stabilizer link

[waynerid1]

has anyone out there that has a tri-glide ever have any problems with bolts coming out or breaking off on the engine side of engine stabilizer that is attached from frame to engine, mine came out and lost bolts and spacer , replaced them , now one bolt has broke off ,gotta take it in now and have them get the bolt , this seems like a bad design to me

[msocko3]

Last year the bolts broke off on my dads, plus the original link wore out in about 20,000 miles. He started having this goofy squeaking noise and couldn't figure out where it was coming from. After poking around awhile we figured out the heim joint was bad, replaced the link and all was well until the bolts broke 17,000 miles later.

[Lee H. Mann]

has anyone out there that has a tri-glide ever have any problems with bolts coming out or breaking off on the engine side of engine stabilizer that is attached from frame to engine, mine came out and lost bolts and spacer , replaced them , now one bolt has broke off ,gotta take it in now and have them get the bolt , this seems like a bad design to me

Replace the link with a spring-loaded link available from most bike shops. It absorbs the shock of the engine trying to shift in the frame while turning. No more broken bolts, use grade 8 hardware.

[Rod69]

Have to watch for this. Have a 09 like Mikes dads and have 36,000+ miles on mine.

[waynerid1]

thanks for the come back guys and when i get this fixed , which i'm hopeing they will do under ex. warranty i wil see about getting the spring -loaded link,is there somewhere on line I might be able to order this link from Lee or should most Harley shop have them

[waynerid1]

Replace the link with a spring-loaded link available from most bike shops. It absorbs the shock of the engine trying to shift in the frame while turning. No more broken bolts, use grade 8 hardware.

if i were to have this problem out on a road trip a long way from ,could i just take the whole link off until i was to get back home without hurting anything except the vibration i would get without the link? and all so is there a web sight i might buy one of these links? thanks again for info glad it wasn't just my trike

[427dave]

I just started having this happen, Lost one bolt and the other was loose. Made a funny squeaking sound. I put a new bolt and tightened the other. I put blue loc tite on them. They loosened again. Loctite again, we will see. I believe the bolts are grade 8 to begin with, they have the 3 markings on them.

[msocko3]

if i were to have this problem out on a road trip a long way from ,could i just take the whole link off until i was to get back home without hurting anything except the vibration i would get without the link? and all so is there a web sight i might buy one of these links? thanks again for info glad it wasn't just my trike

You don't want to ride far without it, its part of the motor mount system. The engine will vibrate and shake around pretty good which will stress the bottom mounts and the transmission where the swing arm connects to the tail, its possible you could crack the tail end of the transmission.

[msocko3]

I just started having this happen, Lost one bolt and the other was loose. Made a funny squeaking sound. I put a new bolt and tightened the other. I put blue loc tite on them. They loosened again. Loctite again, we will see. I believe the bolts are grade 8 to begin with, they have the 3 markings on them.

I think the loctite is loosening from the heat, it may be one of those fasteners you need to check before you leave on a trip and maybe while on the trip. I'm not sure if red loctite will even hold up to the heat in that area.

[CRBandit]

Could someone post a photo showing these two bolts you're talking about? Thanks.

[jcolson]

Mine came out last year at the Rally. Dennis(of T-Glide Stuff) was riding down from Indiana with me when we got stopped in traffic in Kentucky on 75. He kept looking over at my motor but didn't say anything. When we got to the motel in Maggie Valley I went on a beer run. I kept hearing this loud squeaking. When I got to the gas station I found out both bolts to the front motor mount were gone. When I got back to the motel someone went to a hardware store to pick up more bolts. I took one out of Dennis's and there was no Locktite on his. I don't think they put it on from the factory,which is nonsense. The dealer took mine apart before I went on the trip so I had them replace the bolts with the factory ones and told them to Locktite them. So yeh people are having problems with that issue. They had to replace the rocker box because the motor mount bracket put a big ole dent in it from rattling around. Sorry about writing a book. I get carried away.

[waynerid1]

don't have a picture but they are 3/8 bolt and theres 2 of them that bolts the bracket to your front barrel and has a link to the frame , look in front of the engine and you will see them in the bracket ,

[Sloufoot]

Last year the bolts broke off on my dads, plus the original link wore out in about 20,000 miles. He started having this goofy squeaking noise and couldn't figure out where it was coming from. After poking around awhile we figured out the heim joint was bad, replaced the link and all was well until the bolts broke 17,000 miles later.

And what was that everyone asks about extended warranty ????
A lot can happen then a bolt breaks off. It could mean major engine parts. Or frame parts.
pepper

[Sloufoot]

3 marks are grade 5, 4 marks are grade 6, 6 marks are grade 8. "Bowman Bomaloy" bolts are advertised as grade 9+. they have 12 marks. But keep in mind you get brittle when you go to high. Can't stand much vibration. They can crystallize & break like glass.
I personally like grade 6, but they are hard to find. Lawson bolt has them. They are a little of both worlds. Also you can drill them if they need safety wired, or pined .

[Sloufoot]

Something to consider when dealing with a bolt & nut in a high heat area is to use an all steel lock nut. Not locktite, not nylon lock nuts. It won't come off by itself !

[msocko3]

Something to consider when dealing with a bolt & nut in a high heat area is to use an all steel lock nut. Not locktite, not nylon lock nuts. It won't come off by itself !

No nuts on the bolts in question, they thread into the front head.

[Sloufoot]

No nuts on the bolts in question, they thread into the front head.

When they come loose & wallow the hole out, what do you do? Drill it out to the next size ? Or thread inserts? Or new head ?
That might be the reason they come loose again is the threads aren't the same size anymore.

[waynerid1]

took the bike in today to get fixed and yes sloufoot your right about the bolts ,I've worked for years with bolts as being a retired mechanic and I also sold bolts, they tried to tell me it had grade 8 bolts in it when I know better cause it had only 3 marks on it which would have been a grade 5, i'll be looking for a way not to happen again

[Sloufoot]

You are going to run into problems finding grade 8 stainless to go into that aluminum head. But I guess a little electrolysis might help keep them in.......ha... Might find something in aircraft bolts.

[msocko3]

When they come loose & wallow the hole out, what do you do? Drill it out to the next size ? Or thread inserts? Or new head ?
That might be the reason they come loose again is the threads aren't the same size anymore.

I know what you mean, just another one of Harley's great designs.