Pinch Bolts snapped
Novice
Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 15
Likes: 1
From: Canada
Apologies for raising an old dead thread, but damnit, this is so wrong and so unsafe. Why doesn't HD have a safety recall on this problem yet.
2011 Heritage Softail Classic with 32,000 miles. I have never touched this area of the bike, since new... hence, I did not over-torque or contribute to this fault... I had the same issue this past weekend. Major fork oil leak. So made it home 200 miles later, tore it all apart, to notice the one fork tube totally unscrewed itself and fell down 3 inches. Then looked closer and saw both pinch bolts sheared off. Guess, I will need to put in grade 8 bolts to fix a known HD safety issue. HD should be held liable for these types of safety issues.
2011 Heritage Softail Classic with 32,000 miles. I have never touched this area of the bike, since new... hence, I did not over-torque or contribute to this fault... I had the same issue this past weekend. Major fork oil leak. So made it home 200 miles later, tore it all apart, to notice the one fork tube totally unscrewed itself and fell down 3 inches. Then looked closer and saw both pinch bolts sheared off. Guess, I will need to put in grade 8 bolts to fix a known HD safety issue. HD should be held liable for these types of safety issues.
Novice
Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 15
Likes: 1
From: Canada
oops, correction. My pinch bolts on the 2011 were already factory installed Grade 8 bolts. There was a bulletin out for this known issue. Guess, I will just put in new Grade 8 bolts, and watch out for potholes better.
Last edited by DIY _GUY; Aug 17, 2020 at 12:56 PM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 21,105
Likes: 12,665
From: South Carolina
Check your service manual, most state that critical fasteners must be checked for proper torque at specified intervals, which is normally 1k, 10k and every 10k afterward.
Last edited by Dan89FLSTC; Aug 17, 2020 at 01:17 PM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 9,332
Likes: 3,872
From: Upstate New York
I had a pinch bolt break twice on my '94 FLSTN, always on the left (brake side). After the second time, I bought a sack of 7/16-20 grade 5 bolts and replaced them every other year as part of the routine service. I never had another one break.
I used grade 5 bolts instead of grade 8 because if I broke a grade 8, it would be much harder to get an easy-out into a grade 8 bolt.
I used grade 5 bolts instead of grade 8 because if I broke a grade 8, it would be much harder to get an easy-out into a grade 8 bolt.
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