Rear Wheel Wobble?

[Goober]

Hello All!

I just replaced the chain/sprockets on my 05 Tiger.  I adjusted the chain, torqued everything to spec, and aligned the wheel using the dots on the swing arm.  I put the bike up on the center stand and started it up. I noticed that the rear wheel wobbles a little when it spins.  The bearing are in great shape (no play at all), and the chain is at 45-50mm of slack on the center stand.  It appears that everything is wobbling including the new rear sprocket, hub, and disc.  

I took it out for a ride and everything feels fine until I get it over 65 then I feel a vibration, but it may just be me trying to find something wrong.  

Is it normal for the wheel to have a little wobble on the Tiger?  I've never had a bike with cast wheels before and I didn't pay attention to it before I replaced the chain.

[cbxtc6]

I ususally don't pay much attention to my rear wheel alignment, especially since I often run TKC "knobbies".  I do try to line up the adjustment marks like you mentioned.  
However....
I have gone through several (3!) left (sprocket) side wheel spacers over the bike's 30k miles (it is an '06).  No right (brake) sides yet.  I do ride on gravel quite a bit, so that would explain the grinding away of the outer spacer, but why only the left side?

Maybe I'll check the 'real' alignment this weekend using the string method, just for shits and giggles.

[Goober]

I was thinking of trying the string method as well.  Would it make the wheel wobble if it's out of alignment?  Wouldn't it just roll crooked at a constant rate if it was out of alignment?

I saw a post a while back where the guy's hub was machined incorrectly.  Hopefully that's not the problem.

I don't know how much "wobble" is enough to get concerned about.

[Mustang]

I bought a used tiger this past summer and "something " just wasn't quite right about the rear wheel ................finally pulled the wheel off to put a new tire on and I found out right away what was wrong was the bushing that goes between the inner bearing and the drive hub bearing was not there !
This made it so you could not tighten the axle like you should and also caused a wobble .
maybe you missed something when you reassembled the wheel .

[Goober]

I'm gonna tear it apart for the 3rd time to recheck everything.  I looked at the parts diagram on bike bandit the last time I took it apart, and everything looks to be in the correct order.  But, I'll check it again just to be safe.  

Normally, should it spin perfectly smooth with no wobble?

[Mustang]

there should be no wobble in the wheel when you spin it with the axle tightened down to the correct torque .

 #18 , #17, 22 on the bike bandit schematic are the parts to be looking for and make sure they are installed correctly

[Stretch]

I saw a post a while back where the guy's hub was machined incorrectly.  Hopefully that's not the problem.

I remember that situation, but he never came back here to tell us how it all turned out...

Link:  http://tigertriple.com/forum/index.php/topic,4786

If that is the case here, you might be able to find a used sprocket carrier hub from Ma's Cycles or Baxter Cycle.

[2004Tiger]

My 2004 rear wheel does not wobble, neither before nor after I had it off. Did yours wobble before you disassembled? Did you feel it at 65 MPH? If not, reassembly is the problem, not original parts. I have heard of the cush drive getting dislocated and causing the sprocket to wobble.

[Goober]

After seeing the wheel wobble a little bit, I was trying to feel anything out of the ordinary.  I'm coming from a Honda XR650L and I'm used to always having vibrations from the thumper.  The vibration may have always been there, but I didn't really notice it.

But the wheel is certainly wobbling.  I've been working on bikes (mostly dirt) and cars for years and the rear wheel went back together real easy and I didn't have any left over parts.  However, tomorrow (I live Germany) I'll be taking it apart again and make sure everything is in the correct place.

[Advwannabe]

You can also try setting up a guage to make sure your wheel is straight. Doesn't have to be fancy, clamp a screwdriver to one of the pillion hangers so that the tip is just touching the rim and slowly turn the wheel.

I hope it turns out to be something simple and cheap

[Goober]

I tore everything apart again today (3 more times).  Everything is in it's proper place, seated, and torqued properly.  I used the string method to align the wheel and I only made a slight adjustment from where is already was.  The wheel still wobbles.  I'm not talking about a huge wobble, but about 1mm measured at the rim as the tire is spinning.  It is enough to hit the brake pads slightly as it turns around.  

So I put the axle through the wheel without the cushdrive and hub cover on, thus only going through the bearings and spacer and spun the wheel.  All was silky smooth and I could not see any wobble.  Then I put the hub cover with sprocket on the axle, so all it is spinning on was the one bearing with the spacer.  It wobbled quite noticeably.  The spacer looks fine with no grooves and it appears straight.  The bearing in the sprocket/hub/cushdrive cover has a slight stick to it when I spin it manually. It has no noticable play from side to side or up and down, but it is not 100% smooth.  The problem bearing is #8 on the bike bandit schematic.

Do you think this could be the culprit?  

Thanks for all your help!

[Mustang]

most definately replace all the bearings (3 of them ) and you should have a nice wobble free set up

[Goober]

OK.  81 Euro later and 200km to the dealer and back....

I replaced all the bearings and seals in the rear wheel.  The vibrations that I felt are gone (tested up to 80mph)...But...The wobble is still there.  It may be a little better, but I still have a wobble and it is visable from the disc, tire/wheel, and sprocket.  

If the wheel is out of balance, would you be able to see it when it is turning slow (i.e. Center stand while in 1st gear idling?) I had the tire replaced about 1000 miles ago and the Triumph tech put on 3 weights (all are still attached).

I found a sprocket carrier with cush drive for a 2006 Tiger that a guy will sell me pretty cheap.  Do you know if the 2006 sprocket carriers will fit the 2005 wheels?

Thanks again for all your help!

[iansoady]

Out of balance would only show up at road speed, not at idle. If the wheel itself is wobbling (as it seems to be if the disc is also showing this) the only reason can be that the outer race of one or more bearing isn't concentric with the spindle, or that the wheel itself is distorted.

Could be bad machining or some foreign matter lodged under the bearing. Or could the wheel have been damaged when the tyre was fitted?

[Goober]

It wouldn't surprise me if the Triumph Tech at the dealer damaged it when I had the tire replaced.  However, I'm starting to think I might be a little paranoid and the wheel is fine.  It wobbles slightly, and maybe it's within specs of runout (1mm according to my manual).  I wonder if it will wobble a little because I'm testing it while on the centerstand with no load.  Could it be that the cush drive, bearings, and everything else needs a little load to straighten out?

It rides nice and smooth after I replaced the bearings.  I think I'll test it out for a couple hundred miles and see how it goes.

Thanks!