***Alignment*** 03 Road king

[fritzcoinc]

I followed the factory manual instructions for alignment, method B using lasers instead of straight edges, and ended up with the front motor mount all the way over to the primary side and still did not quite get alignment perfect. In spec but not perfect. Is this normal? Swing arm bushings are new and mounts are in good shape. Thanks

[fritzcoinc]

Well I am going to answer my own question. Maybe someone will get something out of this or tell me where I am screwed up:
After the original post then more jacken with the alignment the front motor mount is about 1/4" off center and the bike is on rails on the road!
Here's how I did it:
Jacked up the bike and set on stand then got the frame dead nuts level with a good quality two foot level across the frame tubes under the seat.
Sears sells a laser that is cheap, projects a flat plane for about 180 deg., has a magnetic base, and the plane can be rotated 90 deg to vertical or horazonal.
I put one laser on front and rear brake rotors on the same side of the bike pointing forward. Mounted this way the laser's project a beautiful red line on the floor.
Then put a magnetic base torpedo level on front and rear rotors to check for vertical.
Take the center bolt out of the front motor mount and loosen the lock nuts on the rod eyes at the front and top of motor.
Turn the front end until the level on the front rotor shows vertical.
Adjust the top rod eye to get the rear rotor vertical then adjust both rod eyes until rear laser intersects front laser directly below the front axle center and be sure to keep the front and rear rotors vertical. Adjusting one rod eye changes the other. So  after the first adjustment of top rod eye to get rear rotor vertical adjust both rod eyes together.
Loosen the front motor mount and move over to match the engine plate hole.
Be sure to tighten everything up.

You will be amazed how well the bike handles when it's all lined up!

When I started the bubble in the level on the rear rotor was about a third pass the line with the wheel leaning to the right. The laser on the rear shot way right of the front and missed the front axle center line by about 1 1/4".
What started me on this was when I rode the bike and looked down at the speedo the ass end looked to be tracking to the right. It was ez to see why when I checked the alignment. And, a buddy of mine who has the same bike told me his bike was way out of alignment too. He used straight edges to align his.