I'm looking for anyone who has ever had any problems with your front end as in pinch bolts snapping in two? I have 25K on my 03 Heritage Classic. Last month I took it in for the 20K service at approximatley 21K on the bike. The dealer changed the fork oil and all the other items (I think)required for that particular service. Away I went on a 10 day 2,700 mile road trip which consisted mostly of two lane back roads. While on the tail end ofthe trip I noticed what appeared to be a line of dried fluid on the outside of the right fork. I wiped it off and did not think much about it. After the next 100 miles I noticed the same line and again wiped it off this time thinking I need to check it out when I get home. Well the next 10 miles proved hazardous. The right fork tube started spraying fork oil all over my windshield, tank and me and began clanking loudly. I called the nearest Harley Dealer and he told me to limp it on in which was about 25 miles. I stayed in the shop and watched him take off the wiindsheild, headlight and chrome cover upon which revealed that the fork tube had come unscrewed. Upon a closer look we noticed that the pinch bolt was cracked. The dealer decided to also look at the left side and that pinch bolt was also cracked and the fork tube was loose. The dealer was really nice, loaned me his new silverado to get dinner while he and two shop guys repaired, cleaned and test drove my bike. Also heonly charged me $99.00. Once back home I questioned the dealer that did the 20K service and he denied doing anything with the pinch bolts. Now I am leary of taking my bike there for service. Iresearcehd these forums and noted a few others responding to breaking pinch bolts and am curious how many other bikers have experienced snapped pinch bolts and if this is an issue which there should be a recall?

 

Ouch, that could easily have gotten really ugly on you. Glad you and the bike are OK, BTW who was the dealer that fixed it.
Good work should be rewarded with more business, as well as bad service should get the shaft, ya need to spread the word.
As for the pinch bolts, I am by no means an expert but that's its a new one on me. I don't think I have ever heard of a pinch bolt cracking, much less two. I would have to wonder if the guy doing the service on the fork tubes forgot to use a torque wrench and just grabbeda handy impactgun.

 

Jim's Harley of Mendon, Ohio - can I say that in this forum? Anyway, he was fantastic. He has a Harley museum next to his shop that is well worth seeing if you are ever in the area. Him and his wife are fantastic people. He told me that he thought the pinch bolts were over torqued. I would think that as a dealer for 48 years that he would know what he was talking about.

 

I can't see why not, I think its good to let others know when you find a good shop. Its good to know who and where the good ones are and patronize them if possible.
Over torquing the bolts is about what I was thinking of when I mentioned the impact gun.

 

When I had my 20,000 mile service, both pinch bolts were broken. I was not aware of it, so it must have happened not too far before the service. The mechanic told me that he had seen this before, and he suspected overtorquing of the bolts. I had no symptoms so this was a surprise to me.

 

The more I research this the more it seems to be the norm and it shouldn't be. Why are the pinch bolts breaking? Is HD going cheap on us bikers? You know the low bidders get the contract! I am also becoming concerned about the clunking noise I hear from the front end that sounds kind of tinny. I had this before my 20K service but after the service no clunking noise so I was happy. Then my pinch bolts broke and got fixed. Now it's been about 1,000 miles and the clunking noise from the front end is back. It clinks when I hit a bump in the road or go over rr tracks. It never did that before. I have about 25K total miles on the bike. I almost wish I had not of found this forum site as I am becoming more concerned with how safe is my 2003 Heritage Classic Softail? I will call Harley tomorrow and see what they have to say. I am leary of the dealer that's only a few blocks from the house. The next closest dealer is 70 miles but I feel that I can trust him. I will also call him tomorrow. I am a retired jet engine mechanic and know that these kind of things can lead to more serious incidents like putting me in the ditch or head on with another vehicle if they are not corrected.

I did speak with a customer rep at Harley Davidson Motor Company this morning in which she relayed info from a tech rep - I was not thrilled. Anyway basically she told me that it was not uncommon for the pinch bolt to break, she could not provide any documented incidents but would document my phone call and also that they do not have a recall for the pinch bolts. I called another Harley Dealer nearby and was told that they see about one broken pinch bolt a year. I told him about my case and he said that if they tightened the upper without loosening the lower then they could have over stressed the lowers. I mentioned that I had the cliunking noise before the 20k service and after it was gone then the pinch bolts broke, now they are repaired and the clunking noise is back in the front end. THis is really bugging me as you can tell by my several posts on this subject.

 

I too have a 2003 Heritage Softail here in Australia, and every time I hear clanking noise in my front end I have the pinch bolts checked and they are snapped in two. Sometimes I don't really think it's making noise and then I get a BANG sound and I have oil pissing all over me. Tube has rotated and unscrewed the cap. This has happened 4-5 times. Dealer here say it appears to be a feature of that type of front end. Does any one know if the bolt can bottom out and tighten before actually clamping tight? I had one shop replacee with Grade-8 bolts, they should never break with the forces the front end would put on those bolts. Next time I hear that sound, I think I will take the light bar and cover off myself to see whats going on.

 

Ironically, my buddy was riding (04 FLSTX) along when one leg became covered with oil. He thought it was the seal but after taking it apart, he found the right pinchbolt had sheared and let the tube wobble enough that it caused the top nut to loosen enough for oil to blow out.

A week later, the exact thing happened to me on the left side of my 05 FLSTC (49,000 miles). Just like my friend's, the seals were still intact but the left pinchbolt on the triple tree had sheared. I had to drill and EasyOut the stub of the bolt.

The pinch bolt was a number 3 grade but I replaced them with number 8 grade. That should hold it.

 

I've been in here almost 6yrs and this is the first time I remember ever hearing of a pinch bolt cracking/breaking.



Did U buy the bike new? Cause I am wondering if some else worked on Ur bike and over-torqued the bolts.






.

 

I have a buddy with a 2003 Heritage that had his snap.

He doesn't work on it, either, so it wouldn't have been improperly set by an amateur, anyway.

Defect or slopply dealer/factory work... dunno.

C#