Highway speed handling

[NancysToy]

I have this same issue on My Rt-S. I have the Elkas, have put 3700 miles on my RT, have rode and raced ATV`s for years and rode bikes for years also. I can ride with the slightest of grip and still get the wondering. I do feel as if the alignment is off but my dealer has always told me they have no machine to align it with and would have to do it by the seat of the pants and they have not sold very many Spyders so I do not feel warm and fuzzy with that. Does any one know what the toe should be on the RT-S. I used to set my Kawasaki KFX 700 ATV at a lotal of 1/8" smaller C/C on the front of the front tire compared to C/C at the rear of the front tire and it was smooth as silk at 70 MPH.

I bought it used with 3400 miles on it so I do not know all the history but going down the highway when I first bought it the handle bars were not straight. My left hand was farther forward than the right. I loosened both outer tierod ends with them removed from the spindle. I turned the left one out one full turn further and the right one in one full turn shorter and reinstalled the tierod ends and the bar was straight. Still the same wondering but at least my handle bars were straight. Has always seemed odd that I had to do this to get the handle bars straight. That is why I think my alignment is also off. Good question for Scotty!

There is no alignment jig or machine. There is a simple procedure in the shop manual. It requires an 8' length of aluminum angle, a couple of pieces of metal strapping, some clamps, a magnetic laser level, and a tape measure. These materials can be picked up at any home improvement center. Your dealer needs some education...and maybe a little more desire.

Adjusting the tie-rods as you did would center the steering, but it is not the desired method. Sounds like the DPS was installed a spline off. The steering sensors need to be centered after any steering adjustment. Steering sensors that are out of calibration can cause the Spyder to pull to one side.

 

[StriperKing]

There is no alignment jig or machine. There is a simple procedure in the shop manual. It requires an 8' length of aluminum angle, a couple of pieces of metal strapping, some clamps, a magnetic laser level, and a tape measure. These materials can be picked up at any home improvement center. Your dealer needs some education...and maybe a little more desire.

Adjusting the tie-rods as you did would center the steering, but it is not the desired method. Sounds like the DPS was installed a spline off. The steering sensors need to be centered after any steering adjustment. Steering sensors that are out of calibration can cause the Spyder to pull to one side.

The DPS was change right before I bought it. Sounds like you are right. My dealer has only sold 30 Spyders to date. What do you think i should do now if it were you.

 

[StriperKing]

There is no alignment jig or machine. There is a simple procedure in the shop manual. It requires an 8' length of aluminum angle, a couple of pieces of metal strapping, some clamps, a magnetic laser level, and a tape measure. These materials can be picked up at any home improvement center. Your dealer needs some education...and maybe a little more desire.

Adjusting the tie-rods as you did would center the steering, but it is not the desired method. Sounds like the DPS was installed a spline off. The steering sensors need to be centered after any steering adjustment. Steering sensors that are out of calibration can cause the Spyder to pull to one side.

If the steering sensors are causing it to pull to one side and I am giving small inputs to keep this from happening you could asume this would cause what I am feeling. I kinda thought it was worse after I did this but thought it was all in my head, maybe not? And yes it does pull to one side slightly. I have checked this on both sides of the crown on the interstate.

 

[altonk]

The Spyder has a tendency to tramline http://homepage.ntlworld.com/robert.smith19/How-to-tramlining.pdf

With my setup, lower profile wider tires about 1.5 inch more scrub radius, penske shock and stiffer swaybar, it's pretty unnerving at times. The best solution is to get used to it.
But you might try lowering front tire pressure a tad

If your Spyder tracks straight on smooth flat surfaces, it's not alignment

 

[NancysToy]

The DPS was change right before I bought it. Sounds like you are right. My dealer has only sold 30 Spyders to date. What do you think i should do now if it were you.

Depends on your faith in the tech's basic skills. If he is Spyder certified, he should be able to handle a new challenge, no matter how many Spyders they have sold. My tech had to look up the alignment procedure and ask BRP about it, despite being one of the original certified techs. Yours doesn't sound like he is familiar with the shop manual, the service bulletins, or the availability of technical assistance from BRP, however, and that would worry me. Talk it over with him (including re-centering the steering, since you probably have more travel in one direction than the other now), and decide from his response. A good mechanic understands, and wants to resolve problems. That attitude should show up in a heart-to-heart talk. If there is a more qualified dealer around your area, that would be another option, but a good mechanic/tech can certainly do this.

 

[StriperKing]

Depends on your faith in the tech's basic skills. If he is Spyder certified, he should be able to handle a new challenge, no matter how many Spyders they have sold. My tech had to look up the alignment procedure and ask BRP about it, despite being one of the original certified techs. Yours doesn't sound like he is familiar with the shop manual, the service bulletins, or the availability of technical assistance from BRP, however, and that would worry me. Talk it over with him (including re-centering the steering, since you probably have more travel in one direction than the other now), and decide from his response. A good mechanic understands, and wants to resolve problems. That attitude should show up in a heart-to-heart talk. If there is a more qualified dealer around your area, that would be another option, but a good mechanic/tech can certainly do this.

They are actually the ones who changed the DPS before I bought it. If it is a spline off they did it and may be defensive if I say it may be a spline off. The only time I turn all the way is in a parking lot or doing a U-turn and it turns plenty sharp even if it turns more one way and less in the other way now. My bars are straight now so if I just get the alignment done and sensores zeroed would it be OK?

 

[NancysToy]

They are actually the ones who changed the DPS before I bought it. If it is a spline off they did it and may be defensive if I say it may be a spline off. The only time I turn all the way is in a parking lot or doing a U-turn and it turns plenty sharp even if it turns more one way and less in the other way now. My bars are straight now so if I just get the alignment done and sensores zeroed would it be OK?

I'm not sure if they can be zeroed there or not. It is worth a try. If not, then you can fall back on the DPS positioning. I think if you could chat nicely with them about the situation, there might be less resentment and defensive attitude than you fear. Don't accuse them, just talk about the problem and the possibiity that it might have occured. It may have even been inadvertant on their part, with the DPS not centered when it was received. To be honest, I don't even know if it is possible to install the DPS a spline off, but that makes the most sense with your symptoms and solution.

 

[StriperKing]

I'm not sure if they can be zeroed there or not. It is worth a try. If not, then you can fall back on the DPS positioning. I think if you could chat nicely with them about the situation, there might be less resentment and defensive attitude than you fear. Don't accuse them, just talk about the problem and the possibiity that it might have occured. It may have even been inadvertant on their part, with the DPS not centered when it was received. To be honest, I don't even know if it is possible to install the DPS a spline off, but that makes the most sense with your symptoms and solution.

Thanks again Scotty. I never get upset over things like this and am always overly nice when dealing with these issues. So far the service manager has been very nice and helpful. I have the bike there now for the rear suspension leak. They didn`t even know BRP was having an issue with this but he called BRP and they are sending him the 6-piece update kit for the problem. He is more than willing to do what it takes I think and somebody has to be first for them to learn from. I will have them look at the alignment, possible DPS spline issue, and stearing sensors.