| Author | Message | ||
     Sharkguy |
So I was changing my oil on the 09 yesterday and noticed the bolt that is just above the front muffler band is missing. I looked at the shop manual and it shows a bolt, nut and two bushings, it's called a front muffler mount fastener. If anyone has a parts manual that can look it up for me I would be grateful. Or any idea where I can get suitable DIY replacement. I have no idea how long this has been missing  Thanks guys! Larry | ||
| Teeps |
If the bushings are not missing. Just get a grade 8 bolt & lock nut at a hardware store. Bolt: 5/16-18, 2 1/4" L, GRADE 8 Nut: FlexLock, 5/16-18 or Contact Al @ American Sport Bike. | ||
| Sharkguy |
Thanks Teeps, I did buy a ss bolt in that size but an allen head. The head was too big to fit into the recess of the holder. that was going in from the left side of the muffler. I will go back to the hardware today and look for one in grade 8 with a nylock nut, might be a smaller head size because it's a grade 8. The bushings are between the motor case on either side of the muffler bracket correct? Thanks! | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
Nylock might not be a good idea for an exhaust application. Or perhaps it doesn't get that hot. I may be just paranoid from my ironhead days. Get within a quarter mile of an iron motor in the summer and stuff melts. | ||
| Teeps |
Sharkguy Posted on Tuesday, January 12, 2016 - 04:47 am: The bushings are between the motor case on either side of the muffler bracket correct? Yes. Agree with Nate, if the nylon melts, the nut may loosen. An auto parts store may have a flexlock nut. It probably would be a good idea to review the muffler installation in the service manual and follow the instructions to the letter. Note: the muffler strap torque spec is in in/lbs; don't over tighten them... don't ask me how I know. | ||
| Al_lighton |
That bolt goes missing a LOT. But I'm pretty sure that the OEM nut doesn't come loose and the bolt falls out. What is more likely is that the bolt fails in fatigue, and falls out on both sides. That bolt is under a lot of stress, and it is a critical bolt. Operate the bike for long with it missing and you'll be replacing your exhaust studs, and just as likely a header or muffler. IF you haven't looked at all 4 studs, do it. One or more is likely on it's last legs, replacement PRIOR to failure is always preferred, they're a bitch to drill out, and it requires a drill guide to do properly. You should NOT use a stainless bolt there. Stainless isn't grade 8, and it needs to be that strong. But there is something else going on, I'm pretty sure. The new Flexlock nut as it goes on the first time starts to gall/cold weld onto the bolt pretty quickly as it threads on, and the torque to tighten it skyrockets. And since the nut is seated into the hex cast into the bracket, it means that you are tightening the bolt, not the nut, as it tightens, which is not the preferred way to tighten a nut. I think in a bunch of installations, the fatigue resistance of the bolt is destroyed during the initial over-tightening. I don't think there is a torque spec on that bolt, and even if it had one, it would be meaningless. The reason that you tighten a bolt to a particular torque spec is to achieve a certain amount of bolt preload for fatigue resistance. But the lock nut makes that torque not indicative of actual bolt stretch. The manual doesn't call for it, but you should always use antiseize on that lock nut when tightening it. http://americansportbike.com/newdir/Item/15098 http://americansportbike.com/newdir/Item/15077-18 | ||
| Teeps |
Good insight with regard to that fastener, and, associated problems from misinstallation... I've never removed the front mount, nut-bolt, or the strap, though the muffler has been off and on many times. I don't think the H/D dealer removed and/or replaced it or the front strap when they did the side stand recall either. | ||
| Griffmeister |
The front mount fastener, which you're missing, is torqued to 16-18 ft-lbs and is the very last fastener to be tightened when installing the muffler. Definitely follow the procedure in the manual. I would also recommend using an expander on the muffler inlet to ensure that it moves smoothly and fully onto the header pipe. I broke a couple of those bolts after having the muffler off once and eventually broke a header stud. Realized too late that I wasn't getting the muffler properly seated. Expanding the pipe solved that and I haven't broken one since. | ||
| Sharkguy |
Thanks for all the great advise guys. I made a trip to the local Ace hardware and picked up a grade 8 allen head bolt and a flexlok nut. lubed it up good with antisieze and installed it. I couldn't see anything strange with the header bolts, and the header pipe did not appear to have moved from it's original position on the muffler. The bolt slid into the hole with no problem. I will be keeping a close eye on it from here on out. Again, thanks for all your help! Larry |
