Deuce Rear Pulley Bolts
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6th Gear
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 14
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From: Kokomo, IN
Deuce Rear Pulley Bolts
I was hoping to get some advice from the community. I recently bought an 01 Deuce. Before I started the riding season, I wanted a tech to do a once over, so I took it to my local HD dealer and had them do a 15k check on it.
Most of the things they found were small fixes and nit noid crap, but the big thing they noticed was that the rear pulley bolts and come loose and tore up the threads in the rear wheel hub. The service manager said he had seen this before on the Deuce and said he would send the rim off to a machine shop where they would drill out the holes and rethread with new helicoils.
After about a week of downtime I got my bike back on Saturday and commenced to do some riding, (it was 75 here in Indiana and beautiful) Everything was going great until about an hour into my ride when I heard a god awful noise coming from the back wheel. I looked down and saw the pulley flapping back and forth shortly before the wheel finally locked up when I came to a full stop.
All 5 pulley bolts had backed completely out. A fellow rider saw me stranded on the side of the road and helped me tighten them back down and I limped back home.
The dealer opened back up on Tuesday morning and I told him what happened and he promised to get to the bottom of it. After talking to him today, his response was, "we tightened it back up, put a bunch of red loctite on it and it should be good to go"
I asked him if they were loctited the first time and he assured me they were, so in effect he did nothing new this time and is claiming it is fixed. My question to you is, what could have caused these to back out if they were properly torqued and loctited the first time? And should I be satisfied with this "fix" of just adding extra loctite? Also, if someone has a theory why all 5 bolts could have backed out one hour after getting the bike back from the shop, I would be happy to relay it to my service tech.
Thanks in advance,
Hutch
Most of the things they found were small fixes and nit noid crap, but the big thing they noticed was that the rear pulley bolts and come loose and tore up the threads in the rear wheel hub. The service manager said he had seen this before on the Deuce and said he would send the rim off to a machine shop where they would drill out the holes and rethread with new helicoils.
After about a week of downtime I got my bike back on Saturday and commenced to do some riding, (it was 75 here in Indiana and beautiful) Everything was going great until about an hour into my ride when I heard a god awful noise coming from the back wheel. I looked down and saw the pulley flapping back and forth shortly before the wheel finally locked up when I came to a full stop.
All 5 pulley bolts had backed completely out. A fellow rider saw me stranded on the side of the road and helped me tighten them back down and I limped back home.
The dealer opened back up on Tuesday morning and I told him what happened and he promised to get to the bottom of it. After talking to him today, his response was, "we tightened it back up, put a bunch of red loctite on it and it should be good to go"
I asked him if they were loctited the first time and he assured me they were, so in effect he did nothing new this time and is claiming it is fixed. My question to you is, what could have caused these to back out if they were properly torqued and loctited the first time? And should I be satisfied with this "fix" of just adding extra loctite? Also, if someone has a theory why all 5 bolts could have backed out one hour after getting the bike back from the shop, I would be happy to relay it to my service tech.
Thanks in advance,
Hutch
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,656
Likes: 10
From: Aledo, Texas
Sounds like someone did'nt put loctite (or correct loctite) on the bolts the first time.... Also when using red loctite, it's best to let the part set for 24 hours to cure correctly before use.
Another theory...... the machine shop uses oil when drilling and threading holes. Maybe it didn't get cleaned properly.
Another theory...... the machine shop uses oil when drilling and threading holes. Maybe it didn't get cleaned properly.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 3,846
Likes: 173
From: Simi Valley, CA
If that pulley loosened up in an hour of riding the most probable cause is that they were never properly tightened (in my opinion).
My Duece has had the pulley off-and-on at every tire change, bolts have never been replaced - still using originals, have never seen a torque wrench, have never been loctited... And they've never come loose!
They simply did not tighten them.
My Duece has had the pulley off-and-on at every tire change, bolts have never been replaced - still using originals, have never seen a torque wrench, have never been loctited... And they've never come loose!
They simply did not tighten them.
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 412
Likes: 1
From: Northern Virginia
I was always told that the bolts in the pulley are one time use. Torque them down, and if they ever have to come out, they need to be replaced. It's something with torquing them then loosening them that weakens them. You may be ok, but I'd throw a fit until they replaced the bolts, locktited them, and torqued them properly.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 2,591
Likes: 68
From: Big Bear City, CA
Hmmm, for them to literally come loose an hour into your ride tells me that they were probably only finger tight and not torqued or loctited at all.
I just changed my rear rotor & pulley and had a terrible time busting the Torx bolts loose. The factory didn't use loctite on mine, but due to the corrosion from using dis-similar metals, I needed a pneumatic impact wrench to bust them loose.
Because of the corrosion I actually used an anti-seize compound on the treads when reinstalled. I'm not sure if that was a good idea or not, but I'll just keep an eye on those torx bolts to see if they're staying snug. I just didn't want the corrosion coming back. I was amazed that I didn't strip the hubs threads getting the bolts out. My risers did strip like that.
Personally I think you're alright now, just keep an eye on them. Check them before every ride for a little while.
I just changed my rear rotor & pulley and had a terrible time busting the Torx bolts loose. The factory didn't use loctite on mine, but due to the corrosion from using dis-similar metals, I needed a pneumatic impact wrench to bust them loose.
Because of the corrosion I actually used an anti-seize compound on the treads when reinstalled. I'm not sure if that was a good idea or not, but I'll just keep an eye on those torx bolts to see if they're staying snug. I just didn't want the corrosion coming back. I was amazed that I didn't strip the hubs threads getting the bolts out. My risers did strip like that.
Personally I think you're alright now, just keep an eye on them. Check them before every ride for a little while.
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 2,591
Likes: 68
From: Big Bear City, CA
I was always told that the bolts in the pulley are one time use. Torque them down, and if they ever have to come out, they need to be replaced. It's something with torquing them then loosening them that weakens them. You may be ok, but I'd throw a fit until they replaced the bolts, locktited them, and torqued them properly.
Just my 2 cents
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 15,705
Likes: 22,718
From: Farmington ,MS
If that pulley loosened up in an hour of riding the most probable cause is that they were never properly tightened (in my opinion).
My Duece has had the pulley off-and-on at every tire change, bolts have never been replaced - still using originals, have never seen a torque wrench, have never been loctited... And they've never come loose!
They simply did not tighten them.
My Duece has had the pulley off-and-on at every tire change, bolts have never been replaced - still using originals, have never seen a torque wrench, have never been loctited... And they've never come loose!
They simply did not tighten them.
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