How to straighten the triple clamp?

[TheRiddler]

My '97 F3 has something out of alignment with the forks and the tire and the clip-ons. It doesn't wobble or cause headshakes. When going in a straight line, the triple clamp (and therefore clip-ons) are angled slightly to the right. This makes my right hand slightly closer back towards me than my left. When riding I don't feel it, but looking down I can see it. I tried loosening the bolt in the middle of the triple clamp, holding the tire between my legs, and turning the handlebars in an attempt to straighten it out. No effect. It's not a problem, it's just annoying. So how do I fix it?

 

[joespeedfast]

Keep doin what you're doin, just remember to re-tighten everything you loosen after each twisting session.
Also, make sure to bias the rear axle adjusters slightly to teh left with the rear wheel while keeping an eye on teh chain alignment.

 

[afm199]

sounds like the clip on is pushed toward the tank a bit. You can not move anything by loosenin the bolt in the middle, the location is determined by the headstock and the fork tubes.

IF the triple is actually bent, get a new one or get the old one straightened.

 

[Alexey]

My '97 F3 has something out of alignment with the forks and the tire and the clip-ons. It doesn't wobble or cause headshakes. When going in a straight line, the triple clamp (and therefore clip-ons) are angled slightly to the right. This makes my right hand slightly closer back towards me than my left. When riding I don't feel it, but looking down I can see it. I tried loosening the bolt in the middle of the triple clamp, holding the tire between my legs, and turning the handlebars in an attempt to straighten it out. No effect. It's not a problem, it's just annoying. So how do I fix it?

Try loosening top trip clamp pinch bolts and pushing the front tire to the left up against something stationary as opposed to your legs. A lamp post or a fire hydrant are pretty good for that sort of thing.

 

[Moto4Fun]

I seriously doubt you will straighten anything by trying to twist the bars while holding the wheel. I had this issue on my Superhawk (and the lower triples may be similar) and had to remove it from the bike to straighten it. It took a lot of force to do it, but fortunately the lower is steel (no Aluminum) on the hawk. Be careful though, I got scolded and bad rep-ed for suggesting that I could straighten my lower triple myself.
The tell tale sign (in my case) that the lower was tweaked was that the top did not easily fit on to the forks with the wheel, brakes, and lower triple clamp all tightened.

Good luck.

 

[Bronto]

Online seen a method of straightening the triple. Involved sticking a 2 by 4 through the forks, with ropes and tiedowns. It does convey the amount of force required to straighten the lower triple.
I remove the triple, the forks from the triple. I use a trailer hitch receiver and a pipe inside it. Put the inner stem inside the pipe. Using a board under one side of the lower trip, holding it at same level as the inner stem. Next a long 2"dia 4' long pipe inserted into the pinch clamp of the lower triple, on the wood side. Placing a foot on the end of the pipe will supply enough force to twist the tweaked lower triple back into alignment. Stop and check alignment a number of times to get it perfect.
Using a flat surface, straight edge to check the lower triple alignment. Lay the center stem of the lower triple on a table with the lower triple pinch clamps hanging over the edge. Using a straight edge inside the pinch clamp. You can tell how the straight edge hits the table surface for it's alignment or parallelism to the center stem. If the straight edge contacts the table on it's end or contacts on the edge of table first, that triple side is tweaked. When the straight edge contacts the table top all along it's edge, the triple is perfectly aligned. One note is the center stem has to measured using a veneer caliper and might need a shim to equal it's diameter that sits on the table top parallel . This is measuring one pinch clamp at a time. Have to do all this again for the other side. Same with trailer hitch bending. Lower triple tweaks one direction on one side pinch clamp and in the opposite direction on other side. Make little twisty marks on the pinch clamp, showing which direction to correct alignment.

Severe tweaking it's better to replace the lower triple. You likely wouldn't be riding it if it was that bad. Some don't like the idea of repairing this critical a part, it should be replaced.

 

[UKtech1]

We can check and straighten triples. It might also/instead be a bent fork, we can straighten them too. If you bring in the both forks and top and bottom triples off the bike I can check them for free. If the triples need straightening it's $50 and $50 per fork leg ($75 per leg for USD)

 

[OldFatGuy]

I think the majority of the time, the clamp isn't bent. The fork tubes are just twisted in it. Like somebody else said, loosen the pinch bolts on either the top or bottom clamp (not both) and turn the bars into alignment while you hold the wheel. Then retighten. Dirt bike guys do it all the time.

 

[07chuck]

We can check and straighten triples. It might also/instead be a bent fork, we can straighten them too. If you bring in the both forks and top and bottom triples off the bike I can check them for free. If the triples need straightening it's $50 and $50 per fork leg ($75 per leg for USD)

+1 Evo does good work...

I think the majority of the time, the clamp isn't bent. The fork tubes are just twisted in it. Like somebody else said, loosen the pinch bolts on either the top or bottom clamp (not both) and turn the bars into alignment while you hold the wheel. Then retighten. Dirt bike guys do it all the time.

Usually if they are only out of alignment once you unweight the front end and loosen all of the pinches,the upper tripple and the axel it will kinda just pop back into place.

With all of the pinches are loose and the axel tightened you should be able to rotate each tube in the triples(a little lube is helpful,the front end needs the tire just barely touching,no realweight on the fork).

If they don't rotate freely then something is bent.

If they do rotate freely and the bars are still off center then the bars are bent...

Just remember to tighten everything back up...