Rear End Drift

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zerocool · #1 Unread post by **zerocool** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 1:13 am

Got a? I was riding my 81 LTD and noticed that the rear tire tends to slide to the right a little bit when going over uneven surfaces or bumps

Can anyone make an educated guess as to what could cause this? I checked the air pressure and it is good and the tire itself does need replacing next spring but has ample tread left. I was thinking it must be the shocks or maybe it is such a light bike?

ZooTech · #2 Unread post by **ZooTech** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 3:09 am

Are your rear coilovers adjusted the same? If one has more preload than the other or if the rebound is different it can cause similar symptoms.

#3 Unread post by **dr_bar** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 4:26 am

As much as my rear tire has a ton of tread left, it has flattened out a bit and it can get a bit hinky in the corners.

zerocool · #4 Unread post by **zerocool** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 6:02 am

ZooTech wrote:Are your rear coilovers adjusted the same? If one has more preload than the other or if the rebound is different it can cause similar symptoms.

Yep they were adjusted so that the ride was the softest it could be when I bought the bike it so I brought the both up a couple of notches. Seems to help a little but it is still noticable? The front has plenty of thread but the rear is getting bare? So from what the previous poster said I guess that could cause the symtoms I'm having?

ZooTech · #5 Unread post by **ZooTech** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 7:32 am

Due to the crown in the road, which is designed to promote water drainage, and the fact that left hand turns are approximately twice the distance of right hand turns (effectively doubling the mileage on the left side of the tire as compared to the right) your motorcycle tires will not wear evenly on both sides of the center tread line. Since you ride in the right lane most of the time (here in the U.S.), the left side of the tire will wear more quickly and the tire may even begin to distort (cupping or scalloping), as the front tire on my Meanie did after 10,000 miles. The center tread on that tire was about 1/2" off center when I replaced it. This may be what's causing your problem, but I'd still investigate all the bearings in the rear end as well as all the nuts and bolts.

#6 Unread post by **dr_bar** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 8:25 am

ZooTech wrote:Since you ride in the right lane most of the time, the left side of the tire will wear more quickly and the tire may even begin to distort,

Darn it... does this mean I'm going to have to ride backwards for the next several thousand km to even up the tread wear???

ZooTech · #7 Unread post by **ZooTech** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 8:49 am

dr_bar wrote:
ZooTech wrote:Since you ride in the right lane most of the time, the left side of the tire will wear more quickly and the tire may even begin to distort,

Darn it... does this mean I'm going to have to ride backwards for the next several thousand km to even up the tread wear???

Either that, or winter in Australia with CentralOzzy!

#8 Unread post by **dr_bar** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 8:56 am

ZooTech wrote:Either that, or winter in Australia with CentralOzzy!

Hey... there's an idea...

sapaul · #9 Unread post by **sapaul** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 9:19 pm

Or one good track day, that will do it!!!!!!!

safety-boy · Tue Mar 21, 2006 10:25 am

Hi zerocool,

You might have resolved this already, but thought I'd post.

My '86 454 slides to the right on a hard brake, and I do get some odd feelings on uneven surfaces. You might check the rear axle alignment. Mine was a notch off, forward on the right side. Since adjusting the ride is a lot better. If you get a chirping sound when you are in-gear, that is likely the belt drive due to the miss-alignment. After adjustment, no more chirping.

Hope theis helps, and wasn't to repetitive.

--Dave

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