A real nut case....and a bolt to.

[GLoweVA]

Sorry to dig up an OLD Thread,

So, this weekend while taking the saddle bags off my G, I twisted one of the acorn nuts right off the upper shock mount stud.
Granted, mine is a standard not a special, so no grab rail to attach.
I was sooooo P.O.'d that I haven't really looked to close to the damage done, but I think that I've got some threads left still, so I may be able to thread on a new acorn nut and be done. Like those that posted here, the sole purpose of the nut is to hold the shock from latteraly sliding off the weight bearing collar/stud.
So, IF I've got enough threads, then I should be alright, right?

DG, how did your repair go anyway?

[natemoen]

I guess of it really cane down to it you could drill and tap into the shoulder and then put threaded rod in to replace the threaded area.

[fredintoon]

So, this weekend while taking the saddle bags off my G, I twisted one of the acorn nuts right off the upper shock mount stud.
Granted, mine is a standard not a special, so no grab rail to attach.
I was sooooo P.O.'d that I haven't really looked to close to the damage done, but I think that I've got some threads left still, so I may be able to thread on a new acorn nut and be done. Like those that posted here, the sole purpose of the nut is to hold the shock from latteraly sliding off the weight bearing collar/stud.
So, IF I've got enough threads, then I should be alright, right?

Hi George,
Nate beat me to it but yes, his fix works.
Same thing happened to an e-friend's XS650. My recommended fix was to cut the remains of the threads off and tap the stud M8 to hold the shock on with an M8 bolt and a fender washer. That was some years ago and the fix is still good.
And BTW, go back to post#7 in this string, I said the same thing back then.

[DGXSER]

Hey George,

it has been holding up great for years now. What I did was to get a 6mm 1.0 pitch stainless steel bolt and drilled and tapped a hole inside the shock mount collar maybe 20 mm deep. I then put some red loc-tite on the threads and threaded the bolt into it.

Next I took a 10mm 1.25 thread bolt, cut it to length and drilled and tapped it to take the 6mm 1.0 thread bolt. Cut the 6mm bolt to length and again used red loc-tite as I bolted the 10mm threaded piece into place. Used a regular chrome 10 mm acorn nut to hold my shock (and grab bar) into place.

I've had that nut off several times, and now have XJ air shocks on the bike. So, a success in my book. Only thing you have to remember that acorn nut is not the same as the others, and must go back in the same place.

[jjz28]

I think I would just drill and tap it and put a short piece of all thread in there and put a nut on it. That way the tap and the nut would be for the same size. Seems pretty simple sitting here at my computer I guess until you get to the bike and actually start doing it.

[DGXSER]

In my case, I was looking at the nut to install needing to be big enough to encase the slot in the grab bar of the 80-81 Special models, also needed to be substantial enough to take the force of pinching the grab bar in toward the shock absorber, there is about a 1/2" gap before you tighten the nut in. I also did not want to go to thick on the threaded hole I was drilling into the shoulder section where the shock mounts.

That was my theory on the method I used anyway. There are plenty ways to solve the issue for sure. Kind of like what do you see looking at a cloud or an ink blot.

[natemoen]

I think I would just drill and tap it and put a short piece of all thread in there and put a nut on it. That way the tap and the nut would be for the same size. Seems pretty simple sitting here at my computer I guess until you get to the bike and actually start doing it.

Make sure you use a bottoming tap and not a plug or taper tap. That way you minimize any empty cavities inside the shoulder the shock sits on.

[TopCatGr58]

Or.....?

Or....just ask your local Xsive(s) to bring over their portable Lincoln wire feed welder and grinder/cutter and cut off the old shoulder/bolt and weld on a new one with similar sized shoulder and thread??

George, you've got my number!

T.C.

[DGXSER]

Sure TC, Let me fudge up another frame and you can come on over any time you like.

[GLoweVA]

Or....just ask your local Xsive(s) to bring over their portable Lincoln wire feed welder and grinder/cutter and cut off the old shoulder/bolt and weld on a new one with similar sized shoulder and thread??

George, you've got my number!

T.C.

This is the G, so there's no hurry to get it fixed.
Currently he's sitting in the carport with a bald rear tire, no fairing and the forks are off. Not to mention the missing clutch cable and various other little parts that I've borrowed for Scarlet.
I did snap a pic this morning to see how many threads are left on the stud and.... not much:

Looks like there's maybe one or two threads left on there.
Not sure which way I'm going to go with this repair.
I think the best way for me will be to get TC to weld on a bolt/stud, that way later when I want to put some saddle bags on him, there'll be something for the bag frame to hang onto.

[bikerphil]

Another option, remove the shock and take a metric die and run the threads down a bit further. Then take a sawzall/hacksaw and cut the eyelet/bushing on the shock down about 1/4" so it will be slightly narrower and your shock nut now should have enough threads. It is hard to tell from the pic, but if the weld under the shock eyelet is in the way, may be able to remove the material from the inboard side of the eyelet and rorate 180º if need be.