Got a small amount of wobble in the front end of my bike. Give me your tips/techniques for diagnosing where it might be coming from please as tightening the headset has done sweet FA.
Thanks.
Brake bolts/pads, loose hub bearings.
Presuming you mean "play" rather than "speed wobble"
Hub bearings - pull wheel side to side
QR/ Bolt through not tight - pull wheel side to side.
Check spoke tension and tyre pressure.
Does it stop if you turn the forks 90deg.
Suspension bushings worn?
Yeah play. Not noticeable all the time unless you look for it. Noticed it yesterday when riding over some baked hard choppy ground - got some odd feedback through the bars like a loose headset.
I can feel it if I bounce the front end on the ground.
Checked brake bolts
Checked wheel and hub - feels okay.
Does it stop if you turn the forks 90deg.
That's to test the fork bushings correct? To be honest, I can't feel it if I rock the bike back and forth whether the forks are straight or sideways, only when bouncing the bike and then only slightly but it is there and as this is my DJ/freeride bike I don't want to damage the frame by riding it hard when something is loose.
Cheers for the suggestions so far.
One last thing - the headset is one of those integrated style ones, I recall that there were some shims in the box with the headset - can't remember how many I fitted but maybe if I fitted one more of those it might take up some play in the headset that I can't dial out otherwise?
Tyre or tube gone out of round or bulging due to a impact.
Worn bearing surfaces, think they call it 'Brineling' looks like little indentations on the cup walls.
Some forks have top out wobble that feels like headset play until you go into the travel then it stops. Seems to be exacerbated by high air pressures. It's really annoying and makes you think your headset, brake caliper or fork bushings are the problem.
Pretty much everything else has been covered by other posters!
ball of sealant in tyre
Got enough steerer spacers?
Brinneling is irrelevant btw
I recall that there were some shims in the box with the headset – can’t remember how many I fitted but maybe if I fitted one more of those it might take up some play in the headset that I can’t dial out otherwise?
I believe these are to avoid a clash or a large gap on integrated headsets (happy to be corrected) - the only thing that'll remove play from the headset (assuming you have some clearance and aren't metal on metal instead of going through the bearings) is the preload from the top cap/clamping by the stem.
It sounds like fork bushes could be the culprit, the seals and stuff can mask any play here.
Thanks all.
Put a shim in last night. Not made much difference, if any (probably none). Think that leaves only the forks so I'll get those looked at.
Ta.
My money’s on too long a steerer / not enough spacers leaving the headset loose.
But it could be weevils.
Sounds like a fork top out issue.
Stripped down the front wheel and rebuilt, checked the fork bushings, lubed and rebuilt. Greased the headset and tightened down with extra spacers even though there was plenty. Still got a jangly vibration when riding over choppy dried out ground.
Brake levers were loose (as in the levers themselves where they are bolted to the master cylinder)tightened them up a tad - no more vibrations. Also fitted some push on grips as I think the lock-ons were amplifying the vibrations.
Disc rotor loose?