[HellInABucket]

I kid you not. I had just started out on a ride, was about to change lanes to make a left turn and I heard a "plink!" and looked to my right to see what I thought was just the acorn nut boucing on the road next to me. Since I've had my fairing off a couple times this week, I thought maybe I didnt tighten it down enough and it worked itself loose.

So I pulled into a driveway, ran to retrieve it, and to my surprise the bolt had sheared off to be just about flush with the opening in the acorn nut.

W T F.

There is still some thread poking thru, in fact I might even be able to thread it up with a new acorn nut.

So, I guess my question is - doesn anyone know what length, width and thread pitch I need to replace it?

I'm not looking forward to trying to get whats left of the bolt out. I guess just vice grips or pliers to try to rotate it out?

 

[Jetman]

I kid you not. I had just started out on a ride, was about to change lanes to make a left turn and I heard a "plink!" and looked to my right to see what I thought was just the acorn nut boucing on the road next to me. Since I've had my fairing off a couple times this week, I thought maybe I didnt tighten it down enough and it worked itself loose.

So I pulled into a driveway, ran to retrieve it, and to my surprise the bolt had sheared off to be just about flush with the opening in the acorn nut.

W T F.

There is still some thread poking thru, in fact I might even be able to thread it up with a new acorn nut.

So, I guess my question is - doesn anyone know what length, width and thread pitch I need to replace it?

I'm not looking forward to trying to get whats left of the bolt out. I guess just vice grips or pliers to try to rotate it out?

Was it the shorter one that goes into the lamp base or the longer one that goes thru the base & directly into the lamp? PM me your address and I'll mail you one.......

 

[HellInABucket]

Was it the shorter one that goes into the lamp base or the longer one that goes thru the base & directly into the lamp? PM me your address and I'll mail you one.......

I believe the lamp base. Its the rear one, not the front one

 

[sj01fltri]

It 5/16-18 just get a piece from lowes ect cut to length that's what i did when i went back to my factory crash bar after removing the crash bar eliminator.

 

[HellInABucket]

It 5/16-18 just get a piece from lowes ect cut to length that's what i did when i went back to my factory crash bar after removing the crash bar eliminator.

OK, thanks - thats presuming I can get it out. I hope its just a matter of vice grips.

 

[ironmark]

I never heard of this happening before!
If you can't get the rest of the stud out with some vise grips you may have to drill the stud and use a easy out.

 

[DED HD]

ive had the bolt, screw itself back into the housing, but was able to pull it back out


Sent from Motorcycle.com Free App

 

[Govdog76]

I had one of my turn signal bolts shear off as well. Like the OP, I went to check the nuts for tightness as part of a routine once-over for the bike, and the acorn nut fell off in my hands. I thought, "wow, that was really loose!" Then I noticed the piece of the bolt still IN the nut.
In my case, this was on the left side of the faring, which is the side that holds the HD Boom amp. Despite supposedly being designed to fit in this space, the two faring halves must be pushed hard together to get the turn signal bolts threaded. I think the combination of tension, time, and vibration stressed the metal and popped it right in half. I replaced with longer threaded stock and no more problem.
Ian

 

[HellInABucket]

What's the best method/tool to cut threaded rod this thick without wrecking the threads? Only thing I'm coming up with is a dremel tool.

 

[ironmark]

Just about any cutting tool will work just fine, such as a hacksaw or 4 inch grinder with a cutting wheel or a dremel with a cutting wheel.
Just put a nut on the threaded rod and cut the rod next to the nut then un-screw the nut off the cut end to remove any burrs that may be on the rod because of the cut.
The threads will work just fine but they may have a sharp edge to the threads right at the cut but that shouldn't be a problem. You could take the dremel and touch up the sharp threads a little if you want.

 

[Wharf Rat]

Parts manual shows part # 3256 as 5/16 - 18 x 2½

 

[HellInABucket]

Just about any cutting tool will work just fine, such as a hacksaw or 4 inch grinder with a cutting wheel or a dremel with a cutting wheel.
Just put a nut on the threaded rod and cut the rod next to the nut then un-screw the nut off the cut end to remove any burrs that may be on the rod because of the cut.
The threads will work just fine but they may have a sharp edge to the threads right at the cut but that shouldn't be a problem. You could take the dremel and touch up the sharp threads a little if you want.

Thanks...

Parts manual shows part # 3256 as 5/16 - 18 x 2½

And... thanks!

I think I'm going to order a turn signal, its only $64, if only to have it if the bolt replacement doesnt go as planned, I can just pop the new one in, no loss of riding time.

If it works, then I can return it unopened, and

 

[ironmark]

You can order just the turn signal housing you don't need the complete assembly. With the main housing you will have to pull out the socket from the old signal and put in the new signal and use your lenses, the housing may not come with the studs so you may have to order the studs.

 

[X Ring]

Once you remove the rest of the turn signal assembly from the bike, I'm sure you'll find there's plenty of stud left to remove easily with a visegrip. A drill and an easyout will probably easily remove the broken end from the acorn nut. The only difference between the factory stud and a piece of threaded rod to replace it with is the rod won't have the Allen hole in the end which is only there to aid in factory assembly. Total cost to repair this turn signal should be less than a couple of bucks at most. Good luck, you can do it easily!

 

[HellInABucket]

Once you remove the rest of the turn signal assembly from the bike, I'm sure you'll find there's plenty of stud left to remove easily with a visegrip. A drill and an easyout will probably easily remove the broken end from the acorn nut. The only difference between the factory stud and a piece of threaded rod to replace it with is the rod won't have the Allen hole in the end which is only there to aid in factory assembly. Total cost to repair this turn signal should be less than a couple of bucks at most. Good luck, you can do it easily!

Yeah, thanks - I ordered a turn sig just in case I run into trouble with it, and I'll just return if if I dont need it.

I'm going to put a dab of red Loctite on the end of the threaded rod that goes into the turn sig base, and use two nuts as a "jam nut" so that I can tighten it down in the turn sig base.

 

[ironmark]

I don't think a jam nut will work because the turn signal won't fit tight to the outer fairing. I just use blue loctite on the studs with no problems.

 

[HellInABucket]

I don't think a jam nut will work because the turn signal won't fit tight to the outer fairing. I just use blue loctite on the studs with no problems.

Sorry, maybe I'm not making myself clear - I want to use the 2 nuts together so I have something to turn to put the studs into the signal mount other than just hand tightening. I'll take them off when I mount the signal to the bike and use the acorn nut as normal.

 

[X Ring]

I would definately agree with ironmark to use blue and not red loctite for this application.

 

[OldNerdGuy]

Fastenal has replacements. They are not stainless, so they do have to be kept from rusting, but they are the same types that Harley puts in there, complete with the hex socket in the end so you can drive them in tight.

 

[HellInABucket]

I would definately agree with ironmark to use blue and not red loctite for this application.

Again, the loctite is not for the acorn nut end, its for the end thats never supposed to come out.

For whatever reason, I find myself removing the outer fairing a lot, I dont want the threaded rod to rotate out when I take the signal housing off to remove the fairing.

This is what happened on the stock one, and the dealer replaced it with a hex bolt that was too long, and that wound up breaking through the chrome on the mount side