| Author | Message | ||
     Surveyor |
I've got to do a 350k trip tomorrow and I've just fitted new Pirelli Diablos. On torqueing up the front wheel axle I found that the wheel is binding (on the bearings) and will not turn freely. If I loosen the axle it will turn OK. I still have the original (black) wheel bearings...is this the problem or am I missing something? I've had the wheels on and off dozens of times at the track and never noticed this problem before. I can tighten the axle to the point where the wheel is just about turning freely and then tighten up the pinch bolts but I'm wary of riding with an axle that's not tightened up to full spec.....any help or advice appreciated. | ||
| Surveyor |
Blake, sorry, I know I should have posted on the KV but I have to make this trip tomorrow so I need help quickly......you can move the thread tomorrow if you like. | ||
| Cataract2 |
You did use anti seize on the axle? | ||
| M1combat |
Try tightening it to spec and then putting the front on the ground. Hold the front brake and compress the front a few times with body weight. Maybe turn the steering head a couple times back and forth before you do the compressing? If something's binding just a little maybe that'll do it? Just for the record (and maybe it could kill me, someone let me know  )... I usually tighten mine down until it begins to bind just a bit, then I back it off JUST ENOUGH so the wheel rotates freely. Then I tighten the pinch bolts. Are you sure you got the bearing seated all the way? I assume you still have the insert that goes between the bearings in there? Anti-Sieze? Maybe tighten the axle enough to make it bind a little, then tap around the bearings with a mallet and a piece of wood to make sure they're seated? | ||
| Surveyor |
Thanks for the quick replies guys, I'm heading back to the workshop now to try M1's suggestions. BTW I did use anti seize and I haven't touched the bearings (just changed the tyre) so they should be OK. I'll get back to you later. Thanks again. | ||
| Buellin_ri |
You do not have the updated (red) bearings? Don't know if it would solve the problem but if Buell recalled them I would get them changed. | ||
| Gowindward |
FYI Per the 03' service manual the torque spec for the front axle is 39-41 ft-lbs | ||
| M1combat |
Oh... yeah... If you still have the original black bearing get them swapped out ASAP. | ||
| Surveyor |
Just got back from my workshop and the wheels are on!!! Seems the problem was with my torque wrench which is working fine in the clockwise direction but not anti clockwise which is what's required to tighten the front axle......the result was I was overtightening it. When I fitted the back wheel the wrench 'broke' once it reached the correct torque but when I reversed the ratchet and put it on the front axle it wouldn't break. I checked the front with an old (really old) bender/beam torque wrench and it showed the axle as way over tight so I loosened and retightened it using the old wrench and everything seems OK. A couple of thoughts strike me; Surely it shouldn't be possible to overtighten an axle to the point where the wheel won't turn freely? To me this suggests that pressure is bearing on the inner race to the point where the bearing is binding and this shouldnt happen if the spacer between the two wheel bearings is doing it's job. I wonder if this is what causes the old bearings to fail? Is my torque wrench busted or do ratchet type wrenches not work anti clockwise? How the hell did I torque up the axle every other time I removed the wheels ( this may be a short term memory problem related to age) I must admit that when time is pressing (e.g. at the track) the most common torque setting used is "TAF" which has the advantage of doing away with the need for a torque wrench. ( "TAF" = Tight As F**K BTW) I realise I've got to change the bearings and I'm going to see about that next week. Thanks for the help everyone.....it's great to be able to call on all that support in time of crisis. | ||
| Cataract2 |
Don't know about your torque wrench, but I can recommend this type to you and it works for 1ft/lb+ in torque. Craftsmen beam torque wrench I'll be honest, I didn't like it when I got it for my present, but I've grown to love this torque wrench. You can adjust it yourself. It's really really sturdy and has no moving parts to break. Lifetime warrenty to boot. Plus it handles torque ft/lbs all the way down to 1 which allows me to do any job on the bike for ft/lbs. | ||
| Xbolt12 |
Your torque wrench is busted. My proto ratcheting works both ways accurately. I would think the over-torque compressed the spacer just enough to start binding the bearings. I do believe those black seal bearings are recalled though... | ||
| Henrik |
Torque wrenches supposedly need to be calibrated every year or so (I know - I don' t do it either ...), and the clicker type should be stored dialed down to the lowest setting possible to retain accuracy as long as possible. Finally, some torque wrench manufacturers have different accuracy specs for each "turn direction." Henrik | ||
| Sgthigg |
Torque wrench calibration intervals depends usually on the manufacturer. It varies from every 60 days to 3 yrs (tops so far i have seen). Dependent on the manufacturer. If you all give me a list of #'s I can give you all the mil spec on the intervals. Plus if they're dropped its a good idea to have it rechecked. If you need one cal'd let me know. Its what I do. The MAJORITY of them are clockwise only. There are only very few bi-directional. | ||
| Trojan |
Check the spacer that goes inside the wheel hub between the bearings! Overtightening the axle will crush this light alloy spacer and can lead to the bearings collapsing - Beware! | ||
| Darrell_ks |
Decades ago while in the Air Force I got busted not using a torque wrench on the aircraft and got to spend 30 days in the cal lab "popping" (calibrating) wrenches. Based on that I can make a couple of suggestions. If you have a swing arm type wrench, throw it away. Any bump or push against the needle will put it out of cal and make it dangerously misleading. Racheting torque wrenches were not available then, so I can't say if they are any good. For normal breakover type wrenches, most of them are NOT calibrated below 20% of their max range. A good practice for break over wrenches is to "pop" them three times in each direction at the desired torque before using them. This will lubricate the internals and let you know if they dont feel equal in both directions. As mentioned above, if you drop one, you should have it checked before using it again. BTW, that was the longest and most boring 30 days in my entire 4 years of active duty. | ||
| Eurotwins |
The Snap-on digital torque wrench is self calibrating everytime you turn it on and can be set to Nm,Lbs/ft and Inchs/lb just by a scroll of a button. I know at $200.00+ its expensive but feel its a worthwhile investment....John | ||
| Diablobrian |
good tools don't cost, they pay! in the long run you have far less trouble with quality tools | ||
| Sgthigg |
Wow the AF let people calibrate equipment without being certified in it. I know in the Corps/Navy you cant cal anything unless you have school or quals in it. Darrell got a taste of my world. Except mine isnt an exile from anywhere for punishment. Its where I work...lol.  We however do tons of electronics too. Makes it a little more bearable. As for the snap on self calibrating torque wrench. It is called "self calibrating" because it probaly only resets the zero and span every time you use it. The only way to calibrate sometihng is to compare it to something more accurate. I will check into if you got a part #. (Message edited by sgthigg on December 14, 2005) |
