Author Topic: more loose fastener issues (Read 5246 times)

lather · « **on:** August 30, 2011, 05:46:13 PM »

The wife and I just retuned from a 1650 mile trip to the Indy MotoGP. All was well on the way but Saturday morning on the way to the track I notice loud rattling of the front fairing with every bump. I pulled over and discovered the two center fairing stay bolts were gone! GPS located an ACE hardware less than two miles away and the 10MM bolts were quickly replaced, using thread locker.

schrader · « **Reply #1 on:** August 30, 2011, 05:57:59 PM »

Mine fell out last week, windshield was bouncing around a lot before I noticed.

B.D.F. · « **Reply #2 on:** August 30, 2011, 08:34:26 PM »

The two bolts and nuts that mount the center fairing block to the frame? I had one fall out and the other was about 1" away from the block and the nut was long gone. A few of us have had that problem and it makes me think that it might have been missed at the factory. I put two new bolts and nuts in place, tightened them without any kind of thread lock and they haven't moved since.

The front end didn't rattle that I noticed but the headlights did wander lower and lower. The second time I had to adjust them 'up' I poked around and found that the entire front fairing was pivoting down around the one remaining bolt; putting new bolts in place required a surprising amount of force to lift the front fairing back into place. And then I had to adjust the headlights down.... of course. $:-\$

Brian

Quote from: lather on August 30, 2011, 05:46:13 PM

The wife and I just retuned from a 1650 mile trip to the Indy MotoGP. All was well on the way but Saturday morning on the way to the track I notice loud rattling of the front fairing with every bump. I pulled over and discovered the two center fairing stay bolts were gone! GPS located an ACE hardware less than two miles away and the 10MM bolts were quickly replaced, using thread locker.

stevewfl · « **Reply #3 on:** August 30, 2011, 08:38:18 PM »

Uh-huh and people knock me when i trash-talk the KAWASAKI brand.

There's just something about the "fit and finish" on these bikes. Had it not been for KiPass mine would be all to hell like my other kawi's have been

lather · « **Reply #4 on:** August 30, 2011, 09:34:13 PM »

Luckily I had a large friend along on an 09 to do the lifting while I did the insertions (no jokes, please - I know that don't sound right). At first I thought there was just one missing bolt but I replaced it and the fairing was still moving up and down. Back to the store for another bolt. It is interesting how machinery has a tendency to self disassemble. I can see a nut working itself off the end of a bolt but two 2 1/2 inch bolts working themselves all the way out of their holes? Murphy? Entropy?

stevewfl · « **Reply #5 on:** August 30, 2011, 09:46:40 PM »

corrected version:

Quote

It is interesting how ~~machinery~~ Kawasaki has a tendency to self disassemble.

Conrad · « **Reply #6 on:** August 31, 2011, 04:51:27 AM »

Dang Lather, with the problems you've had with nuts and bolts falling off you might want to think about carrying a supply of extras along with your tire repair kit.

lather · « **Reply #7 on:** August 31, 2011, 06:24:45 AM »

Quote from: Conrad on August 31, 2011, 04:51:27 AM

Dang Lather, with the problems you've had with nuts and bolts falling off you might want to think about carrying a supply of extras along with your tire repair kit.

vortex2 · « **Reply #8 on:** August 31, 2011, 06:30:51 AM »

When you consider the amount of thread lock that Kawi puts on most of the bolts, it's not suprising that the ones they DON'T lock fall out.
A true cynic would look at the price at the dealer of bolts and wonder.

That said, the only one that fell off mine was the ornamental one in the center of the top fork bracket and my dealer replaced it free, even though it listed for 20$ +/-.

stevewfl · « **Reply #9 on:** August 31, 2011, 08:14:24 AM »

41,000 miles and i haven't even tightened a header bolt.

But my bike is NOT typical Kawasaki, and i suspect it IS about to fall to shreds

Conrad · « **Reply #10 on:** August 31, 2011, 08:17:41 AM »

Quote from: stevewfl on August 31, 2011, 08:14:24 AM

41,000 miles and i haven't even tightened a header bolt.

But my bike is NOT typical Kawasaki, and i suspect it IS about to fall to shreds

Hey Steve, I'm curious. Have you ever checked your exhaust header bolts?

gPink · « **Reply #11 on:** August 31, 2011, 08:33:40 AM »

Nah,he just waves his fob in a clockwise motion in front of the radiator.

mkorn · « **Reply #12 on:** August 31, 2011, 10:07:33 AM »

Quote from: gPink on August 31, 2011, 08:33:40 AM

Nah,he just waves his fob in a clockwise motion in front of the radiator.

Hahahahahahaha

stevewfl · « **Reply #13 on:** August 31, 2011, 11:28:40 AM »

Quote from: Conrad on August 31, 2011, 08:17:41 AM

Hey Steve, I'm curious. Have you ever checked your exhaust header bolts?

Every time I change the oil. Kawasaki's scare me. I couldn't keep the header bolts snug on my Zx14 no matter how often i checked them.

wally_games · « **Reply #14 on:** August 31, 2011, 11:42:17 AM »

Quote from: Conrad on August 31, 2011, 08:17:41 AM

Hey Steve, I'm curious. Have you ever checked your exhaust header bolts?

I didn't check the manual, but aren't the header nuts' torque value really low? It's easy to think a nut is "loose" if the torque is low and you start wrenching with a socket.

Having said that, I tightened mine the other day (without a torque wrench) until they were pretty snug.

B.D.F. · « **Reply #15 on:** August 31, 2011, 02:39:25 PM »

Or just stand still in front of the bike, squeeze your fob as hard as you can, close your eyes and scream "Tight Nuts!". Everything on the bike will automatically tighten and the neighbors will give you a wide berth if they happen to see you anywhere in public.

Brian

Quote from: gPink on August 31, 2011, 08:33:40 AM

Nah,he just waves his fob in a clockwise motion in front of the radiator.

Conrad · « **Reply #16 on:** August 31, 2011, 02:45:54 PM »

Quote from: B.D.F. on August 31, 2011, 02:39:25 PM

Or just stand still in front of the bike, squeeze your fob as hard as you can, close your eyes and scream "Tight Nuts!". Everything on the bike will automatically tighten and the neighbors will give you a wide berth if they happen to see you anywhere in public.

Brian

I know there's a very funny joke to be made here someplace...

B.D.F. · « **Reply #17 on:** August 31, 2011, 08:32:48 PM »

Odd, I thought I had found it already....

Brian

Quote from: Conrad on August 31, 2011, 02:45:54 PM

I know there's a very funny joke to be made here someplace...

stevewfl · « **Reply #18 on:** August 31, 2011, 08:54:35 PM »

You guys have forced me to reveal the secret

ZG · « **Reply #19 on:** August 31, 2011, 10:16:34 PM »

Quote from: Conrad on August 31, 2011, 02:45:54 PM

I know there's a very funny joke to be made here someplace...

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Author Topic: more loose fastener issues (Read 5246 times)