Laser Alignment

[Lew L]

Both those labor quotes are simply a rip off. Shop around. Hardest part of installing an anti-sway bar is getting the high enough off the ground, 23" should do it.

Squared Away ( Anne and Joe Meyers ) do a complete alignment for under $150 and do it perfectly.

Lew L

[BajaRon]

its not a state of mind with me, its a state of 64 years of life, a worn out body from warehouse and maintenance work, and bad hip, even 10 years ago i could have ridden that rs all over the country.

The 'State of Mind' thing is somewhat of a whimsical concept. Everyone's situation is a bit different. But I can tell you that I'd love to be just 64 again!

[troop]

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Troop,
Those are high prices. I just had the lazier alignment done for $100. Some places do it for $120.00. After checking the alignment and it doesn't need it there is no charge. But most do need it.

The sway bar cost $288 and add that to $120 install makes it $400. I just had an install for $338. Only took about 30 minutes or less to install.

I didn't think the sway bar labor rate was too awful terrible, as labor rates around me are in the $110/hr range. The $238/alignment rate really surprised me. I'll certainly shop around. Need to find other laser alignment areas in the southern WI area..

[BajaRon]

I didn't think the sway bar labor rate was too awful terrible, as labor rates around me are in the $110/hr range. The $238/alignment rate really surprised me. I'll certainly shop around. Need to find other laser alignment areas in the southern WI area..

Most shops have a 1 hr. minimum rate. If they know what they are doing it takes less than 1 hr to do a sway bar kit.

[dklehman]

i find that jumping in and doing the work yourself is great way to learn about your bike and save a ton of money. My wife and i did the sway bar on my ryker in about an hour and i figure we could do it again in 35 or 40 minutes. Unfortunately if i wanna have nice things i have to do the work myself

[Deadass]

With the right tools, good instructions and the ambition to do it you will find that you can do almost anything yourself and in a lot of cases as good if not better than a mechanic that just couldn’t care less. Laser alignment maybe not a job for the DIYer so you have to put in the time to find the right place to do it.

[troop]

I am pretty much a DIY'er, but thought I'd get a combo quote since I certainly can't do a laser alignment. In all likelihood, the sway bar will be a winter project install. I'll keep looking around my area for laser alignment shops. Hoping for some nice Black Friday sales for my winter projects

[PinkRosePetal]

With the right tools, good instructions and the ambition to do it you will find that you can do almost anything yourself and in a lot of cases as good if not better than a mechanic that just couldn’t care less. Laser alignment maybe not a job for the DIYer so you have to put in the time to find the right place to do it.

I'll mostly go along with that but add that some folks have limitations! However, a DIYer can definitely do a laser alignment if they have a properly working brain and a wish to do it.

I use two laser levels, (kinda like a short spirit level) cheaply purchased. One for each wheel.

The BRP method of mounting laser levels on the brake disc is prone to minor errors but doable. For ease, I checked out the accuracy of my wheel rims and found them to be surprisingly accurate so this made the job much simpler.

I do the toe-in using the wheel rim diameter so it's always a fixed dimension and easily repeatable.

The toe-in measurement I've settled on is 4mm and has proved to be fine. However, I use modified, more rigid steering tie-rods to remove the flexibility of the originals since that flexing allows variable toe-in dependent on cornering forces.

But, the important bit... Once the lasers are attached to the wheels or brake discs, the toe-in measurement can be taken by moving the target the same distance as the wheel rim diameter. Read that again...

So, for the target I use a piece of nice flat board fastened to a batten of wood so that it will stand on its own. The lasers are mounted on the Spyder and the laser beams checked by measuring vertical height at a distance to be sure they are parallel to the floor and at wheel centre height. A few feet in front of the Spyder I chalk two parallel lines on the floor with a distance between them of the wheels rim diameter. The lines are at right-angle to the centre of the Spyder. The target board is placed on the line closest to the Spyder and the centres of the laser dots is marked. The board is then moved to the next line on the floor, one marked dot line is aligned with one laser dot. The toe measurement it then the distance of misalignment between the second marked dot line and the actual second laser dot. Note that this can be toe-in or toe-out dependent on your present alignment.

