Update to frontaxle question thread. Need help.

[BigLenny]

Well, As you know from reading my other thread, I had a freakin monster of a time getting my front axle to break lose once I took the pinch bolt out. I worked with it for about an our at night, and then got on it the next morning. I had to grunt, holler, and pull with all my 300lbs of weight to finally get it to break lose. As I'm finding out from some of you and a few friends locally, once I took the pinch bolt out, it shouldn't have been that hard.

 

Well, now I'm realizing why there was a problem. When I got the axle out, I had noticed the threads had what looked like some sort of maybe thread locker stuff on it, and they also had what I now realize was some thread trash on them. At that time, I just cleaned them up real good, and took a brush to them and got them shiny looking again. I wasn't even thinking to look at the threads inside the fork tube. Well, today I got my new tire on the rim, and started back remounting the wheel on the fork tubes. When I got the axle snug, I put my torque wrench on it, set to 56 ftlbs, and I didn't turn it hardly any and I felt the threads get weak. The torque wrench hadn't even got to the point of clicking yet. I stopped instantly and realized what I had felt. I backed the axle back out, and looked inside the fork tube and confirmed what my suspicions were. The threads were in pretty ruff shape and had been semi stripped. I now realize that the last time I had the tire replaced at the bike shop, they must've overtightend and partially stripped it, so they then put a thread locker on it to make it stay in place. That had to be why it took an act of God to get it to break loose.

 

So, I'm in a predicament. I need suggestions for next steps. Do I have to buy a new fork tube? Has anyone had to go through this and maybe fixed it another way? If I do have to buy a new fork tube, does anyone have one that I could buy cheap? etc, etc, etc.

 

The suckish thing is, the shop that I had the work done at, went out of business, then was bought and opened by new owners. So, there's no way I can get retribution.

 

Need help, please.

[Squidley]

Lynn,

 

What I would do is install a Helicoil in the fork. You'll obviously have to match the thread size up, run a tap through it, and install the Helicoil, which I suggest that you Loctite with the red stuff so it doesn't come out. Go back through the Helicoil after the Loctite is dry with the tap to make sure it's clean and install the axle shaft.

 

The torque on the front axle is 56 ft lbs, the pinch bolt torque is 13 ft lbs

 

There are options for you on this, dont sweat it, I have repaired LOTS of heavy equipment using Helicoils and they are still working today.

[Flyinfool]

:sign yeah that:

 

I Heli-coil all kinds of stuff.

The heli coil thread is actually stronger than the original thread.

 

Just to be clear, the red loctite is to install the Heli-Coil into the fork, use the loctite sparingly so that you do not end up red loctiting the axle bolt in. Let the Loctite set up over night before putting in the axle.

[BigLenny]

So, I find a helicoil that fits my axle, then I tap my fork the size of the helicoil, then I red Loctite the helicoil into the fork, then I screw my axle in?

[Squidley]

So, I find a helicoil that fits my axle, then I tap my fork the size of the helicoil, then I red Loctite the helicoil into the fork, then I screw my axle in?

 

Thats pretty much it in a nutshell

Just make sure that you let the loctite dry 1st before you put the front axle in or you'll never get the axle shaft out again!

[BigLenny]

Okay, will do.

 

I have the benefit of my cousin who is a 35 year lead machinist at the largest mfg of oil valves in the nation. He is very comfortable tapping and installing these.

 

When I told him that you guys suggested this, he said that is exactly what he was going to suggest.

 

I offered him a nice dinner for he and his wife to assist me with this. LOL.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

 

This is why I mentioned cross threading in the other article, which is not that different from stripped threads in your situation.. It should not have been that hard to remove that nut... Of course that's obvious now. Please don't allow anyone else near it with an impact wrench!

 

[BigLenny]

Brian, I definitely won't!

 

You know, I am very upset with the shop that did this, but, I do wonder why Yamaha couldn't have just manufactured a steel threaded sleeve into the fork so it would lessen the possibilty of this happening?

[Flyinfool]

I worked for many years for a military contractor, It was absolutely forbidden (with the exception of some very rare special cases) to ever have a fastener screwed directly into aluminum threads. Everything had to have helicoils or some other type of steel (usually stainless) insert. The military dont like things that can break down.

 

With your buddy as a machinist, he may have all of the tools and the coils to do the job. Heli Coils and the tolls to install them are rather pricy.

[BigLenny]

Lynn,

 

What I would do is install a Helicoil in the fork. You'll obviously have to match the thread size up, run a tap through it, and install the Helicoil, which I suggest that you Loctite with the red stuff so it doesn't come out. Go back through the Helicoil after the Loctite is dry with the tap to make sure it's clean and install the axle shaft.

 

The torque on the front axle is 56 ft lbs, the pinch bolt torque is 13 ft lbs

 

There are options for you on this, dont sweat it, I have repaired LOTS of heavy equipment using Helicoils and they are still working today.

 

Squidley,

 

Thanks so much for suggesting this. It was your suggestion that caused me to calm down and start the conversation about Helicoils with my machinist cousin. We finished the job yesterday, and everything is right in my world again. LOL.

[BigLenny]

I worked for many years for a military contractor, It was absolutely forbidden (with the exception of some very rare special cases) to ever have a fastener screwed directly into aluminum threads. Everything had to have helicoils or some other type of steel (usually stainless) insert. The military dont like things that can break down.

 

With your buddy as a machinist, he may have all of the tools and the coils to do the job. Heli Coils and the tolls to install them are rather pricy.

 

Flyin, Your point is spot on. After a couple discussions with some aircraft mechanics I know, I now believe that what actually happened was the steel threads from the axle melded with the aluminum threads from the fork. Of course, this could've been prevented with some anti seize. Now that we have installed the Helicoils, I don't have to worry about that happening again. LOL. I'm not accusing the bike shop anymore of Loctiting my axle.

 

Now I can get refocussed on finalizing my plans for our bike trip.

 

Thanks for your help.

[Yammer Dan]

Glad you got it fixed!! Squid does know what he is talking about...once in a while:whistling:

[Yammer Dan]

If you would want to replace Axle to make you feel better. I don't really think you need to. Here is one anyway.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Yamaha-Royal-Star-Venture-Front-Wheel-Axle-Kit-/160697754963?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item256a552553&vxp=mtr