Annoying Rattle

[giff]

Hi Yall,
I remember reading a while back about a rattle in the front ( I think it's below the tank by the front
of the engine). I can't seem to pinpoint it. I have 23000 mi on her, she's a 2000 standard. Can anyone enlighten me and explain the cure. I seem to remember reading about a loose bolt?

Thanks,
giff

[doubletee]

Sounds like you might be referring to the buzz bolt:  http://www.valkyrieriders.com/shoptalk/buzz.htm

[DK]

I tightened mine first by thumb in the wind. Still buzzed.

Went back with torque wrench. Couldn't find any recommendation so I put anti-seize on threads, oiled the bolt, rubbed some gorilla glue mixed with water on bolt shaft ( it expands like crazy ) and then tightened the bolt to 60 foot pounds. This seemed to be about all the bolt would handle although it sparked on the grinder like really good steel.

This worked. A real improvement. Sounds ( not ) great and seems to minimize head shake. Bike seems more solid.

My question: is 60# too much? What happens if the bolt suddenly lets go?

[indybobm]

I think the Honda Service Manual calls for 33 ft.lbs. but it should take 60 without any problems.

Service Manual section 7-2.

[old2soon]

If memory  serves R J attacked his with a 1/2 air impact wrench. Again memory-he hasn't had any further buzz from it. RIDE SAFE.

[Jess from VA]

If you look at a diagram (or picture in the shoptalk link), it is not really the bolt rattling, it is the long spacer between the subframe arms the bolt goes through that rattles/buzzes.

I believe sometimes even though the bolt is tight, the spacer is still loose, and that you may have to tighten the bolt hard enough to bend one or both sides of the subframe mounts slightly to squeeze the spacer tight between them.

First I tightened it hard.  When it still rattled I emulated superman jerking the wrench/socket as hard as I possibly could.  (no torque wrench used).  Never rattled again.  That bolt is tool steel.

Also, at least on the interstate, it is impossible for one person to man a tool on each side of the bike to tighten the bolt.  I discovered I did not need to put a tool on the bolt head.... nothing turned when I torqued the nut with no wrench on the nut head.  On an interstate, you can access the nut thru the pod vent with Ujoint on the socket.  Be careful, at the necessary force, you could slip and mangle the plastic pod.

Rattlebolt is #16, spacer is #4, and nut is #18.  


The nut you are torquing is the domed hex head under his first knuckle, not the tube his finger is pointing to.

[indybobm]

Just curious, has anyone removed that bolt/spacer for any reason?

[Lyle Laun]

I snapped the bolt on mine trying to tighten it up just a "bit more" with a long handled socket wrench. I've filled the tube with silicon and this helps but I've often thought about just throwing away the tube and leaving the bolt in place.

Comments.....

[F6Dave]

Rather than over tightening the bolt, you can also install a washer between the spacer tube and the frame mount.  Then you can snug up the spacer without risking snapping the bolt.

The buzz occurs because at a certain RPM (about 3300 for me) while the engine's torque tries to twist the engine in the frame, the engine mounting points allow some of that torque to slightly spread those two frame downtubes apart.  That can result in a slight gap between the spacer tube and the frame mounts, and at that RPM the tube can vibrate a bit.  Sometimes tightening the bolt solves the problem, but if the tube has a loose fit in the frame a washer works better.