ScottM Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 After finding the pinch bolt on my front axle loose, I have gotten paranoid about loose fasteners. I know the best answer is check and re-torque everything but want to know if there is a list of usual suspects on the 1200RT. Thanks. Scott Link to comment
2wheelterry Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 Its not what you asked, but... A friend took his R1200RT to the dealer for tires, they put a red paint stripe on the critical fasteners. Kinda a neat idea. But one might have a half dozen paint stripes after a few miles. Link to comment
onmyrt Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 Wow, as critical as that front axle pinch bolt is, it might not be a bad idea to have it drilled for safety wire and secured that way. Link to comment
ShovelStrokeEd Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 No need for safety wire although I wouldn't call it a bad idea. If the fastener is sized properly for the job and torqued to specification, it will not loosen. Design engineers have the responsibility to figure this stuff out along with appropriate safety margins. In most cases where a bolt loosens it is because the last person to tighten it failed to meet the proper specification for torque or decided he knew more about the subject than the engineer who put together the system and applied lubrication to a system that was designed to be assembled dry. Link to comment
Ken H. Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 Wow, as critical as that front axle pinch bolt is, it might not be a bad idea to have it drilled for safety wire and secured that way. In this particular example it won't help. The general accepted wisdom is that it front pinch bolt torque issue on certain early hexheads is due to stretching of the bridge, not backing out of the pinch bolts. Of course that's not BMW's official position, but those who have marked them, then rechecked them 10,000 miles/km later have found no evidence that the bolt had moved but they were again below torque spec. Link to comment
gasser Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 Now, this is the advantage of being a long-time HD rider. We loctite everything. Haven't you ever ridden behind one of us and gotten hit by flying parts? Link to comment
fourteenfour Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 my girlfriend for starters... but what about the the centerstand and kick stand? do their mounting bolts require a set amount of torque? (only reason I mention them is a friend has his kickstand actually disappear during a trip) Link to comment
ShovelStrokeEd Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 In fact, every bolt has a recommended torque. There are guidelines available from any bolt manufacturer. Do a Google search for fastener torque. The subject can get a bit technical in re grades of bolt, type of joint, lube or no lube but, lacking a specific setting, which many tech manuals have for every bolt on the bike, I would go with the generic torque for the bolt or just by feel based, in my case, on 50 or more years of wrenchin' on stuff. Link to comment
gettysburg Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 While not a show stopper, check to make sure all the fairing screws are tight(or even installed) when you pick up your bike from servicing. Last time I picked my bike from dealer service, the screws holding the cubby-hole lid weren't tightened down and the lid was just flopping about. My guess is that the screws were installed with a few twists of the hand were never torqued with a driver. I also noticed my wife's bike was missing a fairing screw after she picked it up from 600mi. service. Those fairing screws aren't cheap at $2.00 each. Link to comment
Emoto Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 Centerstand bolts (after I lost one) and tripleclamp pinch bolts. Link to comment
ScottM Posted June 22, 2007 Author Share Posted June 22, 2007 Thanks. Will check those. Scott Link to comment
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