180/55/ 18 offset question

[ElwoodB]

Gentlemen,

Name is Jim. New V Max owner. Just picked up this 97 and it just had a new rear rim installed before I bought it. Been looking at previous posts and have seen the suggested fixes for rear wheel alignment with a stock rim, but this has a 6 inch wide 18 inch rim with a 180/55/18 Avon on it and is offset to the right somewhat severely. Will the spacer swap help in this case? seems fairly severe. Guy I bought it from said with the stock rim there was no issue so I dont think anything is bent but I could be wrong. Appreciate whatever input you can share with me.

 

[PATMAX]

Without knowing what rim you have Jim, we can be of limited help. There was an Ebay seller with modded stock rears with a funky offset. Can't imagine the washer swap doing anything but helping though. You running a stock swingarm too?

 

[m-cman]

I'm surprised a 180/55/18 fit if the swingarm is stock. I have a 170/60/18 on a Kosman wheel and had to do the washer swap just to clear the left swingarm bar. Probably what Patmax said, is a individual modded wheel with no built-in offset to compensate for the shaft drive.

 

[[email protected]]

The washer swap will NOT help. It would only add to the problem because it movs the wheel to the right.

You could try buying another adjustable swingarm bolt and shoving the whole arm over to the left.

I'm not sure what could be done to shift the wheel to the left without major work or a different wheel.

 

[wildweasel_pt]

Just notch the swingarm if its stock, you can do like Mike said and get some left push by putting the adjustable pivot bolt on the right.

 

[ElwoodB]

Thanks guys. Honestly not sure if the swingarm is stock. Guessing it is, but can't tell you. Looked for a name on the wheel but saw nothing. Will try the pivot bolt on the right and see what I get.

 

[Redbone]

Can you get a better picture of the wheel? Also of the swingarm near where the tire passes between the arms? To me the wheel looks to be a weld-up type.
On a stock swingarm the adjustable pivot is only on the RH side, the LH side (drive side) has a stationary pivot. You would need to get a second adjustable pivot (I'm not sure the factoryRH one would work on LH side?) in order to move the swingarm (and thus the wheel too) to the left to a more centered alignment.

 

[[email protected]]

Can you get a better picture of the wheel? Also of the swingarm near where the tire passes between the arms? To me the wheel looks to be a weld-up type.
On a stock swingarm the adjustable pivot is only on the RH side, the LH side (drive side) has a stationary pivot. You would need to get a second adjustable pivot (I'm not sure the factoryRH one would work on LH side?) in order to move the swingarm (and thus the wheel too) to the left to a more centered alignment.

You can put either pivot bolt on either side with no problems. Swapping left for right will push the arm to the left slightly. Not a whole lot.

Hard to tell from the pic but that wheel looks like a eightsnuff ebay wheel. Maybe I'm wrong about that. Dig thru this thread for some info http://www.vmaxforum.net/showthread.php?t=5644

Blast from the past!

 

[one2dmax]

Also, the rear fender might be a little crocked causing it to look farther off then it really is? If you only look at the rear seat and shocks without focusing on the fender (in the second pic) it doesn't look as bad.

The 6" width wheel is going to hurt some offset though since you only have room to expand on that right side. Look and see if the swingarm is notched on the right side. That will tell you if you're way to the right compared to another wheel type.

 

[ElwoodB]

So, the previous owner bought a cheap ass wheel- how charming lol. I'll get a closer pic of the wheel and check swingarm is notched. Sean, I agree fender is a touch crooked, never used that as a point of reference. If I can't correct it Ill be looking for a swingarm. Does make it look worse though. Mike, that thread says it all. Thanks, guys.

 

[[email protected]]

So, the previous owner bought a cheap ass wheel- how charming lol. I'll get a closer pic of the wheel and check swingarm is notched. Sean, I agree fender is a touch crooked, never used that as a point of reference. If I can't correct it Ill be looking for a swingarm. Does make it look worse though. Mike, that thread says it all. Thanks, guys.

The swingarm is not the problem. It is the offset built into the wheel. You could have Sean build you an extended swingarm and have him offset the arm to the left. Though, you will only gain about 3/8".

I'm not aware of any way to get the wheel itself to move left. You would need to move the whole swingarm or get a new wheel. I would try swapping the pivot bolts. Should only take a few mins. You could also loosen up the 3 bolts that hold the fender and try to get it lined up with the wheel a bit more. Making bigger holes in the metal, inner fender, or eliminating it completely will give you more room to adjust.

EDIT: Just swapping the pivot bolts may result in the driveshaft rubbing the inside of the swingarm. If that occurs, you would need to purchase a second right hand pivot and nut to use on the left side.

 

[srk468]

The swingarm is not the problem. It is the offset built into the wheel. You could have Sean build you an extended swingarm and have him offset the arm to the left. Though, you will only gain about 3/8".

I'm not aware of any way to get the wheel itself to move left. You would need to move the whole swingarm or get a new wheel. I would try swapping the pivot bolts. Should only take a few mins. You could also loosen up the 3 bolts that hold the fender and try to get it lined up with the wheel a bit more. Making bigger holes in the metal, inner fender, or eliminating it completely will give you more room to adjust.

EDIT: Just swapping the pivot bolts may result in the driveshaft rubbing the inside of the swingarm. If that occurs, you would need to purchase a second right hand pivot and nut to use on the left side.

Right on the money here, its the wheel and not the swingarm... Use the shocks as a point of reference and its way to the right so not really sure how you could fix it without a different wheel The ideas about the pivot bolts might help but it'll probably still be pretty noticeable.. Last winter I extended my swingarm 3" and fitted a stock wheel I sent to Kosman and they made it into a 18"x6" and I had to offset to the right slightly but its hardly noticeable. Good luck bud but unfortunately to fix it right I'm thinking your gonna need a different wheel..

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[1967vmax]

I have 18" RC wheel on a 5.5" rim and i tried every fix to get the bike to track straight an nothing worked in the end i had Morley build me a swing arm and added the offset into the arm the bike now tracks straight i am limited to a 180/55/18 tire but i like the 180s anything wider affected the handleing.

 

[Redbone]

This may be an obvious question, but can this wheel be fixed? And this maybe a noob question but I'm not exactly sure what all it takes to make a stock wheel like Kosman does to make it right, what does the Eightsnuff maker do wrong?

 

[ElwoodB]

.

 

[ElwoodB]

I'll buy a wheel, whatever i need. Now. Can a Morley swingarm work with this wheel? Will try the pivots and adjusting the fender first, but want to get it right. My riding style requires proper tracking. Any input on a good place for wheels? Something that looks like what I have? Thanks again.

 

[one2dmax]

What size tire is it? My swingarm (extended) would shift the wheel to the left 1/4" (doesn't sound like much but it helps quite a bit).

Sean

 

[ElwoodB]

180/55/18

 

[srk468]

Not that I'm trying to talk you out of a swingarm because Sean's are the best but like has been said earlier the problem is the wheel most likely... See if you can get your hands on a stock rear wheel and just bolt it up and see if its centered and that'll tell the tale. Sean sells the Caz wheels and they are badass, watch the for sale section cause wheels show up there pretty often too. I sent a stock one to Kosman and it was like $700 but its heavy as hell. Hope this helps

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[one2dmax]

I have a couple of used wheel sets too but they aren't the cheapest either (though one set I have would be a lot less then the carr's).