Do you feel like you have experienced more stuck/siezed bolts on your Harley than on other bikes?

just curious....

so far all I have had to deal with is a frozen exhaust stud which led to me having to remove the head and take to a machine shop, and a stuck triple tree pinch bolt

 

I have two Harleys and have changed exhaust, cams, wheels, pegs, foot boards and found all fasteners easy to remove with the right tools. But then again, I have been maintaining mechanical equipment, started with bowling alley pin setters, since the 70s and I have a lot of tools.

 

All things mechanical can and will have stuck bolts for a lot of reasons. Poor fit, bottomed out,too much Red Loctite, corrosion, just to name a few.

 

Well part of that maybe some think you need to use a lot of Loctite on them and of course if blue is ok Red must be better. And why use a 1/4 drive ratchet when a 3/8's will get it tighter.
Research impact driver, they been around for many years a usefull low cost tool to have sitting on the tool rack.
mid left upper on the wall small blue case. Had that one sense High school It will save your tail if used right.

 

Someone probably over tightened the pinch bolt. The exhaust stud can be a bitch. Problem is, people put soft non harden nuts on and screw up the studs trying to get them off in my opinion.

And you are right, these bikes can be a bitch to work on. Non experienced garage mechanics even screw up the drain plugs and derby cover. Even using a torque wrench on maintenance covers is no guarantee you will not cause a problem.

Aluminium threads are very fragile and the stated torque is way too much for doing something a lot.

I do torque critical fasteners but only if take apart.

I just tweek maintenance stuff but go back and check but I plan on keeping my junk a lifetime.

 

Nah...many things I've worked on or seen have had frozen nuts/fasteners...especially on the exhaust: cars, trucks and lawn mowers....and all sorts of spark plugs in all sorts of engines.

I don't think corrosion or over-torque issues are exclusive to HD.

 

You mean when they're not falling out?

 

I bet that's the same one I have. Actually I have a few that I have inherited as well.

 

I guess that depends on if its a garage kept bike, or one that is exposed to the outside environment. Corrosion is your enemy!

 

If read here long enough, you will see these poor bikes get worked on by some real sorry shadetree mechanics. Every time I start working on my 04 RK, I run into over tightened fasteners, over tightened oil filter. Never had any issuse with new bike hardware.