Front Wheel Dragging

[Solocycles]

Greetings,

I just bought a new to me 2004 ST. It needed tires so I pulled the wheels off to have that done at a local shop. My front wheel is dragging pretty bad. While installing the front wheel I did have the left side spacer backwards but figured that out pretty quickly. Everything is torqued to spec and the only thing I could think of was that the forks were out of alignment?? I have had the front wheel off of several bikes and this is the first issue I have ever had. Any input would be appreciated. I wasn't sure if this fell under brakes or suspension so I started it here.

Thanks,

Marty

 

[Mellow]

Make sure you don't have the left and right spacers switched:

front wheel spacers. which side? | Tires/Wheels

ok, i admit it i'm confused. i removed my front wheel for service and now i'm not sure i have reinstalled it properly. the manual implies and parts exploded view imply the wide front wheel spacer goes on the right side (i'm assuming that the "right side" is from the drivers perspective)...

www.st-owners.com

 

[Solocycles]

Thanks for the reply. The spacers are on the correct sides. This will be my weekend project.

 

[Mellow]

Dragging is usually the spacers or the brakes and can be associated with a bad SMC on the left caliper. It would be odd that it only surfaced after a tire change.

 

[Mellow]

This is the best way to reinstall the front wheel, a slight difference than what's in the manual:

Article [13] - ST1300 - Pulls to the Right | ST1300 Articles

Ok. So I did some homework in regards to some of the complaints that the ST is pulling to the right. Unofficially, it looks like it may indeed be a set up issue. If this is the cause, then it means that the problem is dealer related and not Ma Honda's fault. When the ST's arrive at the dealer in...

www.st-owners.com

Might also check the conditions of the brake pistons and clean them but that's still odd a tire change would have caused this to surface.

 

[jfheath]

Article [13] - ST1300 - Maintenance - Front & Rear Wheel Install and Front Axle Animation | ST1300 Articles

Animated sequence to show the correct procedure when installing the front wheel into the forks of a Honda ST1300. The right hand side of the bike is the side with the brake lever. Left is the clutch lever side. This is the convention used in the Honda manuals. The video and the photo below...

www.st-owners.com

Make sure the pads are properly installed. This might help. The text talks abiut the rears more than the front, but most of it still applies.

Article [13] - ST1300 Maintenance - Brakes- Avoiding the Pitfalls | ST1300 Articles

A close hands-on look at the Honda ST1300 braking system. These are personal observations about the things that can go wrong, why they go wrong and what can be done to keep things working sweetly. Updated April 2020 and to address more recent observations, to include information about the SMC...

www.st-owners.com

It might be helpful If I pasted one of the pictures here as well.



Nb this picture is shown looking from the front of the bike .
Left and Right sides are named as if you are sitting on the bike: left is clutch, right is brake.
This is the same convention that is used in the Honda Workshop Manual.

 

[TerryS]

Check that the sliding pins for the calipers are indeed free to slide.

 

[dduelin]

The bike is new to you, did you benchmark the free rotation of each wheel before removing them? Dragging is one thing but even in best of times neither wheel is going to freewheel like most bikes will and may only freewheel 1:5 to 3 turns with a firm push.

 

[Solocycles]

Thanks for the replies. The wheel did freewheel prior to coming off. There is no freewheeling now. Spacers are correct so I guessing there is something with a caliper. I'm going to pull it apart and start over. Thanks again.

 

[Gus1300]

Be patient, don't discount anything suggested. Start over with the wheel off, check everything again and let us know what you find!

 

[Sadlsor]

Be sure to read @Mellow at Post #5, because that will be your "baseline".
Wouldn't be a bad idea to clean the pistons as well before putting the wheel back on, but I also find it curious (unusual) that removing the wheel introduced the stickiness.
I'm only echoing echoing echoing what you've already seen. (Does anyone else hear an echo in here?)

