Are You Sick Of You Bolts Snapping!!!!

GoldenMotor.com

Bushpig

New Member
Sep 10, 2009
42
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FtMcMurray Alta Canada
Each to their own, I guess, with differing weather conditions where these things are used all kinds of headaches can pop up, up here we go from plus 30 celcius (summer) to minus 40 winter, Yes I use my "Hardley) all year round, I have studded tires for winter.Heat and cold will make absolutely anything expand and contract, I say again, basic maintenance and a bit of common sense will carry the day.
 

Bushpig

New Member
Sep 10, 2009
42
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0
FtMcMurray Alta Canada
It's time to see what the motor from my "66" Stihl chainsaw will do on one of these set ups. If the little put put I have on it now, puts out like it does...Hmmmm, time for wheely bars.
 

Salty Gator

New Member
Aug 3, 2009
672
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Florida
i see what you're saying. Personally, I ride a 654cc single cylinder motorcycle everyday to work, so nothing these little engine do towards "vibration experienced by the operator" is a concern for me


The real reason i wanted to use the rubber was to preserve the condition of the frame so that when the engine vibrates, it doesnt start wearing grooves in the frame.

I fully understand what you mean by when the engine is isolated from the frame via rubber, it is free to "shake amongst itself", whereas if it was hardmounted, the vib would transfer its energy and distribute it through the frame, lessening stress on the mounts


In order to avoid both situatioins (non-transfered vibration and frame wear ) - what are the opinions on coating the bracket edges (i intend to use muffler brackets ) with a dense bead of silicone?

Looks like it's a catch-22 issue here . damned if....damned if not.....I think.shft. I'd rather put up with the vibrations because replacing bolts all the time seems kinda a PITA......I've heard of installing that spay in foam stuff in the handle bars works wonders and also a nice comfy springer seat .....front shocks... blah blah blah....just my nickels worth....


Laters,
Salty.shft.
 

bairdco

a guy who makes cool bikes
Aug 18, 2009
6,537
264
63
living the dream in southern california
just find an industrial hardware place like McFadden-Dale Hardware or McMaster-Carr and buy them.

i got black, grade 8 socket caps for every bolt on my motor, and button heads for my sprocket, for under 5 bucks at mcfadden-dale near my house.

you're not building a rocket ship. grade 8 will outlast your motor.

also, this is my opinion only, but throw that loktite away, and get some anti-seize. tighten everything properly, and relax.

i haven't lost a bolt, stripped a bolt, snapped a bolt, or had to tighten a bolt since i put mine together. and yes, i check them now and then.

now, if any of you really wanna get all technical about it, so you can be the "ultimate hardware know-it-all," go here: Fastener Stress Analysis Reference Library, On-Line.

then come back here and tell us what's the best. should take you a few years to figure it all out...
 

Bushpig

New Member
Sep 10, 2009
42
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FtMcMurray Alta Canada
Everyone relax...We are after all just passing on our experiences..Everyone has a different take on a different fix, we all want to fix "RIGHT NOW" at least I do when the mood hits. Other than that, I've beaten my bloody head against the wall for the silliest and easiest problems, I'm certainly not a "Motorized Bike Bible"...Just passing through and hoping to help a fellow in need.
 

Goat Herder

Gutter Rider
Apr 28, 2008
6,237
20
38
N.M.
My first year on one of these I had every trick played on me.....Broken bolts yes. One rear broke and sheared flush with the engine cashing. I drilled it out without taking the engine off. Not the greatest idea but I wrench for a living. I was not in the mood.. I too had a fit and put a grade eight in both rear sides. I drilled them both out at the engine cashing re-threaded and went eight millimeter. Never had a problem.

Does anyone know what happens to a die for rethreading a grade bolt does? If it works the die will be thrashed. You cannot very well drill on it and remove it with an easy out ether. Grade six is really the proper fastener. You learn a lot commercially wrenching. In a real stress test 6 will out last an 8 any day for flex. Kinda what happened to the Titanic it had no flex so it got to sink into the ocean! More is not always better...

Engineers do put more flex into things for a reason most folks don't ever realize.
 

Goat Herder

Gutter Rider
Apr 28, 2008
6,237
20
38
N.M.
Oh yea if anybody ever drills out the aluminum to re-thread. Heli Coils are the bomb! Install the heli coil with red loctite last put the fastener in with blue loctite. Blue is serviceable red is not. I use blue loctite on any thing that I think will rattle loose.

In automotive there are tons of use for loctite. Don't go buy a big bottle of it ether. Just a drop will do. Cars are serviceable the manufactures recommend and use loctite. Loctite is also an anaerobic sealer used on aluminum intake plenums to avoid vacuum leaks.
 

2door

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 15, 2008
16,302
175
63
Littleton, Colorado
All of these problems can be solved if you just don't over torque the bolts in the first place.
I never use rubber mounts on my builds, I don't over torque the bolts, & I never have any problems with the stock bolts stripping or breaking! (it's really that simple!) ;)
Listen to what this man says. I've maintained for a long time that over tightening and constant re-tightening is the biggest cause of fastener/thread failure. It is a myth that you should tighten your fasteners after riding and often. Once properly torqued and then re-torqued after the first couple of rides, or after the engine reaches operating temperature, the kit supplied fasteners, bolts, studs nuts, will provide you with many miles of trouble free service. Also solidly mounting the engine is another important item. Get rid of the rubber, or any soft mounting material and let the frame absorb some of the vibration inherent with any two stroke engine. Do not overtighten and do not constantly re-tighten your fasteners. Its a sure recipe for fastener failure if you do. That being said, if you have experienced fastener failures upgrading to a grade 5 or grade 8 fastener will assure you of good performance. Going higher in the alloy numbers, such as grade 9 or above is not a good idea. Mount the engine solidly, stay with the grade 5 or 8 and properly torque them, then leave them alone.
Tom
 

Bushpig

New Member
Sep 10, 2009
42
0
0
FtMcMurray Alta Canada
We can argue fasteners till the end of time and no one will win, Grade 6??? must be an American thing, never heard of them up this way, but oh well. I use good old grade eight in everything, My boats (I go with a grade eight stainless), my Argos and my snowmobiles Metric 10.9 in my Three-wheelers. I have been trapping for the last thirty years and have never been left out in the bush for a broken bolt. Make sure everything is CLEAN before you assemble or re-assemble a bit of removable loc-tite and off you go....
 

Bushpig

New Member
Sep 10, 2009
42
0
0
FtMcMurray Alta Canada
Toss the kit, its all Korean or Chinese made crap, cheap fasteners that are "Cheap". Any decent Nut and Bolt store will have everything you need to replace the kit on-hand, just go in and replace it all...As for using Anti-Seize in place of a removable Loc-tite..I'm glad it works for you, but its made for use in mostly "static" applications where vibration is not an issue but rust/corrosion seizing is. Like I've always said, each to there own, I've been wrenching for years on all sorts of Toys and you can still learn a new trick or two. Is what makes it fun.