The tie-rods are adjusted and the dots alignment repeated until it is at the desired setting. Then the rod nuts are locked taking care with the alignment of the tie-rods ends to each other on each tie-rod.

The BRP recommendation is to use a special tool to lock the steering arm and also to check the bar ends by measurement to the bodywork for the initial set up. Then BUDS is used to datum this info into the bike. However, provided there is little wear in the steering mechanism and the Spyder is not damaged, the relationship between the steering arm and the bars should stay fixed.

For the DIYer, it's good to take note of the bar measurement before starting so that it can be checked at the end of the procedure if considered necessary.

Requirements: a flat level floor, a flat target board, lines marked on the floor exactly at right-angle to the Spyder centre line and distanced apart by the wheel rim diameter, the Spyder should be centred on the floor marked centre line, both tie-rods must be adjusted equally each time a change of adjustment is done and, of course, two accurate laser levels.

As usual, things sound more complicated when written than they actually are in practice.

[gadgetgirl]

I am so there. I am trying to figure how to carry my walker with me on mine. The military truly let me use my body to the fullest, so worth it..

[Eckhard]

Have a look at this web page if you are into doing a DIY setup.. http://lindsayroland.com/spyder/spyderwheels.html

It looks like a lot of fun and I may do one for myself next year.

[Tenic]

I'll mostly go along with that but add that some folks have limitations! However, a DIYer can definitely do a laser alignment if they have a properly working brain and a wish to do it.

I use two laser levels, (kinda like a short spirit level) cheaply purchased. One for each wheel.

The BRP method of mounting laser levels on the brake disc is prone to minor errors but doable. For ease, I checked out the accuracy of my wheel rims and found them to be surprisingly accurate so this made the job much simpler.

I do the toe-in using the wheel rim diameter so it's always a fixed dimension and easily repeatable.

The toe-in measurement I've settled on is 4mm and has proved to be fine. However, I use modified, more rigid steering tie-rods to remove the flexibility of the originals since that flexing allows variable toe-in dependent on cornering forces.

But, the important bit... Once the lasers are attached to the wheels or brake discs, the toe-in measurement can be taken by moving the target the same distance as the wheel rim diameter. Read that again...

So, for the target I use a piece of nice flat board fastened to a batten of wood so that it will stand on its own. The lasers are mounted on the Spyder and the laser beams checked by measuring vertical height at a distance to be sure they are parallel to the floor and at wheel centre height. A few feet in front of the Spyder I chalk two parallel lines on the floor with a distance between them of the wheels rim diameter. The lines are at right-angle to the centre of the Spyder. The target board is placed on the line closest to the Spyder and the centres of the laser dots is marked. The board is then moved to the next line on the floor, one marked dot line is aligned with one laser dot. The toe measurement it then the distance of misalignment between the second marked dot line and the actual second laser dot. Note that this can be toe-in or toe-out dependent on your present alignment.

The tie-rods are adjusted and the dots alignment repeated until it is at the desired setting. Then the rod nuts are locked taking care with the alignment of the tie-rods ends to each other on each tie-rod.

The BRP recommendation is to use a special tool to lock the steering arm and also to check the bar ends by measurement to the bodywork for the initial set up. Then BUDS is used to datum this info into the bike. However, provided there is little wear in the steering mechanism and the Spyder is not damaged, the relationship between the steering arm and the bars should stay fixed.

For the DIYer, it's good to take note of the bar measurement before starting so that it can be checked at the end of the procedure if considered necessary.

Requirements: a flat level floor, a flat target board, lines marked on the floor exactly at right-angle to the Spyder centre line and distanced apart by the wheel rim diameter, the Spyder should be centred on the floor marked centre line, both tie-rods must be adjusted equally each time a change of adjustment is done and, of course, two accurate laser levels.

As usual, things sound more complicated when written than they actually are in practice.

I was with you and getting excited until the "properly working brain" part. That leaves me out. LOL

[PinkRosePetal]

I was with you and getting excited until the "properly working brain" part. That leaves me out. LOL

Well you saw the joke so you're probably OK!