Exhaust Flange Nuts on the Loose!

[kw-retrorider]

TFrank....Exactly my friend.....never as easy as it looks.

[Tfrank59]

My bike doesn't have stock exhaust, I didn't mention that, but the previous owner put on aftermarket pipes, so I may have more space for a wrench or socket than stock exhaust. Originally my exhaust had nuts that required a special Allen wrench but I changed them to flanged hex nuts.

[kw-retrorider]

Pete - agree with all. As I said, my bad on routine maintenance. I didn't put Loctite on the first time and look how long it went. Now if I just check them regularly, I think I'll prevent this from happening again....but just thought I'd ask the question because of the number of knowledgeable people on this forum. So, no surprise on the Loctite answer.

I do remember these allen nuts not being easy to get to. Can't remember if I cut a wrench into a special tool....in any case, I think I will look into regular nuts or acorns now that I have to do something. Seems like regular tools and a torque wrench would be easier to use that way. Check for clean and square good too.

[Pete]

Personally I wouldn't use any kind of thread locking compound such as Loctite. The penalty for getting it wrong is sheared studs which is a big, royal, pain in the bum. Torquing them up to the factory spec. and then checking once a month is only a little effort.

It might be worth your while to check that your installation is clean and square before putting new nuts on.

[Tfrank59]

oh yeah, course you won't be able to do the shrink wrap thing with acorn nuts   I just have hex flanged nuts on mine.

[kw-retrorider]

Good info guys...thanks

[Pilgrim]

I torqued mine and have had no problems...after a good ride and they have cooled off again retorque. I think the torque is only like 12 ft. lbs. I also have acorn nuts.

[CDNRatMan]

   Kw; any time I can mess with you I will take the opportunity. Because it does not come often.....lol....I know that acorn nuts are really deep, and metric, but where I got them I can not say. I think honest they are from a long forgotten project and just happen to be in a bin. I will check the normal places I shop at and see if I can perhaps find them. On Pearl the exhaust flange bolts are really different than the ones that were on Red. And they are both 99's but Red has a Roadhouse exhaust and Pearl has a stock setup......

Yes KW never used any locktite or anything on the nuts.

[Tfrank59]

yep, just let the bike warm up and in minutes it's shrunk on there.  Seems to last for a few months (over the whole summer) without degrading to the point where it won't keep the nut from backing off--again, a guy should be checking those maybe once a month or so...

[kw-retrorider]

Ratman....Guilty as charged!....but that won't make me by WWW. So yours are on their dry, but tight.

Assume you are using the stock studs...acorn nuts would have to be deep....do you have a source for those acorn nuts...like that idea.

TFrank: Are you putting a piece on and shrinking it in place with an external heat source....or just wrapping a stray piece around it and running the nut up on it, then running the engine to shrink it?

[CDNRatMan]

  Well if you had WWW's and a chain drive you would have to check those and clean them every so often and that would be a prime time to check the exhaust bolts at the same time........I replaced my allen key ones with nice acorn nuts and I carry a small 1/4" ratchet set in my travel trunk, and it covers that issue.......on a long trip I check them about every 4 days or so, never have had to tighten them yet.

[Tfrank59]

what I did with mine is to take a piece of shrink wrap and slip it on the stud, which when it heats and shrinks will keep a nut from coming off.  If you need to get the nut off you can simply wrench it off.  BTW even high-strength locktite will melt under temps like those at your exhaust flanges.  Shrink wrap won't keep a nut from loosening but at least it won't fall off the bike.   I go around periodically checking nuts and bolts--it's recommended not just for exhaust stuff.

[kw-retrorider]

Not used to having issues on road with my 800, so thought I'd share what happened during a routine ride yesterday....

Running along fine, when the sound of the engine started to change and I began hearing more engine exhaust sound from the front of the bike instead of just behind me.  Didn't think much of it as the change was gradual....until the first deceleration for a traffic light, when the exhaust popped audibly. Was just a few miles from my destination, so continued.

When I stopped I found both exhaust flange nuts gone off the front downpipe at the engine....and one still sitting on the engine. Let the bike cool down while I had lunch. I have the factory tool kit on the bike, but of course it does not include the large allen wrench for those nuts...which are also round on the outside and not hex, because of the tight fit. Used the baby pliers in the tool kit to put the one nut on the front stud and got home.

These nuts, although special seem to be easy enough to find. Don't know what size they are.
Although I have British machinery in my background, I have not been as religious going around the bike periodically to tighten bolts and nuts. These have been on since 2014 when I put a roadhouse exhaust on, and it's been over 20K miles since then. So, my bad on maintenance.

Question for the group....What's the magic juice of choice on making these up....one of the many locktites?...something else?  Any other words of wisdom....except routinely check tightness and carry the allen wrench you need?