2009 FatBob - bike is just less than a year old with 3k miles. Was at the dealer earlier this year for the 1000 mile service.

Didn't feel like anything was wrong and I didn't hear any noise either but after I parked the bike, I shut it off to open the garage. When I go to push it inside, I hear the rear brake is making a scraping sound - more then just the normal pads dragging lightly sound.

I take a look and am rather surprised to see the top bolt went bye-bye.

Not sure if the bottom mount got tweaked from using the brake without the top bolt in place, but I can move the caliper back and forth quite a bit. Not sure if that's 'normal' for not having a bolt in there. When I try to line up the top bolt hole with the frame mount, it appears like I would need a spacer between the caliper ear and frame. Lookin at the front brakes doesnt help because I don't know if they mounts the same - IE: no spacer, and replacing the bolt and torquing to spec (with red loctite) would make it all line up ok.

So get the part(s) and bolt it back up and test ride?

Or, make the dealer come get it and fix? Really don't want the bike to go back there though but if more parts need to be replaced, it's there...

If folks here think it really should go in, I would certainly hope they take care of it, and don't turn it around and tell me I should have checked the bolts... that would be a drag, especially if I need more than a bolt.

Will call dealer tomorrow afternoon regardless, to ask about what to do but I value the collective wisdoms here

And no, I didnt search - only time to write at the moment!

Sorry so long... blah

 

There may be more wrong than what meets the eye. I would get it back to the dealer, don't ride it there, and let them take care of it. You have a warranty?

 

The dealer did the 1000 mile service and that's one of the critical fasteners that should be checked. It's on them to fix it.

 

yep, another year plus left on the 2 year factory warranty

I'm skeptical they'll say "yep, our bad, we might have missed that one". Expecting something more along the lines of "it was tight when we checked it at your 1000 mile service..."

HD Website says the rear is a "2-piston torque-free floating rear". maybe thats why the floppiness right now without the top bolt in...

It's been a good first year otherwise! Bike has always run and ridden great with zero problems.

 

Unfortunately a 1k service is nothing more than a high dollar oil change. Do you and your bike a favor a buy a service manual and do the services yourself. At least that way you know it was done properly.

 

See service Manager and present your case. Listen to response of Service Manager and then apply logic. It may or may not be the dealers issue.

 

+1 on rcb.. Buy Manual. Can you see any marks at on the disk? edge or sides?

 

I appreciate what the "do it yourself" guys are saying, however - some of us may choose to ride in, pay somebody to do it (who is fully capable of properly servicing the bike) and ride out. Yeah, it's a few extra $$ at the dealer but I wanted them to check it over and do the switch to synthetics. Was worth it to me since it's my first HD.

I did the fun stuff... added some optional HD parts, some aftermarket slip-ons, then a full set of pipes, an AC and a PCV. Have had the pipes off twice since, tinkering with baffles to get them sounding good to me. But I don't see anything wrong with paying somebody to do the maintenance stuff... and I now have an indy to go to for maintenance and or mods at better rates then my HD dealer, unless I choose to do some more work myself - at which point I will invest in the lift and a few tools and clear out more space in the garage.

Anyways, update on the issue at hand is the conversation I had with service at the dealer this afternoon:

Question - Why would I lose a critical fastener if I had the bike there for the 1000 mile service only 2k miles ago?
Answer - Yes, definitely a critical fastener and should have been checked during the service. You shouldnt have lost that.
Question - Have you heard of any others losing this fastener or is it an anomoly?
Answer - Can't recall ever having somebody lose one of those with low miles. It's odd that it fell out.
Question- This isnt something you would be expecting me to have checked since the 1000 mile service is it?
Answer - No, not at all. You wouldnt need to be checking that. We don't expect that you would have. It was our job to make sure everything was tight.
Question - What do you think about me bolting it back up and riding it to see if it's ok. Or, riding it there for further inspection.
Answer - No, not a good idea since we havent seen it. Wouldnt want you riding it before we could take a look and have something else that may be damaged cause a much more serious failure with you on the bike.

He asked if I had a way to get it there and I said no, dont have a trailer or know anybody with one so he's bringing their truck over to get it from me Tuesday morning.

Very satisfied with the responses so far. So maybe they missed something or the factory missed something and they didnt catch it or maybe it loosened up when I ran with no baffles for a bit... the vibration from the exhaust was too much for me and maybe for the bolt too!

I'll dig this thread up and update it after I get the bike back for anybody who's interested.

Thanks guys

 

ideally, yeah, that makes sense.

in reality, you care more about your bike than most other "capable" people.

get the manual, do it yourself, and it will be done right. if you trust someone else to do it, it might be done right, or not.

trust yourself more than you trust others as much as you can.

 

Think another member post lately that he had the front caliper come off his bike about a week ago right after he had the 1 or 5k service, I believe that his dealer said it would not be covered.
Don't know what the end result was.

Keep us posted on the results...