The importance of regular tightening

Wickedest1 · Jun 30, 2013

Finally got a chance to ride today. Got 34 miles from home, riding wfo when my rear tire slammed into the frame and caused me to squeal and leave a wicked skidmark down some random road...had to get rescued...so, u want to know what happened right? Bearing cone washer popped from.the race, causing the hub to eat my bearings...luckily enough I was able to maintain a riders position and not eat the curb...

Please, please check for tight before your runs guys/girls...that could have ended differently...

Tight is key, but not over tight...

Good luck to you all...and safe journeys...

Kioshk · Jun 30, 2013

Glad you're OK, Papa; don't leave Jr. a loner! I snapped my first axle about two weeks ago...was about 5-miles from home; didn't lock-up, but felt like a flat, I was FOT too. I replaced it with an old axle I had laying around: THAT one snapped a week later. I learned my lesson, and realized that I could still ride on it conservatively back to home-base...about 3-miles. My advice in general is GREASE EVERYTHING! And don't over-tighten those cones. I'm in the market for a Chromoly axle, but they all seem to be in the $60 neighborhood.

2door · Jun 30, 2013

I'm not comfortable with the word "tighten". I'd prefer 'torque' because for many when you say "tighten" to them that means they should see the wrench turn the fastener every time they "tighten" them.

This is where the newbie or those with limited mechanical experience get into trouble. This is especially true with the engine fasteners such as head bolts, engine mounts, etc.
Once a fastener is tightened, preferably torqued with a torque wrench, there is no advantage to tighteneing them again. They can be 'checked' but if they're tight and haven't loosened from the original torque specs there is no reason to expect to see the wrench move them.

Overtightening of fasteners is one of the main reasons we see so many complaints about "poor Chinese quality". All too often it is not the fault of the fastener or where it was made but because it was over tightened.

Yes, by all means CHECK your critical fasteners but 'check' doesn't mean that you need to see a movement of the wrench or fastener.

Bottom line; buy a torque wrench, search for the proper torque values of the fastener size and material you have and tighten them to that value. If they are still at that value when you check them, don't tighten them any more.

Tom

maniac57 · Jul 1, 2013

2door said:
I'm not comfortable with the word "tighten". I'd prefer 'torque' because for many when you say "tighten" to them that means they should see the wrench turn the fastener every time they "tighten" them.

This is where the newbie or those with limited mechanical experience get into trouble. This is especially true with the engine fasteners such as head bolts, engine mounts, etc.
Once a fastener is tightened, preferably torqued with a torque wrench, there is no advantage to tighteneing them again. They can be 'checked' but if they're tight and haven't loosened from the original torque specs there is no reason to expect to see the wrench move them.

Overtightening of fasteners is one of the main reasons we see so many complaints about "poor Chinese quality". All too often it is not the fault of the fastener or where it was made but because it was over tightened.

Yes, by all means CHECK your critical fasteners but 'check' doesn't mean that you need to see a movement of the wrench or fastener.

Bottom line; buy a torque wrench, search for the proper torque values of the fastener size and material you have and tighten them to that value. If they are still at that value when you check them, don't tighten them any more.

Tom

Tom, you should make this a sticky and put it where every single new member HAS to read it.
It would save untold problems...

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The importance of regular tightening

Wickedest1

Member

Kioshk

Active Member

2door

Moderator

maniac57

Old, Fat, and still faster than you