I just had new tires installed. I removed the wheels myself and took them into a local shop to have the rubber mounted. I notice in the service manual it instructs you to replace the front caliper mounting bolts with new when reinstalling the right brake assembly.
Does anyone actually do this???
Not even Honda dealers do this, but you should at least check them for indications of stretching before replacement, and apply a tiny amount of medium-strength thread lock (e.g., Loctite 243) when you do replace them.
Ciao,
JZH
Good suggestion.
It looks as if the P.O. had put some locktite on the rear wheel nuts. Is this a thing as well?
You shouldn't need locktite on the rear wheel nuts, I'm assuming you're referring to the wheel lugnuts.
But you might make sure they are correct lugnuts, and the PO hasn't replaced them with nuts that don't
fit correctly and loosen up, hence the need for locktite.
Yes the lug nuts. I know that typically one does NOT put locktite on lug nuts but these looked to have some type of gunk on them. Maybe I'm wrong about it being locktite. They are the correct nuts and the P.O. knew his stuff. Didn't know if that might be a thing on the VFR is all.
Might be cruddy, semi solidified anti-seize.
It could be either. Some people believe in a little overkill when it comes to their wheels. I use anti-seize
on my 4-wheeled vehicles, just to be sure I can get them off later. The bike may get a dab of anti-seize,
I'm not a big fan of locktite on wheel lug nuts.
Not sure on that model VFR but on the RVF400 they are stretch bolts hence they should be replaced each time if you torque them up properly. You can actually feel them stretch as you do them up.
I instead tighten them to the lower VFR400 torque setting and locktite them so I don't need to replace them every time the calipers come off.
Considering they are steel bolts threaded into an aluminum housing, and only tightened to
23 lb.ft, I don't think we are looking at one-time use bolts. I believe they are bolts that have
a special locktite-type compound applied at the factory. I've never replaced mine and have never
had them be anything but tight when removed.
To me it depends on how deep your pockets are. 🙂
I didn't put locktite on nor does the service manual recommend it but if the OEM caliper bolts come with factory locktite on them then that would explain the absence of mention in the manual. Perhaps I will remove them and put a small dab on before re-installing. Seems prudent since it's a brake caliper and all.
One thing I have learned is that if you put anti-seize on a bolt, the torque specs are thrown out the window. The ant-seize (or even locktite for that matter) will act as a lubricant. By the time your torque wrench releases at the pre-set value, you have over torqued the fastener. Breaking bolts or stripping threads can easily happen.
I've learned that one the hard way.
Ah yes, you need to lower the torque settings when using any kind of lube. Usually around 15-20%.
HughJebolzak, 5/4/2019 at 6:18 AMI just had new tires installed. I removed the wheels myself and took them into a local shop to have the rubber mounted. I notice in the service manual it instructs you to replace the front caliper mounting bolts with new when reinstalling the right brake assembly.
Does anyone actually do this???
It's a bit of an odd suggestion, isn't it? Both my new bikes have the same recommendation listed - replace the bolts.
I don't even own a torque wrench and haven't replaced those bolts on any of my bikes over the years. I just do them up 'tight-tight' but not 'too tight' and haven't had an issue. I guess technically they could work their way out from vibration and use but it seems incredibly unlikely. Another of life's calculated risks that I'm willing to make. 🙂
If you did use a torque wrench, you might be surprised to find out how "loose" the correct torque seems on a lot of fasteners. I apprenticed as a construction electrician many years ago and never used a torque wrench until I started to mess with vehicles. I recall the first time I removed some front forks and when torqueing the fork tube pinch bolts back in place thinking "that's it? How do these things even stay in place?" Even car wheel lug nuts are to be tightened less than I used to in my youth. Back then the rule was "tighten it until it breaks then back off half a turn"
If you got yourself a torque wrench you would likely find that you've been over torqueing things all along.
Watching a front tire change this week, I witnessed a bolt that would not torque to spec. It was stretched upon inspection. Luckily a replacement was handy. I would have thought it impossible to stretch that steel bolt in aluminum. I’ll be inspecting mine next tire change.
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2 10 hours ago, HughJebolzakIf you did use a torque wrench, you might be surprised to find out how "loose" the correct torque seems on a lot of fasteners. I apprenticed as a construction electrician many years ago and never used a torque wrench until I started to mess with vehicles. I recall the first time I removed some front forks and when torqueing the fork tube pinch bolts back in place thinking "that's it? How do these things even stay in place?" Even car wheel lug nuts are to be tightened less than I used to in my youth. Back then the rule was "tighten it until it breaks then back off half a turn"
If you got yourself a torque wrench you would likely find that you've been over torqueing things all along.
Yes, you're probably right. I guess I'll add a torque wrench to my arsenal of tools. 🙂
I use a torque wrench for every non-screw fastener on the machines except for the fairing fasteners. They are not very expensive and one's life is on the line if things go south.