Handle bar clamp torque
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Road Master
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 894
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Handle bar clamp torque
Maybe it just because the bike is 17-yrs old, the handlebars felt loose. Took things apart and the clamps felt tight, I gave them another 1/4 turn. Also checked the dampers and didn't see any cracked rubber. Also gave those nuts about a 1/4 turn. I couldn't find the torque spec for handle bars or dampening bushings in the FSM. Anybody know what it is for older ultra with 2-piece handle bar clamp? Has anyone ever heard of one of those clamps cracking? That would be freaking disastrous.
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 946
Likes: 511
From: NH / VT border
Being 17 years old i'm guessing you have rubber bushings like the ones that came stock on the bike. Poly bushings make all the difference in the world, especially when installing taller bars. The stock bushings work ok with stock bars but over time can't handle the extra stress created by the leverage of taller bars. I've done 4 DIY apehanger installs and always use the $11 DS poly bushings... there's no good reason to buy the more expensive ones... that would just be pissing money away. The Drag bushings are tight and strong and I've never had them slip. Also, most bar manufacturers recommend going with a one piece clamp when going with taller bars. I'm sure Drag and others offer this part but Wild 1 makes an excellent one. Good luck fixing your problem.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 4,816
Likes: 1,320
From: Good roads, cold beer
+1 on bushings, not hard to replace or install, despite taking front of bike apart- just group it w/ other projects (fall away test etc)
if bars still loose after bushings (or as a temp solution)- cut then wrap an old strip of rubber from an innertube around the bars where clamp attaches then install the clamps. I would be careful of over-torquing and breaking off a bolt when tightening. Maybe good to replace the bolts at this age anyway.
if apes replace riser bolts annually w/ grade 8. Have had 2-3 crack over the years as bar length is a torque multiplier.
if bars still loose after bushings (or as a temp solution)- cut then wrap an old strip of rubber from an innertube around the bars where clamp attaches then install the clamps. I would be careful of over-torquing and breaking off a bolt when tightening. Maybe good to replace the bolts at this age anyway.
if apes replace riser bolts annually w/ grade 8. Have had 2-3 crack over the years as bar length is a torque multiplier.
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