So I'm trying to finish up my handlebar install today.

Found out my Ness bars don't use the stock size bolt. Went to lowes, got the same size but in fine thread. Got home. Still didn't fit.

Took them back along w/ the handlebars this time & found out they used a metric bolt (WTF NESS) $5.00/bolt. Anyways. It's the right size, but seems a bit "wiggly" when screwed into the handlebar.

Any simple way to remedy this? I was thinking wrapping it a few times w/ teflon tape. Stupid idea?

Any others?

Thanks

 

I'm kinda confused here. I have three Harleys in the garage. I just went out and checked - none of them have any bolts that go into the handlebars. Are you talking about the riser bolts? If so, and if that is where the handlebars seem to be a little wiggly, I'd recommend pinning them to the risers or top clamp. Let me know if this is your issue, and I can elaborate on the process for pinning the bars to the clamp or riser.

 

Sorry. Yes, that's what I meant. The bolts that go into the riser. The Ram Lo Ness is a 1-piece bar.

 

Many people will tell you to shim around the bars to tighten up the risers. They may suggesd some tin foil or a shim cut out of a soda can. I prefer to pin them. I remove the bars. Use a 1/4 inch drill bit to drill a blind hole into the risers and stick in a doll pin, leaving it stick up about 1/2 inch aboce the bottom of the riser. Set the bars on in the position you want them, mark and drill 1/4 inch holes in the bottom of the bars that will go over the doll pins. Now, when you put the bars on over those pins, the bars wil not wiggle.

 

I'm wondering if standard 8.8 bolts as you get them from the hardware store are the correct ones to use?

 

I get the idea of pinning them now. Thanks. Not a bad idea.

Makes me wonder too Scared..... I'm going to go out in a few & just mount them up real quick & see if they tighten up. The bolts definitely screw in & hold, but worried about them becoming loose while riding.

Also, I'll probably call the company & see if they can tell me the proper bolt size.

 

As long as the bolts are the correct size and thread pitch and they are a good quality bolt like a grade 8 an the threads in the riser are not damaged, I would use some blue loctite during the installation and you should have No worries at all.

 

Grade 8 steel is wat they make urinals out of. I'm not talking about thread pitch as in a metric Iso M tread there are no variations. I'm talking about the T.Y.S. (Tensile Yield Strength) I would have thought that 9.8 or even a 10.9 could have been more appropriate. Just my

 

if you looking to space it to tighen it down i use a small piece of emry cloth on the bar and put the clamp over that, then tq it down. bars will not move at all, i have never seen metric riser bolts on a Harley

 

Thanks everyone. I found out the problem. Called Ness & they said it should either take the stock HD bolt size in coarse or fine thread.
Since my stock bolts were coarse I told him I tried the fine thread & they didn't work. He told me to chase the threads because it was possible some chrome was left in during the chroming process.
Luckily I have a tap & die kit w/ that size. Taking the metrics back & going to the HD dealer for the right ones. I don't think Lowes had a grade 8 bolt that size.

Thanks everyone. Not exactly an area I want to be guessing at