Steering Towards Stupid - Stop Me! R80gspd

[Sutherngintelmen]

Last time I had the bike in the mountains I noticed the steering resistance began to increase. No longer does the wheel fall gently to the right - definitely needs an adjustment.

Repair manual documents this as straightforward as one would expect. If that is, you can loosen the cap nut. I've put as much torque on this as I feel safe doing. My set up is a crescent wrench with custom tube breaker bar borrowed from shop tire swapper rig. I was eyeing the sledge over in the corner of the shop but stopped myself.

The nut measured 35.4mm on my calipers, am thinking I need to go buy a big 6 side socket, pull the handle bars off, strap the bike to the floor and pull like a mofo. Any free advice?

[DiabloADV]

Torch.

Remove GPS first!

[Airhead Wrangler]

Heat indeed. Get a little piece of sheet metal of easily bendable gauge to mask off what you don't want to torch. A few layers of aluminum foil works nicely too.

[Bigger Al]

Impact gun, 36MM socket. Heating with a heat gun first couldn't hurt.

[JRP]

Kroil...loosens most anything


http://www.kanolabs.com/google/

[Sutherngintelmen]

Heat! Of course - brilliant. I'll start there since it's got the most attractive price tag.

Many thanks - as always.

[H96669]

I bought that 36mm socket recently,it has quite a few other BMW applications. Less than $15.00. Just looked for an online price for you and what do you know, it is available free at Autozone under their "Loan a Tool" program.

[craydds]

Originally Posted by H96669

I bought that 36mm socket recently,it has quite a few other BMW applications.

+ 1. You NEED more tools. You WANT more tools.

[craydds]

Originally Posted by Bigger Al

Impact gun

+ + 1. MUST have more tools. A very good reason to have the 36 mm socket is that you will want to torque the cap nut to specs with a torque wrench. Now you get to buy a torque wrench! yippee!

[oldroadie]

I'd take off the handlebars and clamp a pipe in there for something solid to hold on to so you don't tweak the forks against the stops. An air wrench would be very nice too, mine was around $40 at Lowes.

[crazydrummerdude]

Originally Posted by Sutherngintelmen

My set up is a crescent wrench

That worries me. I can just picture a stripped nut.

Get the socket!

[Big Bamboo]

Originally Posted by oldroadie

i'd take off the handlebars and clamp a pipe in there for something solid to hold on to so you don't tweak the forks against the stops. An air wrench would be very nice too, mine was around $40 at lowes.

+1 Also, if you grind the business end of that 36mm socket flat, it will be much less likely to slip off and mar something else in the process.

[_cy_]

Originally Posted by JRP

Kroil...loosens most anything
http://www.kanolabs.com/google/

Kroil is excellent/pricey... mixture of 50/50% acetone/ATF is better and dirt cheap.

soak with above 50/50% mixture overheat before doing anything else. then try impact on 36mm socket before going to heat method.
impact action breaks free frozen nuts with less chance of breaking. save heat as a last resort.

you may be pleasantly surprised next morning after soaking with 50/50% acetone/ATF overnight.

[Sutherngintelmen]

Got it too hot to touch and came off with no drama. Fear not, I have ordered a 36mm socket, brown santa should deliver it Tuesday. I love more tools! This city, this time of year, Saturday shopping shall be avoided at all costs

I did end up removing the bars as it made working the cap nut simpler. Trade off was discovering some buggered threads on the stud of my left clamp. I didn't have the 'BMW special wrench 31 4 850' lying around to loosen the slotted nut so opted for a drift and some gentle (I promise) blows. I have a feeling many of you would cringe watching me wrench.

End result is reasonable for now, I've got plans to drop the forks in Jan/Feb as the boots need replacing. Will do a bearing inspection and grease or replace at that time.

Warming her up



More like it

[Paul_Rochdale]

"A very good reason to have the 36 mm socket is that you will want to torque the cap nut to specs with a torque wrench".

I know you Merrycans love your torque wrenches, in fact I have one just for the engine/gearbox internals, but I would tighten that nut up by feel. I've always done that with my bikes and never had a problem. Just check it as the bearings may settle down and tweak it a bit more if necessary. BTW torque wrenches should not be used for UNDOING nuts but for TIGHTENING them up. That's why we have tommy bars.

Let me tell you a story. About twenty years ago I was a student on a Police Motorcycle Course and the bike I was given to ride suffered from wheel wobble. I reported this at the time but was told to 'take it or leave it'. Our bikes were BMW R80s. Next day we were in a group, on the motorway, running at 100mph. Yes, we were allowed to do so. I was the lead rider and came upon a couple of artics which I began to overtake. I knew the front would start to shake as I got to the wash from the front of the drivers cab, only this time it was more severe than before. The front began to wobble and nothing I did would stop them. The handlebars crashed from lock to lock and I was flung off the bike and tumbled down the motorway. When I came to a halt, the two artic drivers had also stopped, and I was helped up and walked to the hard shoulder.

So what is this leading up to? Well the bike was examined by the Police Accident Investigateor and found to ey unroadworthy. The bearings in the headstock were found to be dry and RUSTY, and either too tight or too loose (I can't remember which). Officials from BMW HQ visited the workshop and also examined the bike and surprisingly to everyone claimed there was no specific torque setting for the headstock. We all found this difficult to believe. Other than extensive gravel rash - full leathers were introduced to all Police riders within weeks - I got away with it. So for me, headstocks are adjusted by feel.