Handlebar alignment
Road Captain
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 646
Likes: 16
From: South FL
I had the same issue with my riser bushings. Confirm they are set in the trees. Torque riser bolts to spec. As the bars get out of whack, twist them back into position, re-torque riser bolts. Keep doing this until they stay put. I think the bushings settle after a while. Think about the force that goes through the bushings every time you crank on the bars lifting the bike off the stand. That's what was throwing mine off.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2015
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From: Galt's Gulch - MI
I had the same issue with my riser bushings. Confirm they are set in the trees. Torque riser bolts to spec. As the bars get out of whack, twist them back into position, re-torque riser bolts. Keep doing this until they stay put. I think the bushings settle after a while. Think about the force that goes through the bushings every time you crank on the bars lifting the bike off the stand. That's what was throwing mine off.
That's why no matter the question, solid riser bushings are the correct answer
Road Captain
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 646
Likes: 16
From: South FL
Agreed. Although my bars/riser stay put now I'll replace with solid bushings next time I take it apart.
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Club Member
Joined: Dec 2014
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From: SWFL
Anyone recall the riser bolt specs? AA gooden tights should arrive on Friday and I was thinking about replacing the bolts with new grade 8's. Used red loctite as per the manual when I installed the last ones, hopefully they will come out!
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2015
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From: Galt's Gulch - MI
My '13 service manual calls for 30 - 40 ft-lbs for the riser bolts; when I added the riser extensions, longer grade 8 bolts, and the solid riser bushings I torqued to 40 ft-lbs and used no sort of thread locker and have not had any issues at all. I hope you can get those riser bolts out; the risers are not a place I'd want to start using heat to break the bolts loose, the SM calling for red seemed a bit silly to me, using proper torque the bolts are not going to come loose
Just a WAG, I suspect they called for red in the SM due to the flexing and motion of the bars/risers due to the rubber bushings; another win for solid bushings
Just a WAG, I suspect they called for red in the SM due to the flexing and motion of the bars/risers due to the rubber bushings; another win for solid bushings
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 10,907
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From: Galt's Gulch - MI
heh heh... sorry
I just went in to the garage and checked my originals; they're a grade 8 1/2"-13 x 2 3/4"....
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Club Member
Joined: Dec 2014
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From: SWFL
2 3/4 dammit! I took a shot and picked up 2 1/2's
Back to the local ACE I go... Gonna change the shifter linkage to heim's while I'm at it. My goal is to have nothing left to do by 1/1.
Back to the local ACE I go... Gonna change the shifter linkage to heim's while I'm at it. My goal is to have nothing left to do by 1/1.
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Joined: Jul 2011
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From: Frozelandia, Minnysota
Not much I've used red on, big nuts in the primary and the rear drive sprocket, can't remember using it on anything else on a Harley. I don't use a lot on those, either, just a drop near where it won't be spread much as it's tightened. I've pulled bolts where they were just soaked in that stuff, and even on a 1/2" or larger, it can peel aluminum threads off without heating first. I've never had hardware with blue come loose, and I've used a lot of that stuff.