Loosening Pinch Bolts on Sporty...

[W1ld Card]

Not to sound like an amatuer here (well, I'm a new HD owner, but not a new motorcycle owner), but I am having a hard time getting the pinch bolts loose on the triple-trees on my 2008 Sporty.

The reason I'm loosening them is because the bike dropped while it was in storage, and twisted the forks in the clamps. It fell pretty hard (it was in a repo storage before I acquired it....I had to do some rewiring of the handlebars, too, and those are a bit tweaked. I'll be getting a new set at a parts swap soon.), and did a few other things. I've gotten almost everything else fixed up, but the handlebars/triple trees point about 10 degrees to the right when the front wheel is straight.

The bike handles fine, it just drives me crazy to look down and see everything out of alignment!

So, anyways, I've tried soaking these pinch bolts in PB blaster, and no matter what, I CANNOT get two of them loose! I don't want to strip the puppies out, either, but I think I almost did it to one of them. The tool slipped when I was really torquing on it. Any tips on this? I don't want to heat them up, as that would discolor the chrome on the fork-tubes.....and heat up the oil in 'em, too. But, if heating is the only option, I guess I'll have to do it....

Thanks for any help or tips in advance!

Doug

 

[Jack Klarich]

Not to sound like an amatuer here (well, I'm a new HD owner, but not a new motorcycle owner), but I am having a hard time getting the pinch bolts loose on the triple-trees on my 2008 Sporty.

The reason I'm loosening them is because the bike dropped while it was in storage, and twisted the forks in the clamps. It fell pretty hard (it was in a repo storage before I acquired it....I had to do some rewiring of the handlebars, too, and those are a bit tweaked. I'll be getting a new set at a parts swap soon.), and did a few other things. I've gotten almost everything else fixed up, but the handlebars/triple trees point about 10 degrees to the right when the front wheel is straight.

The bike handles fine, it just drives me crazy to look down and see everything out of alignment!

So, anyways, I've tried soaking these pinch bolts in PB blaster, and no matter what, I CANNOT get two of them loose! I don't want to strip the puppies out, either, but I think I almost did it to one of them. The tool slipped when I was really torquing on it. Any tips on this? I don't want to heat them up, as that would discolor the chrome on the fork-tubes.....and heat up the oil in 'em, too. But, if heating is the only option, I guess I'll have to do it....

Thanks for any help or tips in advance!

Doug

Try an impact driver:s

 

[W1ld Card]

Aw shucks! I didn't even think of that! I guess I can brave the 40 degrees and ride it across town. My father-in-law has a nice impact and air compressor.

Seriously, thanks alot! :small3d023: It's amazing the little stuff I'll forget I can do! And to think, I used to work almost exclusively with impacts for about 3 years....

I'll let you know how it works!

Doug

 

[Jack Klarich]

Aw shucks! I didn't even think of that! I guess I can brave the 40 degrees and ride it across town. My father-in-law has a nice impact and air compressor.

Seriously, thanks alot! :small3d023: It's amazing the little stuff I'll forget I can do! And to think, I used to work almost exclusively with impacts for about 3 years....

I'll let you know how it works!

Doug

Good Luck, and replace the bolts with new and use some anti sieze:s Permatex 80071 Anti-Seize Lubricant - 4 oz.

 

[fin_676]

A hand impact driver may be all you need that is the ones like a screwdriver but you hit it with a hammer
If that does not help then a wee bit of heat should get them moving as the stanchions are hard chrome a bit of heat from a blow torch should not affect them and you can always replace the fork oil

Brian

 

[Hoople]

My father-in-law has a nice impact and air compressor.

Hand impact not pneumatic.

The very 1st time I saw one of them, I thought to myself that it could not work or at least not work very well. Boy I was wrong, because those babies work!

 

[Jack Klarich]

Hand impact not pneumatic.

The very 1st time I saw one of them, I thought to myself that it could not work or at least not work very well. Boy I was wrong, because those babies work!

Thanks for clarifying that Hoople, I guess I have been around tools too long and think everyone should understand what I mean, I need to be more clear in the future so I dont give you all mis information on tools