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Hey all,
I need your help. I took my bike to HD dealer to new tires, tubes, 10k service, the works and yes, it was annoyingly expensive. So I got the bike back and within 24 miles of on road riding, local roads, the left axle nut cover accessory falls off and bounced around the rode today. I've had it on for 5k miles with no issues and within 24 miles from the dealer reinstalling to, it falls off. Not too happy about that. Well I stopped and picked it up and was hoping to reinstall until I get a new set but the screw is in there so tight, it won't budge. It's almost like its seized in there. So that stinks even more. Well now I figure I'll remove the other axle nut cover so the bike isn't lopsided and I take a look and I see this (pics below). It's like the screw end is sheared off. I have no idea how to remove the axle nut now. Going to the dealer (45 minutes away) will probably result in nothing fruitful so I'm SOL.
Anybody got a good way to remove the screw so I can take the nut cover off?
For future reference, all add ons like that come off before anyone touches mine but I do most of my own work. Once you get them off you could just redrill the holes and retap to a larger size and get set screws at Home Depot that are larger and will hold better. A rubber mallet works wonders.
Looking closer that is the tip of an allen wrench stuck in your screw I believe.
Last edited by golfblues; Jul 6, 2020 at 08:37 PM.
Had it once, drilled and used an easy out, worked fine. I don't get how they reinstalled them if they're that seized up. I'd call the dealer prior to riding back
For future reference, all add ons like that come off before anyone touches mine but I do most of my own work. Once you get them off you could just redrill the holes and retap to a larger size and get set screws at Home Depot that are larger and will hold better. A rubber mallet works wonders. Looking closer that is the tip of an allen wrench stuck in your screw I believe.
Well I'll be damned, that very well could be an allen wrench. So the tech broke the wrench off in the bolt and just left it. I'll be giving them a call tomorrow. Shoddy
For future reference, all add ons like that come off before anyone touches mine but I do most of my own work. Once you get them off you could just redrill the holes and retap to a larger size and get set screws at Home Depot that are larger and will hold better. A rubber mallet works wonders.
Looking closer that is the tip of an allen wrench stuck in your screw I believe.
What kind of tech does that? Amateur hour at that dealership. If there's something like Yelp in your area, make sure that if they don't make it right, you give them an honest review.
For future reference, all add ons like that come off before anyone touches mine but I do most of my own work. Once you get them off you could just redrill the holes and retap to a larger size and get set screws at Home Depot that are larger and will hold better. A rubber mallet works wonders.
Looking closer that is the tip of an allen wrench stuck in your screw I believe.
I agree on taking the parts off prior for service. Honestly I didn't even think of the axle nut covers, forgot they were on the bike, but as they had to take them off, I am surprised a "HD service tech" would do this, I mean it is a HD product after all. One other bit, I swopped out the factory saddlebag bolts with allen head bolts and u nuts for more security since I have the classic leather touring bags. Well the left bag was so wrenched on, I couldn't even open the lid more than 45 degrees, not even sure how that's possible since factory bags aren't limited in opening.
You live you learn but I would have expected a little better. I'll be going to the other dealer that's 45 minutes away. This dealer got my bike in for tires, tubes, and 10k service in 2 days. The other dealer was 4 weeks out for service availability but maybe that's saying something.
normally, it'd be a losing battle fighting the dealer over the axle cover falling off and getting road rash. but with that broken allen in there, i think you have a very good case for the dealer replacing the entire set of axle covers, both left and right. and i believe if it were me, i'd ask him to just hand them to me, i would install them myself.
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Axle nut cover bolt sheared
