XJ11 - front wheel rotation - right easy, left resistance.

When I got the XJ11 last Oct, when pushing it or sitting on it I could turn right and push/walk it foreward with no problem. When turning left though it would have resistance and feel like the brakes were dragging. turn the wheel a bit more straight and it eased. Going straight or with the wheel to the right was no problem. I assumed the L caliper was sticking.

I've rebuilt all three calipers and replaced all hoses with Teflon lines with SS braid. While moving the bike inside & out of the garage to work on the engine I see the problem is still there which means it's not the lines, brakes or calipers that is at issue. When the calipers were off the wheel turned freely and I didn't notice this problem.

Idears?

 

Dont turn left. 3 rights make a left. Actually I have heard this one before I dont remember the fix Ill search for it.

 

LOL So that's why I always end up at the same place. Oh yeah, it's called home.

I've spent my life going in circles...

Dual discs on the XJ1100 & thanks for looking. I had mentioned this last year without hearing of a specific target. I figured a complete brake job & new hoses would fix the problem.

 

Found the thread I was thinking about. Guess what, you posted in it and the answer if found was never posted. Sorry for getting your hopes up.

 

Yup, story o'my life. I never got the answer so I just rebuilt everything so as to have good brakes and clear up the issue.

Doing all the above didn't fix the turning issue.

As in the X-Files; The truth is out there.

 

KA1J its a machine process of elimination Do the opposite of how you normally do it and see if you get the same results. For example when I move my bikes around I stand on the left side of the bike so the bike is always leaning a little to the left try standing on the opposite side you normally do and see if turning left gets the same results.

 

That symptom usually occurs (on the bikes with the holding-block style calipers, like yours) if the caliper can't slide freely in relation to the holding block.

How thorough was the caliper rebuild?

What shape are the front wheel bearings in? Did you check brake rotor runout?

 

Can you get any horizontal, rotatational free play with the front wheel when you lock the steering? If so, you've got wheel bearing issues. That's the only way I can see the rotor(s) getting an intermittent increase in friction with the wheel turned in a particular direction. Unless the rotors are warped. But then, it wouldn't matter if it was in a turn or not.

 

What's it like with no load? Raise the front wheel off the ground and spin it... try in both directions and side to side.... Look and listen... Might give a clue to what's happening

 

No help here but I have the same issue on my '82 XJ750J. When I'm rolling the bike out of the garage (backwards) if I turn to the left then I get drag on the front wheel but if I straighten it up it goes away. I don't feel it going to the right. I haven't done any of the work that you have done but will want to some day. I'll be anxiously be watching this thread for any ideas.