The wheel alignment on a Road King is far more important to handling and safety than that of a car. An out-of-alignment condition is particularly hazardous in hard braking or turns on a two-wheeled motorcycle. A severely worn tire to a bent frame or set of front forks can also cause a pull in one direction. All these situations can be hazardous and make for an unhappy rider.
Instructions
1. Lift the motorcycle with the lift. Place the motorcycle in neutral. Turn the handlebars straight ahead and inspect the front forks for proper alignment by holding the straight edge ruler across the fork tubes. Slide it up and down the tubes. Look for angle changes between the top and bottom of the tube. Look at the fork tubes straight from the side for irregularities. Replace the forks if any are found.
2. Measure the distance between the top of the front tire and the forks on either side. The tire should be equally distant from each tube. If not, the wheel center is bent and the wheel must be replaced. Inspect the rear tire for uneven wear and replace as necessary.
3. Measure the distance from the swing arm to the tire on both sides. Check at the front engine side of the swing arm. This is the most common cause for a pull in a Road King. The tire must be exactly equally distant on either side or the tire is not running straight ahead. If this is the case, loosen the large axle nut and turn the wheel adjusters behind the nut to pull the tire back to adjust the angle of the tire.
4. Look at the swing arm next to the large axle nut or bolt head on the other side. You will see marks like on a ruler. Each side should be the same. Always check with the ruler after making an adjustment just to be sure the tire is perfectly straight. If one side adjuster is turned in, the tire will move to that side and conversely with the other adjuster. Once the adjustment is perfect, tighten the large axle nut securely and insert the cotter pin.
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