I recently finished a bike (WBO-Fully Sprung Elgin) that sports a Roadmaster single-pivot springer. Many old springers and forks are damaged/tweaked/smashed/bent and abused, especially if pre or post WWII. After spending hours getting the damaged fork crown and legs eyeball-straight, installed and functioning, I found that when the hands came off the bars, the bike pulled hard right. The wheel was neither true to the frame or 90degrees to the ground. Since this was my 1st roadmaster springer, (which is now my favorite performance-related springer) I was befuddled.
Here are the steps I took to straighten it. 1.) The crown/steer tube must be straight to begin. 2.) With the fork installed in the built bicycle, turn the bike upside down on a surface that has straight lines on it like plank flooring or linoleum and align the front triangle/rear wheel up exactly parallel with the reference lines and 90degrees to the floor surface. 3.) Remove the front wheel and lower truss supports completely. 4.) Look down the rear dropouts from behind the bike, centering the BB and the head tube in the rear dropouts. This confirms the bike frame is straight to begin with. Otherwise you are wasting your time. 6.) While looking through the rear dropouts aligned with the BB and front triangle, glance at the fork leg dropouts and you can clearly see if they are bent left or right of center when referencing the frame. Bend them left or right to center them while making sure the dropout width remains the same. The metal is soft, and can be bent w/o heat. 7.) Place a loose axle in the dropouts and with your eyes, make sure it sits parallel to the ground and 90 degrees to the lines on the floor. If not, grind the high dropout slot until the axle sits level. If a leg is bent forward or backward, you can see it and bend it back. 8.) Now look straight down on the fork dropouts. The bladed fork leg dropouts should be parallel to the bike frame and lines on the floor. If not, get a big crescent wrench and twist them straight to the lines on the floor. 9.) Put the truss rod supports back on and make sure the axle holes in them have "wiggle room" up/down/sideways for a tad bit of adjustment with your wheel sitting untightened in the dropouts. 10.) Check to see that the rim/tire is centered near the crown. Tighten everything up and RIDE! This fork rocks in my opinion, and is now in my top three favorites. (Schwinn/Shelby)
If any questions, just ask. I will be able to help..SKPC
Here are the steps I took to straighten it. 1.) The crown/steer tube must be straight to begin. 2.) With the fork installed in the built bicycle, turn the bike upside down on a surface that has straight lines on it like plank flooring or linoleum and align the front triangle/rear wheel up exactly parallel with the reference lines and 90degrees to the floor surface. 3.) Remove the front wheel and lower truss supports completely. 4.) Look down the rear dropouts from behind the bike, centering the BB and the head tube in the rear dropouts. This confirms the bike frame is straight to begin with. Otherwise you are wasting your time. 6.) While looking through the rear dropouts aligned with the BB and front triangle, glance at the fork leg dropouts and you can clearly see if they are bent left or right of center when referencing the frame. Bend them left or right to center them while making sure the dropout width remains the same. The metal is soft, and can be bent w/o heat. 7.) Place a loose axle in the dropouts and with your eyes, make sure it sits parallel to the ground and 90 degrees to the lines on the floor. If not, grind the high dropout slot until the axle sits level. If a leg is bent forward or backward, you can see it and bend it back. 8.) Now look straight down on the fork dropouts. The bladed fork leg dropouts should be parallel to the bike frame and lines on the floor. If not, get a big crescent wrench and twist them straight to the lines on the floor. 9.) Put the truss rod supports back on and make sure the axle holes in them have "wiggle room" up/down/sideways for a tad bit of adjustment with your wheel sitting untightened in the dropouts. 10.) Check to see that the rim/tire is centered near the crown. Tighten everything up and RIDE! This fork rocks in my opinion, and is now in my top three favorites. (Schwinn/Shelby)
If any questions, just ask. I will be able to help..SKPC
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