It's about 90 degrees, AWESOME riding day...heading NB on I-95 through Virginia @ about 63 MPH, feet on pegs of my 09 FLSTC, 900 miles from home and after having new tire mounted, oil changed, new clutch assembly installed; pretty much prepping my baby for a SAFE and comfortable ride for a couple of weeks. Next thing I know, CLANKITY-CLANKITY-CLANG-CLANG. THANK GOD I was able to pull over safely, surrounded by traffic. Belt came off...or so it just seemed! At the dealership, it was revealed that ALL 5 brand-NEW bolts SHEARED off, destroying my custom wheel, the pulley...pretty much the whole system. With all the research I've been doing and reading about THE SAME PROBLEMS, what is Harley Davidson waiting for? WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO GET KILLED? Could have been me 3 days ago! To make matters worse, the H-D Extended Service Plan (ESP) I have DOES NOT cover the damage because the contract does NOT include the pulley, belt, or any other part associated with the same! Helllooo! WTF? I was simply cruising! Not jumping train tracks, not riding dirt roads, or abusing the bike in ANY way, shape, or form! Rode up here from FL for Police Week and NOTHING...no ride! Going up to NY from here to visit family...??? Not if I have to pay this bill!

 

The bright side is your still breathing... But it does suck about your scooter...

 

Glad to see you survived it though. I had the same wheel put on my SG a few months back. How is anyone to test the strength of a freakin bolt? They must be Chinese made or some low quality crap. If HD installed it why aren't they responsible for it and any and all collateral damage?

 

I installed grade 8 bolts from fastenal with new washers and blue loctite on my bike when I swapped wheels. I think I am going to get some torque stripe and do the bolts with that so I can visually check to see if any of them have moved.

 

Did someone re-use the original bolts when the custom wheel was installed?

 

If the fasteners failed they were junk..

Some bolts can only be used once when brought to a certain torque..
If that many bolts snapped either the bolts were bad or the threads were stripped out during installation.
Not saying that's the case, just trying to come up with a reasonable explanation why this could happen

 

Sounds like low Grade bolts or possibly over tightened and started to twist bolts apart then down the road boom all bolts sheared thru, only use grade 8 and only tighten to torque specs do not over tighten. Glad you are OK and telling this story.

 

Just read the OP again, bolts were all new.... who installed the bolts and wheel assy?

 

Steel bolts typically contain .06% Carbon, .42% Manganese, .012% Phosphorus, .01% Silicon, .01% Nickel, .05% Chromium, .003% Molybdenum, .05% Aluminum, .01% Copper, and the rest is Iron. This can be certified to SAE standards in an A2LA accredited lab.

If they were Chinese bolts, those six radial lines on the bolt head have nothing to do with grade 8 strength. That's how many elements in the chemistry that makes up the bolt have been compromised.

...and now you have it. That's why Chinese crap is cheaper.

 

For some reason that happens to often . My friends wheel did the same thing ,he thought he was getting a flat tire and pulled over to find the same problem. Lost the wheel , pulley, and chrome pulley cover. All the bolts did not come out . They were snap off in the wheel . So what's happening ?