| Author | Message | ||
     Elmono |
Cruising down the road yesterday and my handlebars turn downward in the clamp. My hands suddenly dropped about six inches at 40 MPH. I've tried stock, Crossroads, Flanders and now Renthal. The bars are 7/8 and the 4 bolts holding them down are tightened as far as I can tighten them, but the bars are turning in the clamp. I got some new bolts today, but rain kept me from putting them in. Has anyone experienced this problem and how'd you fix it? Thanks, Chad. | ||
| Aldaytona |
I tried the Crossroads briefly before I got my XB9R, you have gotta be one strong mutha to twist them in the clamps. | ||
| Jackbequick |
Is there a knurled section where the clamps bear on the bars? Or are they just smooth? In the past, on dirt bikes, I used to cut strips of emery cloth (like 100 grit or so) that were the width of the clamps and long enough to make one wrap around the bar without overlapping. I'd put those under the clamping area with the grit side in contact with the chrome plating on the bars. If you have a service manual, look up the generic bolt sizes torque settings and try that for starts. I'd probably put some blue LocTite on the bolts since it sounds like they may be loosening themselves. Jack | ||
| Ragnagwar |
Are you torquing the bolts down in the proper sequence? Rears first then fronts. And make sure the clamps and bars have been wiped free of debris. | ||
| Bomber |
make a shim from an EMPTY beer can (don't waste the beer) | ||
| Djkaplan |
I knew a guy who made an exhaust gasket for his 1970 Moto Guzzi with a beer can and a pocket knife. He always stressed how important it was to have a pocket knife (and beer) with you at all times. | ||
| Cyberfly |
I once made a shear pin for my outboard motor out of a bunch of fish hooks and I drank several beers while I was breaking off the fish hook points.... You can go to NAPA and get some brass shim stock, it has a lot of surface friction and is cheap.... | ||
| Elmono |
The manual's got fronts then rears at 10-12 ft lbs. There's no knurling on either the bars or the clamping surface, but it is debris-free. Maybe I could Dremel some knurls? Where do I get emery cloth and what is this beer you speak of? Just kidding... beer in a can, eh? Shiner and Lone Star only come in bottles and I don't think they sell anything else here in Texas. Will a Big Red or Dr. Pepper can suffice? Thanks, Chad. | ||
| Bomber |
emery cloth from any decent hardware store -- it's basically sandpaper (fairly fine) on cloth rather than paper . . . no, soft drink cans will not suffice, it must be a beer can, else your status as a rough, tough biker kinda doode is in jepordy, and you'll have to cut a corner off your guy card ;-} I wouldn't grind knurles on the bars our mounts -- low effort, if it works, if always good -- shim stock (from the aforementioned hardware emporium) will work fine -- brass or aluminum -- don't use steel shim (some stores stock it), you don't need the extra expense or strength, and it'll get messy/rusty PDQ of COURSE all guys should have a pocket knife at all times -- | ||
| Elmono |
I carry a SOG Flash II Tiger Stripe on my person at all times, even in my tighty whiteys. Ends up PO used the wrong bolts... yes, I hope they die and I hope they burn in hell. A trip to Corpus Christi Nuts and Bolts and $1 later, I'm in business. Stronger than grade 8, they said, and $.25 a bolt versus HD's $2 a bolt. Now I'm off to the hardware store for shims and emery. Thanks, Chad. | ||
| Johnnylunchbox |
I think Sears sells or sold this powder stuff that you could sprinkle in stripped phillips head screws. This stuff, if you looked at it under a microscope, looked like little spiked spheres. It's extra surfae area afforded the extra grip needed to back out the stripped screw. I bet a little of this stuff in between the bar and clamp would work wonders. For the life of me I can't remember what it was called. | ||
| Eboos |
It sounds like your clamp has clamped out. This used to happen with BMX bikes all the time. The repeated clamping on different bars (or the same one for that matter) will cause the clamping surface to compress until the clamp is pretty much useless. Personally, I don't know how much faith I would put in shim stock. I would recommend switching back to your Crossroads bars (which mounts with a plate), or replace your top tree and top mount. I have a knurling tool laying around somewhere. It works along the same lines as a pipe cutter, but instead of cutting wheels, it has 3 knurling wheels. This one will only do horizontal knurls, but it is better then nothing. If there is no other option, let me know, and I will look for it. If you like, I could send it to you, and then just send it back when you are done. This is of course if you have no other options. | ||
| Oldog |
Check the clamps with the new bars installed 1. do the caps touch the top tree? if so remove a small amount of stock from the bottom of the caps 2. are the bolts bottomed out in the holes? 3. shims will make the clamps spread out and may ruin them. 4. If there is a gap in the clamp on BOTH sides and it is tight (bolts not bottomed), Knurl the bars with Eboos tool adding shims will effect the loadings on the caps and the clamps, not to mention be a pita to fit and install. I hope that this helped. from the porch Oldog....  | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
I find it odd that the bars are'n knurled. I thought all bars were knurled. | ||
| Eboos |
I just found my knurling tool. It will work on chromed bars, and anything softer. One inch is the maximum diameter that my tool can handle. Let me know if you need it. | ||
| Chasespeed |
If you had the crossroads, you need to find some shorter bolts. The ones they supply with their bars, are too long for anything OTHER than their bars.... Had this issue when replagin mine, went to Tidewater Fastener, and got a new set of clamp bolts for a 1...1/4 inch shorter, all I needed...problem solved... Other wise, come by the shop, I can get your ride fixed up, I know I have enough of the right hardware there..lathe, etc.. You have my number, ring me if you need it.. Chase | ||
| Outrider |
Bombers suggestion of shim stock & emery cloth is a winner. No machining required and it worked great on a set of ape hangers I installed a very long time ago. LOL Is a real pain when your apes drop as the controls are in close proximity to your hips. Ewww...Scary!!! |
