After hearing a noise in the tripple, and then getting sprayed by oil on the highway .. the culprit was a snapped pinch bolt.

In the process of changing the seals and bolt, the other bolt snapped.

I did a quick google and im seeing a ton of similar issues, apparently the Pinch Bolts used snap quite easily, and maybe its just a coincidence but the first 5 or so posts i saw about it, were from Softail owners like me.

First thought was to hit Home Depot and put a grade 8 or 10 in place of the factory.

But now im reading a post from someone who mentions it may actually make sense to keep a lesser grade there, to allow for flexing and/or snapping if needed .. to avoid damaging the fork.
(link to post: http://harleytechtalk.org/htt/index....html#msg258181 )

In a twisted way, I see the logic.

Last minute questioning of self, if i should get a stronger bolt or not ... thought id toss it out here.

Feedback?

 

This would also answer my internal question of why the @#%# HD would put 1 bolt, over putting a stronger bolt at the cost of like $0.20 more

 

I replaced mine with a grade 8 and no problems after two years.

 

What kinda noise you getting? Mine makes a creaking/popping noise when I turn the handlebars which sound like the front end flexing or the tubes twisting.
I'd be curious to see if we are experiencing the same thing.

 

For about a month i have been hearing a noise when i hit bumps .. it was a hardcore metal sound, quite obviously from the tripple, or right there under the handlebars somewhere.

I didnt even know where to begin in troubleshooting since im not a wrench really, so i just told my friend, he had no idea, so i kept riding.

Until i was on a pretty bumpy road last week before getting onto the highway, then was getting a slight mist of oil sprayed all over my shield and my face lol

We took the forks off to replace the seals, and noticed the pinch bolt was snapped. The other bolt was fine. However when assembling it all after doing the seals, the second bolt snapped.

Apparently its quite common on this frame. Hit Google for snapped pinch bolt