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Front Axle Castle Nut Torque

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  • #1

    Front Axle Castle Nut Torque

    Just snapped a stud on the axle holders torquing them to 14 ft. lbs. Having followed the spec and she snapped before clicked, I was hesitant to follow the 77 ft. lbs. for the axle castle nut. However, I did so, and found her kinda gorilla tight, and the wheel did not spin as freely.

    Question: HOW LOOSE CAN YOU HAVE THE AXLE CASTLE NUT AND BE SAFE (as long as the cotter pin is there)?
    1979 XS1100F
    2H9 Mod, Truck-Lite LED Headlight, TECHNA-FIT S/S Brake Lines, Rear Air Shocks, TKAT Fork Brace, Dyna DC-I Coils, TC Fuse Block, Barnett HD Clutch Springs, Superbike Handlebars, V-Star 650 ACCT, NGK Irridium Plugs, OEM Exhaust. CNC-Cut 2nd Gear Dogs; Ported/Milled Head; Modded Airbox: 8x8 Wix Panel Filter; #137.5 Main Jet, Viper Yellow Paint, Michelin Pilot Activ F/R, Interstate AGM Battery, 14MM MC, Maier Fairing, Cree LED Fog Lights.
    Tags: None
  • #2
    I tighten my front castle on my bikes down to about 60 ft/lb and a tad more to line up for the cotter pin, haven't come loose yet.
    2H7 (79)
    3H3

    "If it ain't broke, modify it"

    ☮

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    • #3
      Not understanding what you say you snapped? You mean you broke one of the shock legs, or you broke the pinch bolt, or you broke the part the pinch bolt squeezes?

      Anyway.. I have never officially torqued an axle nut. German torque.. gootentight.. then advance to next hole for cotter pin. YMMV. My opinion, on cornering, there's a lot of sideways torque going on.. enough to flex the shocks sideways. That axle is the fulcrum point for all this to happen, so it needs to be tight, but not so sure it needs 77 foot pounds. So for the people that actually torque them with tool, do you over torque them to get to the next slot in the castle nut, or undertorque and go back one slot?
      Last edited by trbig; 03-28-2015, 09:19 AM.
      Try your hardest to be the kind of person your dog thinks you are.

      You can live to be 100, as long as you give up everything that would make you want to live to be 100!

      Current bikes:
      '06 Suzuki DR650
      *'82 XJ1100 with the 1179 kit. "Mad Maxim"
      '82 XJ1100 Completely stock fixer-upper
      '82 XJ1100 Bagger fixer-upper
      '82 XJ1100 Motor/frame and lots of boxes of parts
      '82 XJ1100 Parts bike
      '81 XS1100 Special
      '81 YZ250
      '80 XS850 Special
      '80 XR100
      *Crashed/Totalled, still own

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      • #4
        Hey Todd- The axle pinch bolt, which fortunately for me is a stud. I unscrewed the remaining stud with vice grips and I'm headed-off to the hardware store to buy two new ones. 14-ft. lbs. is spec, and she snapped.
        1979 XS1100F
        2H9 Mod, Truck-Lite LED Headlight, TECHNA-FIT S/S Brake Lines, Rear Air Shocks, TKAT Fork Brace, Dyna DC-I Coils, TC Fuse Block, Barnett HD Clutch Springs, Superbike Handlebars, V-Star 650 ACCT, NGK Irridium Plugs, OEM Exhaust. CNC-Cut 2nd Gear Dogs; Ported/Milled Head; Modded Airbox: 8x8 Wix Panel Filter; #137.5 Main Jet, Viper Yellow Paint, Michelin Pilot Activ F/R, Interstate AGM Battery, 14MM MC, Maier Fairing, Cree LED Fog Lights.

        Comment

        • #5
          Ahh.. ok. Mine is a bolt/nut combination. Do you think they will have any grade 8 metric?

