Question on V-Max

[Saddle_Bag]

This site has the most knowledgible people (How's this for suckin up), I'm hopin someone can help my brother. He has a 2003 V-Max. I rode it this past weekend and boy does it have front end wobble. I attempted to tighten the nut at the trippletree and discovered a locking shim down through the two big nuts. Am I going to have to remove the Handle bars and the top of the tree, to tighten up the front end??? This shim is a small square that fits in the slots of the two big nuts, and sits in there up and down, locking them together. Help! Saddle_Bag

[rod]

Are you sure it is not a locking washer with the tang bent over into the knoch in the nuts? If so just pry it up to tighten the nut then bend back when done. Rod

[Freebird]

I agree with Rod. See this article for pictures. This was on m RSV but it's the same principal.

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=511

[tazmocycle]

RMSportMax.com

1-610-509-VMAX(8629

check with john furber here and ask about help, they have some differant things to help out. they deal with mostly v-maxs.

http://vmaxoutlaw.com/main.html lot of imfo here too. got a lot of wild pics of v-maxs.

[Saddle_Bag]

Guys, you are great. The picture was the thing. That is, what I was looking at up under the bars. I called him and told him I was forwarding the other site and the rest of the info. I will thank you for him in advance. With his front end wobble I told him to limit his riding until we dug a little further in to it. If he didn't live in the mountains of PA he could take it to a shop and get it looked at. I said sit tight , I'll check with the VR guys for help. Thanks again, Saddle_Bag (joe)

[Tommy]

Do a Google search for Furber Fix...It's really easy to do on a V-max and should solve your problems. I had to modify both of my Maxes to make them handle properly.

[Saddle_Bag]

My brother was able to temporarily fix his wobble but by pulling the tab (locking tab) locking the adjuster nuts together, it broke off and flew across the garage. Not real happy, but he'll get over it. He is looking into the Faber or ferber fix, what ever it is called. He thanks you all for the imput. joe

[Gearhead]

As you now know, the tabs are part of a locking washer designed to be taken off from the top, not bent like Hondas are. If all the parts are assembled in factory sequence (bottom to top - lower nut, rubber washer, upper nut, tabbed washer, steering bridge), you can change the bearing preload pretty easily:

 

1) Loosen crown nut - on top of steering bridge. May need to remove handlebars to access.

 

2) Loosen pinch bolts on ends of steering bridge to release their grip on fork tubes.

 

3) You can now tap the 2 adjuster nuts and tabbed washer around ALL TOGETHER with a hammer and chisel or screwdriver.

 

4) When satisfied, tighten crown nut, then pinch bolts.

 

Jeremy