Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums General Tech I'm no mechanic...

Ok, so I FINALLY get my tire fixed ($8 tube, 3 months with out the bike AHHHHHH!!!!!), but anyway, my cousin (who IS a mechanic haha) was taking my front tire off and noticed that there was a bolt REALLY loose (it was the one near the bottom of the forks, there are two). Anyway, I got a question--to be on the safe side, which bolts should I tighten before each and every ride? Chy, Phil, Pat, Gordo, Mike? I know you guys all have well maintained bikes, could you answer this long winded question in a concise manner? LOL...thanks a million.

Lee

Lee, brother good to hear from you. I can tell you that my bike stays together only from its on willpower between visits to Chy's, when he makes me tighten stuff. Now I can probably answer your question for Chy..... " every dang one of them sumbisquits boy, every dang one!!!! And polish it up so that the chrome reflects like another sun.... .... hope this helps.... ride safe...Gordon

Just my 2 bits. If you are going to be tightening the bolts on your bike I would invest in a good quality torque wrench and get the manual so you will have the specs. It is way too easy to try and snug up a steel bolt in an aluminum thread by "feel" and end up with a real mess. And a lost day or two of riding.

Gordo!! I hear ya man....I been buying a lot of tools lately and I'm just DYING to put em to use, plus than I can act like a bada$$ and say I actually work on my bike hahaha....seriously I'd like to keep it tight for the road. Night Rider, is a torque wrench necesary? I was just looking to make sure I'm not gonna be doin' 70 in a twistie and suddenly see my front wheel/engine case/ LIFE not make it throught the curve haha

Lee

I'm not Chy, Pat, Phil, Gordo, Nightrider, Lisa or a "mechanic", but to do it right, you're gonna need at least 2 good quality torque wrenches. A small one for the tight places and smaller bolts and a large one for things like axle bolts, front sprocket nut, and engine mounts.

Just my unwanted opinion here, but you can get carried away with this. Check the important stuff at every service - axles, pinch bolts, motor mounts, brake caliper mounts, etc.
Check the others when you have a need to remove them for some mod or other reason.
If it eases your mind, check them all one time, then get on with life....

My 2 cents worth is, everytime you clean your bike you should be checking for loose bolts etc. A good tool kit always comes in handy, read the spec on the torque setting in the pdf download front page on the site

Hey Lee!

You've already been given all the advice you need so I just want to hi!

May want to go light on the torque wrench at first , 3/8 drive is a good range for a scoot . 1/2 drive is a bit too high for the finesse of smaller , steel to aluminum stuff . Save the 1/2 drive for your Caterpillar . I use both , make sure it has dual reads , foot pounds AND Newtons .

You're talking about the pinch bolts? After tightening the second one, re-tighten the first, check the second again, back and forth until they are both tight.