 

[Igofar]

Standing by the white courtesy phone

 

[Igofar]

Thanks for the replies. The wheel did freewheel prior to coming off. There is no freewheeling now. Spacers are correct so I guessing there is something with a caliper. I'm going to pull it apart and start over. Thanks again.

You said you had put the wheel spacer in backwards at one point, did you torque the wheel down with the spacer in backwards?
If so, I'm guessing you crushed the wheel bearing dust seal flat, and that could be one of many things causing your wheel to drag now.
Your forks are probably misaligned as well, just about every one that comes through the garage is off.
The procedure for loosening the pinch bolts, bouncing the front end, and the assembly instructions, have NOTHING to do with the FORK alignment.
If you want to discuss it, send me a contact number, or call me, I'm on the U.S. RAN list in Arizona, I'd be glad to assist if you need help.
Igofar

 

[Solocycles]

Thanks for all of the input. I either have a ham fist or my torque wrench is off. The axle bolt was too tight. I borrowed a neighbors torque wrench and everything is good now. I guess I have an excuse to upgrade to a digital torque wrench. I noticed that the left spacer was in backwards prior to torqueing anything down so the dust seals are good. Thanks again..

Marty

 

[Igofar]

A beam torque wrench will always be more accurate than a digital or click type.
Most shops that build engines won’t allow anything but beam style.
A non-beam style will have to be (should be) calibrated every six months or so.
You should re-examine your wheel bearings and dust seals again, if you tighten the axle enough to cause binding.

 

[Igofar]

I’ve got snap on and Mac, click style, and old USA craftsman beams. The beams have never been off.
The snap on ones, both inch and pound have been calibrated yearly, and still wander once in a while under heavy use.
I’ve seen too many HF wrenches waaaay off to trust them, regardless of reviews to trust them.
Tekton makes some pretty good sockets and wrenches, but I’ve not tried their torque wrench yet.
Whatever you use, I would say check it often, keep it calibrated, and keep it in a case and not just thrown in your toolbox etc.

 

[JohnK]

I’m with Larry I have HB handle dialed models torque wrenches that I know will need calibrated regularly. Perhaps I should have considered the time and expense and just gone old school.

 

[Andrew Shadow]

Good news Marty. Good to hear that nothing was damaged.

A beam torque wrench will always be more accurate than a digital or click type.

This is a classic theory versus application scenario.

In theory, there is no question that a beam type torque wrench is more accurate.
In the application being discussed here, i.e. motorcycle fasteners, the amount of torque being applied to any fastener is not high enough to create an issue, so I agree completely that a beam type torque wrench is more accurate in this application.

In practice, this is not always the case.
When much higher torque levels are being applied, it is a whole different story. In high torque applications, precious few people are strong enough to be able to properly control a standard beam type torque wrench to be any where near as accurate as that same person can be with a standard click type.
Increased accuracy in high torque applications is one of the reasons why click type torque wrenches came in to being.

 

[core-aggie]

In high torque applications, precious few people are strong enough to be able to properly control a standard beam type torque wrench to be any where near as accurate as that same person can be with a standard click type.

Exactly ... like when I have the zero turn mower jacked up about 45° and I'm torquing down new mower blades ... no WAY in heck in gonna torque those, laying on my back with this odd position, and see the beam needle. Click type is the ONLY way in that scenario. (if I remember, they require 90 ft/lbs).

 

[Igofar]

A half inch drive beam would have no issues at 90 foot pounds, but I do agree with being able to see them.
The click type just MUST be kept calibrated if you want to trust them.
You can purchase a tool to calibrate them yourself if you have a vice.
Or an adapter from beam to click tool.
Most torque wrenches are only accurate in their mid-range anyway.
Folks who use a high reading torque wrench for motorcycle stuff and never go beyond the first few settings, would often be surprised that their wrenches are off several foot pounds.
If you need settings around 10-30 ft.lbs. You would be better off using an inch pound tool, in the mid range for better accuracy.