KDXRIDER.NET

I just got around to taking off the rear wheel to get a new tire and all when something weird happened. First I was pissed that I'll have to take some time to repair the bike and all (usually don't mind but time is short this week), and now I realize how lucky I was.

I washed the bike off good and pushed it up the driveway and into the garage to put it on the bike stand. Lift the side of the bike up and it sounds funny, like a bolt is loose somewhere or some metal bangin on metal. I put the bike down and lift again only to notice that my swing arm isn't right, it is kind-of just hangin there. I check the dogbones and swingarm bolts and all is fine. I then move up to the top of the shock only to find that the top mount bolt and nut are gone. This had to be the only bolt that I have not removed and tightened within the last 1/2 year and it is gone. I can only imagine what would have happened had my tire not flatted and I had quit riding for the day. Wide open trails that we were hitting speeds of 50 on with some good bumps.

Anyway, does this require any special bolt or can I go to Home Depot and pick something up? Heading out to the bike shop in a few hours for the tire so should I be looking for any special bolt as well?

Sometimes you ahve to believe things happen for a reason.

I wouldn't put a HD chinamese butter bolt in there.

Not a whole lot of shear stress on that bolt - it would not bother me to put a correct size and grade bolt from Home Depot in there if it were my bike.

Look at the head on the lower shock bolt to determine the grade that Kawaski used and buy that grade or better bolt.

I went out to remove the bottom shock bolt to see if it would match up to the lower bolt size wise so I knew what to but and guess what, sitting on the top of the right hand swiong arm was the upper shock bolt just laying there.

I must have just gottn back to the truck and the this bolt had to be loose. Then when I went down to the clean the bike this afternoon the bolt was still there cause I sat on the bike. Only when I went to lift the thing onto the stand did the bolt fall out onto the swing arm and then just sit there. I thought I heard loose bolts when I lifted the bike onto the stand but I couldn't find the bolt. Even re-traced my footsteps of this morning thinking it must have fallen out when I brought the bike out to wash.

So, what would have happened had that bolt fallen out going 50+ with bumps? Would I be here typing?

It seems like it could have been ugly!!

If I recall correctly, the shock res would be banging on the pipe close to the S/A junction. It would likely be making a good bit of noise.

Any bolt will do (next time).

If you didn't get that far..the two bolts (top/bottom shock mount) are not the same.

Probably the difficulty would be in getting a bolt that was NOT threaded too far up....so the shoulder of the bolt would fit in the bushing, NOT any threads.

Good find!

I almost had the same problem (nut was finger tight) and striaght away bought some heavy duty nylon nuts (locked thread) and havent had a hassle since. good peace of mind for high stress points like that

The torque spec for that fastener is somewhere around 60ft/lbs. Due to its location, it is difficult to get that done.

'Difficult' in this case meaning I've never done it. Not enough room for much of any wrench 'up there'.

That doesn't stop me from putting a cheater on my 'lil 3/8" and giving it a good yank (read: apply exact torque value).

I've never used a thread locking agent on that fastener. If torqued to spec (read: give it a good yank) you won't have any problems with it.