I removed the fork pinch bolts and was putting anti-seize on them and reinstalling to torque specs. All was going good and I was on the last one. The top Right that has the horn and turn signal brackets on it. Well the brackets suck. They seemed to have interfered with the torque wrench getting feedback. I heard a nice pop and knew it was not good. It pulled out the threads. What would be the best way to repair this? Tap it out to the next size, heli coil, or some other fix? The bike is an 08 TE. It has 2 pinch bolts on the bottom and only 1 on the top. Any/all suggestions greatly appreciated!
A longer bolt and nut wont work by its self. The triple clamp is not square where the bolt comes out. I would need to modify a spacer for behind the nut, cut at an angle to make it work. I did buy a SAE tap and die set today. My research shows a SAE 3/8" 16 pitch would be the next step up from the M8 I stripped out. Argh! I wouldn't feel so bad if if was my bike that I over torqued.
This is not going to help you with this problem but may help in the future. In my experience torque values are usually done "dry". If you put anti-seize, or locktite or grease or anything else that will "lube" the threads, it is best to decrease the torque wrench setting. When in doubt, put a bolt in dry and torque it, count the threads as you install it and mark the head position. Then put on your anti-seize and just run it in as far as the dry torqued one was. On the lower clamps you can distort the fork tubes if they are over torqued. Ken
Take it to a machine shop and have them install a Time Sert in the threaded part. Normally you make thread repairs at home with Time Serts but this one might be a bit tricky because it will have to be installed from the back side and there isn't much room to get a hand drill in there with out running into the other side of the triple clamp. In the future if you are going to use anti seize on torqued fasteners you should reduce the torque value by about 20% (rule of thumb), some types of anti seize might need to reduced by as much as 40%. Installing you're torqued fasteners dry or with a light lubricant is best at getting close to the recommended torque value.
The Timesert is a superior product, when it can be used. I may be wrong, but it looks like quite a bit of milling would be needed on the back side. IMO I would probably try a PermaCoil or similar type. Most likely would need to drill the non threaded outboard hole oversize for the insert clearance. The horn bracket steals some threads, so you might look and see if you could use a longer bolt in that hole. There may be some good threads in the bottom, still.
I am going to Sears to get a low tech beam torque wrench. The clicker scares me now. :bonk: Think the best fix for me will be the 3/8-16 tap.
I agree that the horn bracket robs too many threads and I'm suprised that stripping out the few threads that are left to grab isn't a more common occurance. When you get the threads fixed, a longer bolt would be a wise choice...
Well, my horn bracket broke off, so I cut the jagged end off, drilled a hole in the remainder, then bent it and mounted to the underside of my speedometer unit. It's been happy and safe there for over a year now and the threads are certainly freed up on the triple clamps.
Thank you Dirtdame for that horn tip and pic! I will be doing that for sure for both the TE's. The turn signal brackets will not be going back on as I have mini's to attached to the headlight cowling. I removed the top triple clamp today and took it to HRT (Hanson Racing Technology) and he installed a helicoil and I am happy as a clam!!! I am so happy I didn't try the repair. He saved my day again. Thank's for the input CH. Like I mentioned before, I was bumming out as it wasn't my bike I buggered up.
Glad to hear that you've got it solved. I was going to add that I had the same problem last month while putting my suspension back on from LTR (quite happy BTW). I also used anti-seize and I had that disgusted/pissed off/couldn't believe it/bad feeling in my stomach when the torque wrench didn't quite click and then the threads gave-way. Of course this was the wee hours of the night before a big trip to boot! At any rate I'm chiming in here as I was able to thread in a slightly longer bolt and it torqued up just fine. I still don't have a feeling of long-term reliability with this fix and I too will have to address it again probably also using a heilcoil. So if this happens to anyone else, and you want what I feel is a temporary fix, try the longer bolt. Dirtdame - I really like what you did with your horn mount. As mine broke off some time ago, and I need to remount it, I'll use the same approach - thanks! Jeff
