First hack, got some questions
Ok, I have a 1998 Harley Ultra that i recently purchased. I then got a 96 Harley TLE ultra sidecar. I have the factory service/install manual and Ive been working on mating the two. So far ive installed the mounts, installed the brake line T-fitting, re-pinned the lighting wiring harnes to convert to the new style plugs on the bike, mounted the sidecar. Manual stated that sidecar wheel must be at a 90 degree angle to the ground. Thats set fine. Book states bike must be 1 degree lean in or at 90 degrees with rider on. Thats set. Next step for me is to set the toe in. Ive yet to mount the factory steering damper. But the urge took over and I had to take it out for a ride. I had about 95 lbs of weight in the car. Im guessing the toe in was set on the sidecar on the old bike it was on because riding it around town it tracked straight. Almost no wobble in steering except for uneven road/cracks pot holes. What i noticed and what concerns me, is when making right or left turns the bike leans slightly to the one side and I notice a slight flex in the sidecar chassis. I have never had or rode a bike with a sidecar before and i dont know if this is normal. Is the bike and car supposed to be perfectly rigid or is some small flex normal? Ive built and worked on bikes and cars and the mechanical aspect i understand. I just dont know what it is supposed to be like. I live in North Jersey, Wayne area and I dont know of anyone else around that has a sidecar that i can ask. And local Harley dealer wont answer any questions, just keep telling me to bring it in and they'll look at it....for a fee of course. I enjoy the work and dont like having to pay someone to do a job im mechanicaly adept at doing. My Father always used to tell me,,, Son, you got more time than money,, lets get to work.
The flex in the sidecar upper mounting bar is normal. This is due to the three point mounting. A little flex eases the stress on the unit.
I have the best neutral steering with 1 degree of bike lean-out with the bike and car loaded for the road.
Lonnie
I still have do the alignment which means i have to dissconect the sidecar. Ill try setting the lean to 1 degree out instead of in and see how that feels. But from what Ive noticed already its a hell of an upper body workout.
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