Snapped fork leg stud

[Clutch]

I was trying to put my wheel back on on my 95 and I was tightening the 4 nuts that attach to the studs on the lower left fork leg, and got out my torque wrench. The service manual says 85 ft/lbs, which is really high I thought. Anyway, I ended up snapping one of the studs right in half. What am I supposed to do now?

 

[Lutz]

Check your service manual again: it should say 85 in/lbs (about 7.08 ft/lbs). 85 ft/lbs is WAY to much for those studs. Anyway, now that the damage is done, you should be able to get a new stud from the dealer. There was a recent thread on this topic; one of the studs on a new KDX got snapped off, but that dealer said the individual studs aren't available for that year. If you can't get a stud from a dealer, you should be able to find something at a hardware store that will work. Good luck.

 

[Clutch]

D'ohhhhhh!!!!! You're right. How could I be so stupid? The manual says 87 inch-pounds, not foot pounds. I figured since holding on the front wheel is so important that they wanted it super tight. So I take 87 inch-pounds and divide it by 12 and get foot pounds, is that how it works? Let this be a lesson to everybody; get a well-lit shop. I'm going to leave my bike alone until I get a nice 500 Watt lighting stand. As long as the other 3 nuts are snug, is it safe to ride? I don't motocross or anything.

 

[knobbytracks]

Clutch,
The post Lutz is refering to is from 1/16/02. Pursang262 listed this part #172G0622. Hope this helps. Let us know if these parts are still available.

 

[Lutz]

As long as the other 3 nuts are snug, is it safe to ride? I don't motocross or anything.

I don't think it is safe to ride with only three bolts. Also, if you overtightened those other bolts, while they didn't snap off, they are probably weakened, and may be ready to snap off at any time.

So I take 87 inch-pounds and divide it by 12 and get foot pounds, is that how it works?

Yeah, that's how it works.

 

[Sage]

Dig out the old broken stud and replace it with a 6mm*1mm bolt that is the right lenght