I was riding today i noticed my bike was riding different so i pulled over and discovered my top shock bolt snapped off and i lost the spacer cup that goes for $35.00 - $40.00 ,this is the second time it happed within months ! last time it ruined my Progressive shocks this time they are okay , i went with the Harley stock bolts last time which must be made in japan , my friend says he thinks they are grade 5 , what would be a better bolt ?

Thanks !


Wonka

 

grade 8. Pull the other one and bring with you to the hardware store. Match and go.

 

How hard do you ride?

Condition of the roads in your area?

Are you using used bolts?

Are you using a torque wrench?

What grade bolt came OEM?

Do your new shocks require longer bolts then original shocks?
Longer bolt will break easier then a short one.

Only thing to do is go to one higher grade bolt.

 

Well today we were on some bumpy back roads climbing steep hills and i thought i heard something that's where it must have happed so i will never go on that route again , when i replaced them before ( both ) they were ordered from Harley the bolt size is 1/2 -13x4 , last time we put loc tight and torqued them to factory specs , i guess i will go with an 8 grade i can't to anything till i order the spacer cup from the dealer tomorrow ...

 

Ummm... It's not a dirt bike,

 

These were old country roads up and down and all around , next time i must take care and go very slow ....

 

Is this the same bolt that snapped before, or the one on the other side? Did you replace both bolts when the first one snapped?

 

No it was the other side last time and yes i replace BOTH bolts ..... I'm remembering now when we replaced my tires last week my buddy had the wrench on that bolt and it was flexing ( loc tight ) and he could not break it free so he had to unloosen the bottom bolt , I'm pretty sure that's what cause it , dam loc tight , i hope we can drill the rest of it out ..... I'm still going to go with grade 8 anyway .....

 

As you were told before, it is not the bolts but the shocks that are fracturing the bolt. A great shock does not have the shock of the road transfigured through the shock absorber into the frame. Jay Risk (the post you posted on in the beginning) has never experienced this problem again. Just think of the jarring your body takes when you hit every little bump! No matter what grade of bolt you use outside of increasing the diameter significantly and supporting the load, you will continue to hurt and also snap the stud. Just think about it, no jarring with great shocks.

 

Makes sense in what your saying , if it happens one more time than i'm going back to my stock Harley ones because i never had a problem with stock ones on any of my 6 Harley's and the ride was fine i just like the look of the lowered shock 11" 412's .. , if i ever win the lottery i will buy yours ...