H
HoughMade
Guest
I was out for yet another shakedown ride today (want a few more before I tear down for paint). About 2 miles from home, I heard: tink, tink, tink- the distinctive sound of metal bouncing on pavement....before it could really register, tink, tink, tink, again. Nothing seemed wrong, but I pulled off, and went back.
Lucky me- I found all the parts of my springer fork- the spring bolt (about 3/8" x 5") unscrewed itself and it, the rubber bumper and end cap had come off. If you are familiar with the single spring "Schwinn" type springer fork, you know what I mean. The spring did not fall out- if it had at speed- that would have been very bad. I got out my trusty tool roll (I will post pics of it at some point), the proper sized wrench, and screwed the bolt and parts back on.
This initially put a damper on my planned longer ride, but without a spirit of adventure- I would not have even built the bike. Off I went again with my eye on the bolt. 8 miles later, it had almost worked its way out again, so I pulled over are tightened it back up and made it the rest of the way home without any trouble.
Here's what I am going to do- the bolt screws into a thick plate and uses no nut- it will now. I am going to get a nylon lock nut for the end of the bolt and using loctite on it as well. All that nut has to do is act a a jam nut and keep the bolt from coming out and I think between it being a jam nut, the nylon lock and the loctite, that should do it.
All in all, it was a very nice 16 mile ride- this is why I am doing the shakedown rides Nothing else loosened up and the Honda is running smooth.
Lucky me- I found all the parts of my springer fork- the spring bolt (about 3/8" x 5") unscrewed itself and it, the rubber bumper and end cap had come off. If you are familiar with the single spring "Schwinn" type springer fork, you know what I mean. The spring did not fall out- if it had at speed- that would have been very bad. I got out my trusty tool roll (I will post pics of it at some point), the proper sized wrench, and screwed the bolt and parts back on.
This initially put a damper on my planned longer ride, but without a spirit of adventure- I would not have even built the bike. Off I went again with my eye on the bolt. 8 miles later, it had almost worked its way out again, so I pulled over are tightened it back up and made it the rest of the way home without any trouble.
Here's what I am going to do- the bolt screws into a thick plate and uses no nut- it will now. I am going to get a nylon lock nut for the end of the bolt and using loctite on it as well. All that nut has to do is act a a jam nut and keep the bolt from coming out and I think between it being a jam nut, the nylon lock and the loctite, that should do it.
All in all, it was a very nice 16 mile ride- this is why I am doing the shakedown rides Nothing else loosened up and the Honda is running smooth.