rear wheel wobble?

[coletrain777]

Hey,
Yesterday I went for a ride and thought I could feel a tiny bit of vibration once in a while. Well this morning I put the bike on the center stand, started and put it in first gear, and watched the wheel from behind. I noticed that the wheel has some wobble in it (side to side) which makes it looks to me like the wheel is bent or something. It is a small amount but I am sure that any is not a good thing at 75mph.

The wheel has not hit anything or been damaged in any way, and the alxe adjusters are set precisely on both sides. The axle is fine and the axle nut is tight. I removed the caliper to make sure it wasn't just a warped rotor and it still has wobble to it. Any ideas on what to do or what to check. It is riding season and I have a about 400 miles to travel in the next few days (on the bike) and need to get this figured out. Any help is appreciated.

If it helps I could probably post a video...

[HexKrak]

Sounds like the rim is tweaked or the tire is deformed.

[Slofuze]

Based on what you posted....are you sure it's not the tire? Just a thought.

[coletrain777]

I'm fairly positive it's not the tire (pretty new). I also don't understand how the rim could be tweaked, but I am not saying it isn't. How would I go about checking it. The wobble is side to side, like a car wheel that doesn't have the lugs tightened properly.

Any other ideas, or at least any ways to check the rim to see if its bent.

[rexazz2]

put bike on center stand , bike in nuetral
place a fixed object, any thing that will NEARLY touch bead area of the rim at the side with out touching the tire
slowly turn tire by hand and see if distance changes between the fixed object and side if rim

Are you sure you don't have a bearing gone ?

[kevin2502000]

I was thinking bearing as well, can you move it while it is stationary?

[coletrain777]

I can't move it side to side by hand, so I assume it's not a bearing. It looks like everything is just slightly out of line (you can tell the chain isn't tracking just right). Here's what I have checked:

1. Front sprocket is on and seated correctly
2. Rear sprocket is on and seated correctly
3. It's not a warped rotor (removed caliper to check)
4. Both axle (chain) adjusters are in the EXACT same location so wheel should be straight.

The only thing I haven't done is to try and check the straightness of the wheel as i know if I try and do the runout test it surely will fail (I can physically see it wobble ever so slightly). I appreciate the help guys, this is really annoying. I rode the bike 70 miles this morning and it rides great... except I am a little afraid to keep riding it like it is when it clearly has an issue somewhere.

Keep the help/ideas coming PLEASE!

[Dexter]

It sounds like a bent rim to me. Could have happened going over a big bump or something similar. Something might not be seated properly. You might try disassembling everything, clean and repack the wheel bearings, and reassemble everything to spec and check to see if the problem still exists.

[ADyingBreed]

I can't move it side to side by hand, so I assume it's not a bearing. It looks like everything is just slightly out of line (you can tell the chain isn't tracking just right). Here's what I have checked:

1. Front sprocket is on and seated correctly
2. Rear sprocket is on and seated correctly
3. It's not a warped rotor (removed caliper to check)
4. Both axle (chain) adjusters are in the EXACT same location so wheel should be straight.

The only thing I haven't done is to try and check the straightness of the wheel as i know if I try and do the runout test it surely will fail (I can physically see it wobble ever so slightly). I appreciate the help guys, this is really annoying. I rode the bike 70 miles this morning and it rides great... except I am a little afraid to keep riding it like it is when it clearly has an issue somewhere.

Keep the help/ideas coming PLEASE!

Well after everything you had checked I would check to see if the axle itself is straight.

[HexKrak]

Well after everything you had checked I would check to see if the axle itself is straight.

If the problem was anywhere south of the rotors wouldn't it be rubbing on the breaks?

Using the swingarm as a guide find an object that just barley touches the lip of the rim and spin the tire see if it gets further away or rubs against the object. If there is no rub it's your tire.

[kidblooper]

Not to come in like a total idiot.. Try measuring the rim top to bottom side to side with a tape measure to see if everything is in proper proportion . as well as measuring the tire. also check inside the tire. i know its rare but i have seen tools lost inside of tires

[kevin2502000]

Swing arm bushings?

[rexazz2]

you didn't happen to catch a seam in the asphalt
they make bike handle weird

[coletrain777]

I think it has to be a wheel bearing. I repacked all bearings and put it back together and there seems to be a small amount of side-to-side play that has to be from a bad bearing. I will get some new bearings and give it a go.