Stripped Thread Repair Options for the Goldwing Passenger Hand Rail

[Eck]

So you found you have a stripped out hole in your frame where the mounting bolts go for the passenger hand rail.

Good news: It can be easily repaired.

 

Goldwing 1800 frames are powder coated after all the holes in the frame are tapped at the factory, making all threaded holes in the frame very easy to cross thread if you are not careful.

 

The mounting bolts that hold the Goldwing passenger hand rails or passenger grab rails on, can easily bind and strip out. This is especially known to happen on the left hand side hand rail due to the repetitive load or strain being placed on it during lifting of the bike when placing the bike on its center stand. The hand rails are held on by inserting steel bolts into an aluminum powder coated threaded hole. During manufacturing assembly, the powder coating inside the hole is stripped away when they insert the steel bolts. The tiny bits and pieces of powder coating remain lodged in the threads of the bolt and frame until the bike owner or dealer removes the bolts for the first time. Even then, not many even think of cleaning the mounting hole in the frame or the threads off of the bolt before reinserting it which adds to my point of it being very easy to strip out one of the mounting holes in the frame.

 

So, how can one repair a stripped out handle hole in the frame? There are a few options available.

 

You could purchase and install a Heli-coil to replace the defective threads. M8 x 1.25 is the size needed and you can reuse the stock bolts. You can purchase a Heli-coil kit which includes the tap, the bit, and the insert tool, and a bunch of the insert threads. You will have enough to do all yours and some of your friends. Or you might find just the individual inserts but you have to have the right tap and bit.

Other options include the installation of Timeserts and Keenserts which seem a little more substantial than old style Heli-coils. Check out installation videos on both by doing a search on Google.

 

The aft handle hole on the left side of my bike was stripped out by previous owner. I did not notice this of course until I went to remove the seat from the bike. The repair option I chose, was not to reinstall the metric bolt, but to install the next size larger bolt than the metric which was a 3/8-16 standard thread socket head cap screw (Allen head bolt- see attached pic).

 

After removing the seat from the bike, using plastic baggie, I created a protective barrier around the aft left handle mounting hole in the frame so that metal chips could not fall down inside or outside the bike frame during drilling. I then used masking tape and securely taped down the end of my shop vacuum on the inside of the frame so it could suck the chips out as I slowly drilled the hole to a larger diameter of .3125 which is required for the 3/8-16 tap. Next, using the 3/8-16 tap with a little oil on the end, I slowly and carefully tapped the hole. After the tapping was completed, I did a trial and inserted and then removed the new mounting bolt and “Wha-lah”, it fits.

Next I removed the vacuum end and made sure the area was indeed cleaned of metal chips / debris before I removed the protective plastic barrier from the frame.

 

To ease the seat / hand rail bolt installation:

If you have a grinder, you can “taper’ the ends of the bolts to make aligning the bolts easier or you can purchase Chrome Tapered bolts for around $15.00 on line, (see last pic).

[Flyinfool]

A trick I learned a long time ago when you want to keep chips out of a hole, is to coat the drill with grease, the chips will stick in the grease. Then use a spiral flute tap (if you can find one in the correct thread), a spiral flute tap will pull the chips out of the hold toward the tap handle. Again coat the tap with grease instead of oil, the grease will hold the chips. I have used this to drill, tap and Heli-coil spark plug threads to not have to pull the heads.

 

Ya do whatever works for you.

 

I would have put in an insert to keep the original thread size. I hate having one SAE bolt on something that is otherwise all metric. But that is me.

[Eck]

I hate having one SAE bolt on something that is otherwise all metric. But that is me.

 

 

I know what you mean, but it was a heck of a lot cheaper to install the one and only SAE bolt on it then it would have been to go out and purchase the Heli Coil kit and tools to repair it..

 

Also, I did not want to chance loosing ANY of the metal chips by placing grease on the tip of the drill or on the tap (which I have done before too), and that is why I built the plastic protective barrier around where I was drilling and working and also had the vacuum running the whole time. I didn't want even ONE chip falling down between the frame and all the wires to cause me other issues at a later date.

[Flyinfool]

I fully understand your thoughts, That is why it is strictly a matter of personal preference. I am not trying to say one way is better or worse than the other, just offering up options. And maybe just a weeeee bit of .