Clamping the fork pinch bolts

[CanadianRidr]

Hi I just got my suspension back and I am currently stumped on my forks. I got them in clamped the pinch bolts down, I have them torqued down correct on each side but on the right side the top clamp pinching surface has almost closed itself together, meanwhile the left side has a small gap just the like every other clamping area.

Basically I cannot see threads on ONLY the top right side. Everywhere else is fine. Now this is torqued but should loosten it off to an equal gap? I don't want to pinch a tube or anything....what do I do??

 

[RM_guy]

As long as it is torqued correctly you should be OK. The uneven gaps are probably due to manufacturing tolerences.

 

[Jeremy Wilkey]

I'd like to add to make sure your bolts are well lubed so they give a acurate torque. They can get sticky and give false readings.

Regards,
Jer

 

[CanadianRidr]

Allright thanks guys this whole reinstall has almost caused a heartattack at a young age. I am new to the torque wrench and at first I was torquing in newtons when I THOUGHT it was foot pounds, luckily I didn't break anything. So then i had to go over everything. I finally got the bike back together and I snapped off a bolt in the subframe to frame section. Finally I got it out and needless to say I am not riding today. :whiner:

 

[Jeremy Wilkey]

Reminds me of my first suspension exsperiment.. I was 9 or ten and added "a little too much air pressure in my forks.."

Regards,
Jer

 

[CanadianRidr]

Jer do you think my very...ummm....idiotic conversion of newtons to ft.pounds did any harm to my suspension? On the forks they were too tight by 6 pounds, but on the axle nut it was about 20 :( Oh man. :whiner: I think I pretty much warped that left colar that goes on the wheel so I will pick a new one up tommorow :|

 

[Jeremy Wilkey]

Canadian,
No sweat, fix whats broke and move on. I think Nasa has lost a or two satelite over a conversion, so I wouldnt stress..

Regards,
Jer

 

[CanadianRidr]

LOL
Thanks Jer, Well I did some more investigating and I realized it's the axle that is causing the problem. It won't fit through the hole in the bottom of the fork anymore. I am wondering if that 20 pounds somehow warped the end of the axle or mushroomed it just enough :|
I still feel like a dope. I was just hopeing that the extra pounds on the axle nut didn't bend the forks or something stupid like that.

Like I said, what a weekend :whiner:

 

[RM_guy]

I saw your post in the Mods forum. Good thing you caught it before you rode the bike. You're not the first person to use Newtons instead of ft*lbs and you won't be the last :confused: