350x pull to the left

[loxboy1]

My 350x pulls to the left when riding. Pretty strong pull. Looking at it closley in the garage you can see that when the front wheel is straight. The handlebars look slightly left. And when u set the bars straight the tire looks off. What causes this? The forks look straight bearings are good in the front hub. Pulled gas tank and frame dose not look bent anywhere.

[Hair Bear Bunch]

Try putting a bit more air in the left tyre - that usually works.

[loxboy1]

Try putting a bit more air in the left tyre - that usually works.


both rear tires have 7psi, that would work but isn't really fixing the problem just masking it lol. its been like this for a long time, i was young so i delt with it, now that I've brought it back to life after sitting for over 10 years and put some money into it id like to fix it right.

[oldskool83]

swinger is not adjusted straight or the works are bent and or the twisted.

[yaegerb]

x2, check the forks again for true.

[RIDE-RED 250r]

X3, sounds like a tweaked fork leg.

[RamsesRibb]

I actually twisted the neck on my old 350x. I had to replace the frame because of the same issue you are describing. That frame has a few weak spots that hard riding will find.

[loxboy1]

ill check the forks again. do y'all suggest removing the front hub and tire to check the forks?

[fabiodriven]

It's not going to be the forks most likely. I've explained this multiple times on this forum. It's almost definitely your rear tires. If you don't believe me swap the rear wheels and watch your bike pull the opposite direction.

A three wheeler is not going to "pull" either direction if your forks are bent. It will always go straight provided the rear is all in order. The geometry of the front end is designed by nature to always return the steering to the straight position naturally, and it will absolutely still do that if your forks are bent. Your handlebars may be cocked to one side or the other, but the machine will not "pull" either way unless you have a problem with your rear wheels.

Same goes for the swing arm bearings or any adjustments on the swing arm. Even if the swing arm is turned to favor one side or the other, the front wheel will still track straight. You might end up with a "crab walking" effect, yes, but still the bike will not "pull" either direction. Once again, your handlebars will be off center but the bike will still ride straight, albeit in a crab walking posture.

You cannot always rely on just tire pressure with ATV tires because many of them can vary in size enough to cause a trike to pull one way or the other. It's not uncommon at all that one tire gets over-inflated and the diameter of that tire will actually increase. I have this exact scenario on my SX, been that way since I got it. You cannot fill both of my rear tires to the same pressure without the bike pulling, they must be filled by eye. One looks flatter than the other and it is actually softer. I have to consciously remember that as I ride because I can turn harder one way than I can the other, however it tracks straight which is what I care about.

[Rob Canadian]

Grab a piece of string. Wrap it around the rear tire. Measure the piece of string. Do this for both rear tires. See if the measurement is close.

Takes 2 minutes. Piggy backing on what fabiodriven is getting at.

[coolpool]

Grab a piece of string. Wrap it around the rear tire. Measure the piece of string. Do this for both rear tires. See if the measurement is close.

Takes 2 minutes. Piggy backing on what fabiodriven is getting at.

x2. Or steal the wife's cloth sewing tape and measure. She'll never know ;-)

[RamsesRibb]

It's not going to be the forks most likely. I've explained this multiple times on this forum. It's almost definitely your rear tires. If you don't believe me swap the rear wheels and watch your bike pull the opposite direction.

A three wheeler is not going to "pull" either direction if your forks are bent. It will always go straight provided the rear is all in order. The geometry of the front end is designed by nature to always return the steering to the straight position naturally, and it will absolutely still do that if your forks are bent. Your handlebars may be cocked to one side or the other, but the machine will not "pull" either way unless you have a problem with your rear wheels.

Same goes for the swing arm bearings or any adjustments on the swing arm. Even if the swing arm is turned to favor one side or the other, the front wheel will still track straight. You might end up with a "crab walking" effect, yes, but still the bike will not "pull" either direction. Once again, your handlebars will be off center but the bike will still ride straight, albeit in a crab walking posture.

You cannot always rely on just tire pressure with ATV tires because many of them can vary in size enough to cause a trike to pull one way or the other. It's not uncommon at all that one tire gets over-inflated and the diameter of that tire will actually increase. I have this exact scenario on my SX, been that way since I got it. You cannot fill both of my rear tires to the same pressure without the bike pulling, they must be filled by eye. One looks flatter than the other and it is actually softer. I have to consciously remember that as I ride because I can turn harder one way than I can the other, however it tracks straight which is what I care about.

I have to disagree i that it is possible to pull due to the front end. As I stated previously, I had a twisted neck and the wheel contacted the ground visibly off centered. Granted that is pretty obvious if you look at it though.

[fabiodriven]

Very simply swap your rear wheels and see what happens.

[Ghostv2]

I have to disagree i that it is possible to pull due to the front end. As I stated previously, I had a twisted neck and the wheel contacted the ground visibly off centered. Granted that is pretty obvious if you look at it though.

He was talking about forks, you are talking about the neck.

[RIDE-RED 250r]

My 350x pulls to the left when riding. Pretty strong pull. Looking at it closley in the garage you can see that when the front wheel is straight. The handlebars look slightly left. And when u set the bars straight the tire looks off. What causes this? The forks look straight bearings are good in the front hub. Pulled gas tank and frame dose not look bent anywhere.

Certainly worth checking into the rear tires, quick and easy as it is to do.. But the above highlighted is why I tend to think he has a tweaked fork leg. It doesn't take much, and can easily be tough to spot unless a severe case.

[OZQUAD44]

Yep, best bet is to do a little bit of measuring and testing to nut the problem out. Swapping or measuring tyre outside diameters are really simple steps that can rule out the basics before you delve too deep.


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[loxboy1]

I will swap the tires when i get the chance. Thanks everyone for the input!!

[BOB MARLIN]

Most likely the tires. But I did have an 86 350x that pulled one way even after switching the tires and if you took your hand off the bars it would get death wobble pretty bad. Turned out to be a bent frame. After tweeking the frame back all the bad symptoms went away.

[Hair Bear Bunch]

Any news on this?

[loxboy1]

Sorry been away for a while. I swapped the tires and messed with air preasure, and it helped. I did find that the front tire was closer to the right fork then the left so i pulled the plate off and fount it was loose so i tightened it up, but when i was putting the plate back in the holds the hub on the right fork i broke 3 studs, my service manual calls for 7-10 ftlbs and they broke using a tourque wrench. So now i gotta source new studs. Also i think the forks are tweaked a tiny bit

[nd4speed]

my guess would have been bad swingarm bearings if it pulled hard when you hit the gas, hope you get it back together soon....