| Author | Message | ||
     Cheesebeast |
Howdy all, I have a Jardine exhaust on my XB9R. The front end is starting to feel funky (loose). I believe I need to verify the steering head bolt is properly torqued. How do you lift the front end of your Jardine equipped Buell? I have a triple tree front stand, but it supports the weight of the bike on the center of the bottom of the triple tree. I am concerned this will not allow me to tighten the steering head properly. Is my only option to remove the Jardine (agggh)? Thanks, Cheese | ||
| Deltablue |
You don't need to lift the front end to tighten the steering head, only to check the play. | ||
| Cheesebeast |
Thanks Deltablue, I was having a brain cramp trying to figure out how to do this. Of course, I have a small brain so it is prone to cramping. | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
That kind of stand will not interfere with tightening the head bearings. Just follow the shop manual. Jack it up. Loosen the lower triple. Loosen the lock nut on the back of the top triple. Loosen, then tighten top bearing fitting to 50ft lb. The trick is to also torque the locking bolt and triple bolts to the proper torque. It is easy to break the top triple by over tightening. As always with steel fasteners going into aluminum, blue Loctite, ( I like using the "stick"), will keep the screws in, and help reduce galvanic corrosion between the two dissimilar metals. Did I get that right, guys?  | ||
| Hogs |
MAy I add that a few here have followed the torque specs. for the top tree lock bolt and have Cracked the top tree.. so Be Carefull there...! | ||
| Cheesebeast |
Yes, I will be careful with torquing the top tree. I bought the bike used and the former owner had cracked the triple tree at that vulnerable point by over-tightening. Does make me nervous... Thanks again all, Cheese | ||
| Deltablue |
I'm not 100% sure without the manual in front of me but I thought it said after checking front end play to put the front end back on the ground before tightening the steering head cap. A t least thats the way I've been doing it. | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
I guess it is time for another torque wrench rant. Some of the Buell torque spec.s seem to be too high. A case in point is the values for the upper triple, oil drain plug and the primary chain case inspection port screws. Guys seem to be stripping these all the time. I recommend the following: 1. Develop a feel for tightening: it is pretty easy to feel when a screw is going into plastic yield: ie: breaking. 2. Use a dial, rather than a click torque wrench: the clickers can loose accuracy, and don't have much feel just when you need it most. 3. Use medium, blue Loctite any time there is a steel fastener going into aluminum. It keeps the screws in without over tightening, and reduces corrosion between dissimilar metals. 4. Unless high tension, or high shear strength is an element in the job, like torquing down a cylinder head, I recommend changing to stainless fasteners going into aluminum, as they are closer on the galvanic scale, and cause less corrosion. just my .02ยข | ||
| Alchemy |
On the Uly the capnut torque is 38-42 ft-lbs. Loctite on the pinch bolt and lower triple clamp fasteners but not the capnut. The upper pinch bolts are not loosened. I wrote up my Uly adjustment and posted it on here: http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/142 838/283160.html#POST930706 | ||
| Mr_gto |
Hey Cheese, if you ever want to lift the front up just use ratchet straps under the steering head. Just make sure all the wires and such are out of the way. This is of course if you have exposed beams in your garage. For the rear i use jack stands with thick socks on them. You lean the bike over put a jack stand under the high side push the bike up on that jack stand then slide the other on under. Poor boys bike stands! | ||
| Cheesebeast |
Gentleman_jon, I think I received your warning about sloppy torque wrench technique when I masterfully stripped the bolts holding on the clutch inspection cover on my XB9R. Your advice bears repeating! Thanks to Alchemy for the breakdown on the technique and to Mr_gto for your advice about the stands. What would a Bueller do without Badweb? I am guessing: Walk! |
