loose bolts

[sprt220]

I have a Champion kit and I had some service on my bike and when the tech. went to check the drive belt he noticed some looseness in the kit and tightened it up.I was wondering if this is normal since there is a lot of vibration.I did not feel anything was loose when I took it in and it did not give any indication that anything was wrong.Are we supposed to check the kits every so many miles for looseness?

Thanks, Ken

[Trikerjim]

Hey Ken, I have a Honda so I don't have quite the vibration you do but I still check every so often to see what has come loose. Bazooka or one of the Champion riders on here can tell you if there is a time or mileage figure to go by. I normally do it on rainy days in the garage just "piddling" as I call it. Check the lights, lugnuts, shoot a little grease on the u-joints...

[Papa Zook]

I have a Champion kit and I had some service on my bike and when the tech. went to check the drive belt he noticed some looseness in the kit and tightened it up.I was wondering if this is normal since there is a lot of vibration.I did not feel anything was loose when I took it in and it did not give any indication that anything was wrong.Are we supposed to check the kits every so many miles for looseness?

Thanks, Ken

When any trike kit is assembled, standard procedure is that every nut and bolt should be Loc-Tited with either BLUE or RED Loc-Tite. Bolts that are never intended to be loosened should have the RED applied and can be broken loose but will require a great amount of torque and sometimes heating to loosen them. Bolts holding components that may need adjusting occasionally, like the ones holding the drive-belt adjustment arm should be secured with blue. This will insure the bolts dont vibrate loose. This is particularly true with the Harley kits since Harley`s trademark vibration is purposely engineered into the bike.

[Twincam88]

loose belts are common, they stretch when new. over time they settle in.
loose bolts is a whole new issue, I always lock-tite and mark with a paint stick critical fasteners after tightening. it gives a quite visual if something is coming loose. From your post, it sounds more like standard inspection on a Harley.
I would find more comfort than concern that the tech checked and made the adjustment, Show's he's on the ball

[sprt220]

Thanks everone for replying.I talked to the guy who built my trike and he said that it has locking nuts and shouldn't come loose.I also talked to the tech.and he said that it was a little loose and of course I am very glad he did a complete job and checked everything.

Ken

[BlueTrinity]

Ken, I sure hope he took those loose bolts out and reinserted them with a new coating of Lock-Tite, rather than just giving an extra turn with the wrench (or even torque wrench).

Since he was thorough the first time, he likely did, but it never hurts to ask.

[threewheeled]

We do them all and I always tell clients to check them all the time and feel them every 3500/5000 miles and before every trip in the first 2500 miles.
we only use the red on parts not meant to ever take loose and the Blue on everything else but DO NOT OVER APPLY or it will not crystalize in the threads
kodiak