Increased Pull To The Right

[Boxerdad]

I just took off a set of worn out Metzler 880s and installed a set of Avon Storm STs. With these Avons the PTTR seems to have increased. Anyone else experience this?

 

Nothing else was done to the bike.

[Tipover_Bob]

I just took off a set of worn out Metzler 880s and installed a set of Avon Storm STs. With these Avons the PTTR seems to have increased. Anyone else experience this?

 

John:

When I bought my bike I got the feeting it had an excessive amount of PTTR. Here is what I did:

 

1. I undid all the bolts holding on the front wheel (clamp, axle, crossover).

2. I made sure the steering head clamps were holding the tubes exactly even.

3. I Placed two thicknesses of a budwiser can between the crossover and the slider on the right side. This encouraged a very slight canting of the front wheel to the right when combined with retightening the other bolts (4, 5 and 6 below).

4. I tightened the crossover bolts while holding the front wheel to the right against the stop with slight pressure.

5. I tightened the axle bolt (bottom of the sliders) while

holding the front wheel to the right against the stop with slight pressure.

6. I tightened the clamp bolts (bottom of the sliders) while

holding the front wheel to the right against the stop with slight pressure.

7. I moved my water bottle from my right saddlebag to my left saddlebag.

 

The bike is pretty much neutral now. When I ride in the right side of the tire tracks nearer the center line. When on the right side of the road it does pull to the right slightly. Handling around curves appears equal, right or left.

 

My theory is that a left camber or cock is accidently set up when tires are replaced. This is induced by holding the front of the front wheel when tightening the crossover bolts, the axle bolt and the clamp bolts. My tinkering just tried to correct for that.

 

Presently, with a new Dunlop on the front, I cannot detect any PTTR.

 

Tipover Bob

[Boxerdad]

1. I undid all the bolts holding on the front wheel (clamp, axle, crossover).

 

Bob,

 

Just to be sure, when you say "crossover" are you talking about the triple clamps or fork brace?

[Tipover_Bob]

John:

I'm talking about the fork brace. But, be careful to use blue threadlocker on everything.

Tipover Bob

[exwingnut]

Did you note if you are test riding on a road with a pronounced crown to it?

 

If so, try taking the bike out to a parking lot and trying it there, the crown of the road will just not allow the bike to go straight.

[Boxerdad]

Same roads I always ride.

Something had to get somewhat misaligned during the tire install. It's hard to believe the tire would have that much effect.

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

My front tire is a slow leaker. Like 15-20 lbs over two weeks. I can tell the pressure not only by how heavy the steering is, but how much PTTR I have. Interesting.

[Tipover_Bob]

John:

Did you have any luck with trying to reduce or eliminate your "pull to the right"?

Tipover Bob

[Paul_Burkett]

A friend told me that he had taken his tool kit and placed it in the radio compartment and that stopped his bike from pulling when he took his hands off from the handle bars. I have two H2W tool kits and placed them in the radio box, if one is good two is better, and now my bike runs straight down the road with out having my hands on the bars.

[exwingnut]

A friend told me that he had taken his tool kit and placed it in the radio compartment and that stopped his bike from pulling when he took his hands off from the handle bars. I have two H2W tool kits and placed them in the radio box, if one is good two is better, and now my bike runs straight down the road with out having my hands on the bars.

 

It would seem that in regard to PTTR, as in life, Balance is everything.

 

I love the Lowe Tech approch.

[BlueRidgeBoy]

I think I have read everything on this board related to PTTR. I finally decided to remove the 2 mm spacer ring on my rear wheel spigot to see if I noticed a difference. The improvement was dramatic! Then I read all of the posts again and one thing burst my bubble: PTTR increases with tire wear and, like many others I'm sure, I removed the spacer ring at the same time I replaced the tires. In other words, from a scientific point of view, I didn't isolate those two variables. I'm going to put it back on because it must have a function.

[Tipover_Bob]

I think I have read everything on this board related to PTTR. I finally decided to remove the 2 mm spacer ring on my rear wheel spigot to see if I noticed a difference. The improvement was dramatic! Then I read all of the posts again and one thing burst my bubble: PTTR increases with tire wear and, like many others I'm sure, I removed the spacer ring at the same time I replaced the tires. In other words, from a scientific point of view, I didn't isolate those two variables. I'm going to put it back on because it must have a function.

 

Matt:

My RS is probably different from your RT, but I was very concerned with my PTTR when I got the bike. Since doing the following and replacing a worn out Michelin Pilot, the bike is totally neutral.

 

1. I undid all the bolts holding on the front wheel (clamp, axle, crossover).

2. I made sure the steering head clamps were holding the tubes exactly even.

3. I Placed two thicknesses of a budwiser can between the crossover and the slider on the right side. This encouraged a very slight canting of the front wheel to the right when combined with retightening the other bolts (4, 5 and 6 below).

4. I tightened the crossover bolts while holding the front wheel to the right against the stop with slight pressure.

5. I tightened the axle bolt (bottom of the sliders) while

holding the front wheel to the right against the stop with slight pressure.

6. I tightened the clamp bolts (bottom of the sliders) while

holding the front wheel to the right against the stop with slight pressure.

7. I moved my water bottle from my right saddlebag to my left saddlebag.

 

I also would be very wary about removing a spacer. I expect anything like that would have a purpose, like aligning the disk and the caliper, etc.

 

Tipover Bob

[BlueRidgeBoy]

TB,

 

Thanks for your tips. Brake rotor alignment with respect to the 2 mm spacer ring was never an issue for me. On the 1100 RTs the rotor is not attached to the wheel.