Pinch bolt boo-boo

[Awaz]

So, I got my front tire replaced, wheel balanced, and put it back on the bike last weekend. I was pretty stoked that I got all that done inspite of being a bit on weak side due to recovering from some health issue. With wife nagging NOT to take the bike out for test and my excitement, I forgot to tighten down the pinch bolts and out we went wheeeeeee!!! I kicked it to about 80 just to see how it feels. Then my nephew gets on and does a test ride - between the two of us no more than 15 miles. And the the bike sits until today, when I realized I have not tightened those darn bolts !! So, question is, how bad is it? Do not think I see anything visually bad.

[wendel]

Well you do not need to go through the trouble of rocking the front suspension to seat the axle . I am not a mechanic but, I would think if you did not feel anything unusual, then everything is fine and you just need to go through the proper tightening sequence, ride and enjoy yourself. Bet you don't do it twice.

[Conrad]

So, I got my front tire replaced, wheel balanced, and put it back on the bike last weekend. I was pretty stoked that I got all that done inspite of being a bit on weak side due to recovering from some health issue. With wife nagging NOT to take the bike out for test and my excitement, I forgot to tighten down the pinch bolts and out we went wheeeeeee!!! I kicked it to about 80 just to see how it feels. Then my nephew gets on and does a test ride - between the two of us no more than 15 miles. And the the bike sits until today, when I realized I have not tightened those darn bolts !! So, question is, how bad is it? Do not think I see anything visually bad.

Come on now man! You can't blame this on the wife.   

[Awaz]

 

I cannot remember the last time 'I' made a mistake! It was always someone or something's fault !

Anyhow, I tighten them down and drove it to work. I was so paranoid, I had all kinds of odd feeling - kept thinking vibration, too much feel of the road, and more importantly, felt the bike was pulling to the right if I let go the handle bars (yep - did that)! At the parking lot at work, found out what was causing the pull to the right - right bag was full of junk ! lol !

[Conrad]

I cannot remember the last time 'I' made a mistake! It was always someone or something's fault !

Anyhow, I tighten them down and drove it to work. I was so paranoid, I had all kinds of odd feeling - kept thinking vibration, too much feel of the road, and more importantly, felt the bike was pulling to the right if I let go the handle bars (yep - did that)! At the parking lot at work, found out what was causing the pull to the right - right bag was full of junk ! lol !

Did the wife pack your bag for you?     

[VirginiaJim]

right bag was full of junk ! lol !

Too much junk in the trunk...

[Awaz]

Too much junk in the trunk...

I take it is a double entendre 

Too many martini ?

[VirginiaJim]

I take it is a double entendre 

Too many martini ?

Sorry, I don't speak French.  And one can never have too many martinis.

[Conrad]

Sorry, I don't speak French.  And one can never have too many martinis.

Or double entendres.     

[VirginiaJim]

 

[Rhino]

Thanks for sharing the story. You can bet I I will be double checking my pinch bolts the next time I have the front wheel off. I shudder to think what could have happened at 80 mph if the axle had come loose. 

[VirginiaJim]

Head over heels perhaps and possibly immortalized on Youtube, assuming one of your buds was filming it.

[Awaz]

Head over heels perhaps and possibly immortalized on Youtube, assuming one of your buds was filming it.

No one was filming. If I died, wife would be rich ! lol !

[VirginiaJim]

Same with me, wife would be rich.

[jimmymac]

Just a heads up on the front axle pinch bolts...
I always use a torque wrench to tighten them. It says in the manual to go back and forth with the bolts until they both click without turning. It's solid advise, since they always need more after you tighten the opposing one.

[Conrad]

Same with me, wife would be rich.

You don't say? How rich exactly?   

[VirginiaJim]

More than a dollar and less than the price of a current aircraft carrier.

[jtk1531]

the reverse happened to me once...
dealer tightened the pinch bolts but left the axle loose. finger loose, didn't even need tools to turn it after i loosened the clamp bolts.
they forgot to tighten the axle after changing tyres for me, and it didn't occur to me to check it again when i got home (too much trust on their workmanship at that time).
result: front wheel bearing failure within a week of tyre-change.
that was on a zx10r, much lighter than C14s.

[Awaz]

the reverse happened to me once...
dealer tightened the pinch bolts but left the axle loose. finger loose, didn't even need tools to turn it after i loosened the clamp bolts.
they forgot to tighten the axle after changing tyres for me, and it didn't occur to me to check it again when i got home (too much trust on their workmanship at that time).
result: front wheel bearing failure within a week of tyre-change.
that was on a zx10r, much lighter than C14s.

Wonder which is worse....what was your symptoms on wheel bearing failure?

Also, I did not do the back and forth thing. I have been driving the great distance of 2 miles (sheeesh) to work. But I will check them out.

[jjsC6]

If the axle nut is torqued down the pinch bolts don't do a whole lot anyway - at least not for a short term.  Long terms they could cause some issues for sure.  I'm pretty certain you would start to feel a little vibration while braking as the first sign of a problem.  That's my take on it - could be wrong.