You don't need to bore out the hole in the rear of the transmission case though.  There are very good bushing retrofit kits that make the actual fit in the bike a bolt in.

[sadunbar]

If you're confident your body weight is centered on your bike when you do the "hands off" test, then most likely the issue is either front/rear wheel alignment, or looseness in the steering head and/or swing arm...

Is pulling to the left a new issue?

[martys]

If you're confident your body weight is centered on your bike when you do the "hands off" test, then most likely the issue is either front/rear wheel alignment, or looseness in the steering head and/or swing arm...

Is pulling to the left a new issue?

Not a new issue ... I have owned the bike since 2008 and have put up with it but it has always annoyed me and I would like to get something done about it.

[martys]

Marty, my old SERG will run down the road with hands off the bars with no problem (assuming no crown in the road of course).  

Assuming no tire issue or some very slight drag from a left side caliper nor other more common issue there is something to consider that is less often thought of but still happens to these bikes.  The swingarm bushings have to be a consideration too.  But the swingarm itself can be a problem.  The old 01 and older box frame type swingarms will tweak or even crack.  Have seen them actually break.

If you're unfortunate to find that as your problem you can find the old swingarms reasonably priced good used.  You can use the newer (better) 02 and newer swingarm though.  You'll need newer 1" axle and will have to swap out the bearings in the wheel.  Maybe or maybe not even have to bore the center of the wheel to accept the larger OD spacer that goes with the 1" bearings.  

The shaft through the transmission and swingarm is a different size also.  Larger on the 02 and up bikes.  You don't need to bore out the hole in the rear of the transmission case though.  There are very good bushing retrofit kits that make the actual fit in the bike a bolt in.

How would I go about diagnosing weather it is the swing arm itself or maybe the bushings Don?

[Twolanerider]

How would I go about diagnosing weather it is the swing arm itself or maybe the bushings Don?

Marty....  I know you're not going to like this...  but as old as our  bikes are if they've never been done and they've got a few miles it's just time.  A visual inspection might or might not always fully inform you anyway.  

I put the newer swingarm under the ass end of mine shortly after I got it.  Though it didn't give me any choice.  Swingarm was bent and cracked.  

Losing the old style adjusters is a plus if you do the retrofit at some time.  If the moderately unlikely event of a tweaked swingarm is your culprit it's generally easy to spot though.  Just look things over very closely.  Visual inspection, especially if you've got a straight edge to work against, will usually tell the tale.

[sadunbar]

How would I go about diagnosing weather it is the swing arm itself or maybe the bushings Don?

Replacing the swing arm bushings is a fairly simple task, whether you use stock bushings, Glide Pro or Sta-bo bushings (I'd suggest using Glide Pro swing arm bushings).

On a 14 year old bike, odds are they need to be replaced whether they are the root cause of your "pulling" issue or not.  It's simple and relatively inexpensive without a downside...

[Banana man]

Twolane and sadunbar have given you great info.

I to have had this problem on my 05. Providing your swingarm is good you will need to align
your bike. The engine tranny and rear swingarm are bolted together and rubber mounted in
the frame. As your bushings wear it will allow your swingarm to move side to side and up and
down changing the alignment of your bike. The pivot point will be your front motor mount for
side to side movement.

I recommend the Glide Pro stabilizer kit. The kit comes with new bushings and a new front motor
mount that will tighten up your bike and make it handle a lot better in turns.

I installed this kit and aligned the engine, tranny and swingarm in the frame and my bike goes
straight now and feels way more solid in the turns and I can now ride all day with hands off the bars.

[Twolanerider]

Marty, if you do decide to do swingarm bushings do make sure to check the swingarm itself very well first.  Do that if for no other reason than to save redundant expense. 

If the swingarm is problematic the bushing/bearing kits you'd use to install the 02 and later swingarm would be completely redundant to and would replace the stock bushings.  No need to spend that money twice.

[martys]

Well so far this is sounding like a good "winter project", something to keep me busy while the snow flies up here in the Great White North    Being not as mechanical inclined as some I am wondering Don if you could be more specific as to what "tweaked" would be and how I would be able to tell if that is the problem 

[hdbrad03]

Bring it down we'll throw it on the lift and check it out.


 

    Brad

[Twolanerider]

Well so far this is sounding like a good "winter project", something to keep me busy while the snow flies up here in the Great White North    Being not as mechanical inclined as some I am wondering Don if you could be more specific as to what "tweaked" would be and how I would be able to tell if that is the problem 

Talking about the original swingarm being tweaked I was referring to any part of it that might be bent or otherwise screwed up.  It's a very specific term that way . 

I'd swap the damn thing out just to lose the old style axle adjusters though.

[60FLH]

Twolane and sadunbar have given you great info.

I to have had this problem on my 05. Providing your swingarm is good you will need to align
your bike. The engine tranny and rear swingarm are bolted together and rubber mounted in
the frame. As your bushings wear it will allow your swingarm to move side to side and up and
down changing the alignment of your bike. The pivot point will be your front motor mount for
side to side movement.

The front mount does not become your pivot point, the adjustable links on your engine do.