How likely is it that triple trees are bent?

[Qdude79]

'85 350X

Forks are tough to get in/out of the clamps, figuring it's likely the forks that are bent, but it occurs to me that the triples are the other side of the equation. Anyone ever seen bent triples?

Tough enough to find replacement forks, don't want to find that it was the triples...

[cr480r]

They could merely be misaligned.. Loosening the stem nut and letting the top clamp float sometimes helps

[Qdude79]

Yeah, I should have said, did that a few times (fork seals, etc.).

[DohcBikes]

Yes triple clamps can be bent almost as often as forks. Measure the run out on your forks.

[Qdude79]

What's the "proper" way to do that, short of rolling them on the garage floor? I don't have the setup shown in the service manual.

[deathman53]

I bent a bottom triple clamp..........atc 250r short track clamp too!!!!!!! thankfully, I didn't bent the hrc works top triple clamp. I crashed, stuck throttle over a jump and bent the forks. Replaced the forks, it didn't track correctly, front rim was bent......10" dwt rim, replaced with a dwt 11" rim, still didn't track right. So replaced bottom clamp with a stock clamp and it all was good. Bent forks, bent front rim and to add to the double insult ruining of a "unobtainuim" honda factory racing part. I bought a atc250r with a short track kit, what I didn't know is that the tank and shrouds were slightly different than short track tanks I later got(1 red and 2 new honda black tanks) and the triples were different and had 'honda hrc factory racing" on them. I am not sure what is different about them. Sadly it didn't have the complete short track kit, just tank, shrouds and triples. I later got the correct radiator brackets(after I modified a set and made relocation brackets). If you bent a 350x triple, they are easy enough to get, I wouldn't worry.

[deathman53]

the proper way to measure the "run out" is a machine shop. The garage way would be roll it on the edge of straight piece of wood, shop table, kitchen counter, etc. It will show any noticeable bends in it. I got another short track triple not long after, I used it with a stock top triple clamp, I didn't know if the factory racing part would fit correctly(maybe rake or offset is different).

[Qdude79]

I wish there were way(s) to test each of the pieces in question so I knew what to replace... Hate throwing money at parts that might be just fine.

[El Camexican]

If you have a metal bench, 2 vee blocks and a dial indicator on a magnetic pedestal you can check the forks by turning them in the blocks (just the sliders) with the dial indicator in the center of the slider.

For the trees start by separately placing the top and bottom on a perfectly flat surface and try to rock them. Make sure there's no casting flash, or burrs near the split that would affect this test, if there is you need to knock it off with a file. There should be ZERO rocking.

If all the parts pass these tests take one fork and insert it into the upper and lower tree on a bench and snug the bolts up. Then take the second fork and try to slip it through the bottom clamp and try and get it into the upper clamp without forcing it. If you have to do more than a gentle twist and push odds are the tree is bent. Usually it's the lower tree.

[Qdude79]

Good info! Thanks! I'll start there.