          And also... what does castle nut torque have to do with the pinch bolt/stud?
          Try your hardest to be the kind of person your dog thinks you are.

          You can live to be 100, as long as you give up everything that would make you want to live to be 100!

          Current bikes:
          '06 Suzuki DR650
          *'82 XJ1100 with the 1179 kit. "Mad Maxim"
          '82 XJ1100 Completely stock fixer-upper
          '82 XJ1100 Bagger fixer-upper
          '82 XJ1100 Motor/frame and lots of boxes of parts
          '82 XJ1100 Parts bike
          '81 XS1100 Special
          '81 YZ250
          '80 XS850 Special
          '80 XR100
          *Crashed/Totalled, still own

          Comment

          • #6
            Originally posted by trbig View Post
            Ahh.. ok. Mine is a bolt/nut combination. Do you think they will have any grade 8 metric?

            And also... what does castle nut torque have to do with the pinch bolt/stud?
            Following torque spec on one nut and seeing it snap, I was hesitant to follow it on another.
            Last edited by IanDMacDonald; 03-28-2015, 10:55 AM.
            1979 XS1100F
            2H9 Mod, Truck-Lite LED Headlight, TECHNA-FIT S/S Brake Lines, Rear Air Shocks, TKAT Fork Brace, Dyna DC-I Coils, TC Fuse Block, Barnett HD Clutch Springs, Superbike Handlebars, V-Star 650 ACCT, NGK Irridium Plugs, OEM Exhaust. CNC-Cut 2nd Gear Dogs; Ported/Milled Head; Modded Airbox: 8x8 Wix Panel Filter; #137.5 Main Jet, Viper Yellow Paint, Michelin Pilot Activ F/R, Interstate AGM Battery, 14MM MC, Maier Fairing, Cree LED Fog Lights.

            Comment

            • #7
              Hey Ian,

              Have to ask, what type of torque wrench were you using on the pinch bolts?

              For such low levels of torque, folks really recommend an INCH/POUND wrench because the accuracy of large torque wrenches rated for 10 to 140 lbs won't be sensitive enough at the low torque values!? JAT!

              I agree with BikerPhil and also Tod...if using wrench select a value a bit lower because of needing to possibly rotate a little more to get the cottor pin slot aligned.

              T.C.
              T. C. Gresham
              81SH "Godzilla" . . .1179cc super-rat.
              79SF "The Teacher" . . .basket case!
              History shows again and again,
              How nature points out the folly of men!

              Comment

              • #8
                Ian, that stud had been over-torqued somewhere in it's past, you just finished it off....

                I'll second the inch-pound wrench, accuracy at the extreme ends of the range on most wrenches isn't that good.

                Having the axle nuts torqued to at least the factory minimum is critical, as that is what 'ties' the fork/swingarm ends together.
                Last edited by crazy steve; 03-28-2015, 02:02 PM.
                Fast, Cheap, Reliable... Pick any two

                '78E original owner - resto project
                '78E ???? owner - Modder project FJ forks, 4-piston calipers F/R, 160/80-16 rear tire
                '82 XJ rebuild project
                '80SG restified, red SOLD
                '79F parts...
                '81H more parts...

                Other current bikes:
                '93 XL1200 Anniversary Sportster 85RWHP
                '86 XL883/1200 Chopper
                '82 XL1000 w/1450cc Buell, Baker 6-speed, in-progress project
                Cage: '13 Mustang GT/CS with a few 'custom' touches
                Yep, can't leave nuthin' alone...

                Comment

                • #9
                  Cheap torque wrenches are only accurate in the center of the scale. Most if them fall off to accuracy within 4% at the ends. After a few years of abusing them, they're even less accurate. Just the same, I concur with Steve. Unlikely the wrench is the culprit.
                  Marty (in Mississippi)
                  XS1100SG
                  XS650SK
                  XS650SH
                  XS650G
                  XS6502F
                  XS650E

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