Altrider Crash Bars - loose engine bolts

[serhan]

In 2012 I traded in my FJR for a 2012 ST, and ST was the most stable bike I have ever ridden (still is to this date). With my intentions to go off-road, I ordered and installed my altrider crash bars shortly after. About a few days after the install I started noticing that the bike started wandering around as I was on 1st gear 0 - 15 mph speeds. This bothered me a bit but I had to take a break from riding for about two years, and rode very rarely due to an assignment overseas. This was still bothering me, and today when I am back in US I tried to check the two front bolts for the amount of torque, just because I remembered the wandering started after the AR crash bars. To my surprise the bolts which I had a very hard time loosening up when I was installing the bars, maybe had about 30nm of torque on them. Tightened them back up to the right torque, and straight as an arrow. Did anyone else with these crash bars had a similar experience? Do they just get loosened in time?

Its worth noting that the fit was not perfect and I had to use the bolt to pull in the front of the crash bars maybe for about 4mm.

S.

 

[HeliMark]

Blue locktite, no problems yet.


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[14kmtnman]

Coming from a KLR, I used Blue Loctite on everything that was used for the install even on the skid plate, out of habbit, of course ::008:: I really hate finding missing bolts/parts from the bike in the middle of no where. It helps cut down down on the tool kit size a bit.

 

[FrontRangeRider]

I put blue loctite on any fastener that I remove unless it has a nylock. Force of habit over the years.

Concur with OP that AltRider fit was not perfect. Not bad but not perfect. I had to use a car jack to get some of the holes to line up properly. On others, I was pulling or pushing as hard as I could to get the bolts started. That being said, now that they are on, they look great and were worth the effort.

 

[LCB]

Just purchased a set of bars for my '14 S10 during a west coast trip and installed them in the parking lot (no torque wrench) with blue Loktite as mentioned by others. Two sets of hands are most useful to get them on. No issues after 8K Km.

 

[coastie]

I did mine with just one set of hands, and a lot of swearing.

 

[Reveille]

Mine went on drama free 2 years ago with blue locktite and all is well.

 

[Bushyar15]

Installed a couple months ago, lots of bumpy rocky terrain that had my fillings rattled. Still tight with the blue loctite!