I Love My Valkyrie, but....

[StrikingViking]

I love my bike... this is my 3rd Valkyrie and I am an unabashed fan.

This piece, however... this piece I do not like. 

[Buza]

I guess that's from the battery. You could take out the battery, tighten the bolts and then jam something harmless between that piece and battery terminal to keep it in place.

[Leathel]

yeah in can be a PITA to line up, especially when you have other things that utilize the same bolt like I have, temped to cut out the cage and weld a nut in place

[Blackduck]

Raid the kitchen and slice a bit off the dishwashing sponge and jam that under the nut/s to hold it in place

[Hook#3287]

That's what makes working on a Valk so much fun.

Once you learn the correct way to hold the nut between 2fingers and sit just the correct height and angle to get those fingers up to the cage, it only takes 5 or 6 tries  to get the bolt started.

It's the learning process that can be frustrating.

Patience grasshopper, patience.

[bassman]

Piece of flat rubber band or part of a popsicle stick can come in handy if wedged in under that will help hold it in place too.....I like the rubber band myself....

[Jess from VA]

Sounds like some guys think it is the nut cage square nut under the fender strut, and others think it is the battery terminal keeper nut. 

[baldo]

Sounds like some guys think it is the nut cage square nut under the fender strut, and others think it is the battery terminal keeper nut. 

I thought it's the fender nut. The battery nut problem was sort of solved by getting a bit longer screw. I found it easier to line up and get started.

[Fazer]

I thought is was the cage nut also.  I swore that last time I had my fender off I would get rid of the nut cage and use lock nuts. 

I swear the next time I have the fender off I will get rid of the nut cage and use lock nuts.

Only have about 4,000 miles since last rear end service in August 2016 and tires still OK, so it will be at least next year.

[Fazer]

That has to be a cage nut--looks too big to be a battery term, and the tourer in the background has a bag off leading me to believe he is attempting to re-attache the fender.  How's that for deductive reasoning????

[bassman]

Piece of flat rubber band or part of a popsicle stick can come in handy if wedged in under that will help hold it in place too.....I like the rubber band myself....

Dang ! I thought it was for the battery !

[StrikingViking]

That has to be a cage nut--looks too big to be a battery term, and the tourer in the background has a bag off leading me to believe he is attempting to re-attache the fender.  How's that for deductive reasoning????

You deduce correctly

[StrikingViking]

That's what makes working on a Valk so much fun.

Once you learn the correct way to hold the nut between 2fingers and sit just the correct height and angle to get those fingers up to the cage, it only takes 5 or 6 tries  to get the bolt started.

It's the learning process that can be frustrating.

Patience grasshopper, patience.

It's times like these that I wish my hands were dainty, which they aren't.  I also need to remember exactly which position to hold my tongue in while attempting to line things up.

[Fazer]

I know--those things are a nightmare.  That's why some genius developed the famous "nut cage mod," that can be found on the forum--maybe in Shoptalk.

[John Schmidt]

Do the smart thing and toss it, along with cutting off the cage where it was mounted. Then get a couple carriage bolts and run them from the inside out. Add a couple nuts on the outside to be used as both a spacer and to lock down the inner nut, slap the bag mount on and bolt it in place with a nice chrome acorn nut. Final act....toss that square nut in the round bin. Result; headache gone.

Like the rest of our august educated group, I also spotted it as the cage nut. As for the nut in the battery posts that the bolts never can reach, the simplest and permanent approach is to cut ~1/2" long piece of 1/4"(or thereabouts) plastic tubing and slip it under the nut. It will flatten out slightly but will hold that nut in place til it turns to dust, it will only compress so far. You just leave it in place and forget it from that day forward.

[Willow]

What John said.  It's more convenient in the other direction.

[Dusty]

 A trick that I used on my bike is to grind the end of the bolt so it is tapered on the first couple of threads . Wiggle the bolt thru the sheet metal.  Push in on the bolt as you turn it and the tapered end of the bolt will center the nut and now it is  threading on the nut.  Simple and  works.    

Dusty

[Hook#3287]

Do the smart thing and toss it, along with cutting off the cage where it was mounted. Then get a couple carriage bolts and run them from the inside out. Add a couple nuts on the outside to be used as both a spacer and to lock down the inner nut, slap the bag mount on and bolt it in place with a nice chrome acorn nut. Final act....toss that square nut in the round bin. Result; headache gone.

Like the rest of our august educated group, I also spotted it as the cage nut. As for the nut in the battery posts that the bolts never can reach, the simplest and permanent approach is to cut ~1/2" long piece of 1/4"(or thereabouts) plastic tubing and slip it under the nut. It will flatten out slightly but will hold that nut in place til it turns to dust, it will only compress so far. You just leave it in place and forget it from that day forward.

Two excellent tips that I'm gonna do when I get a round toit. 

[98valk]

That's what makes working on a Valk so much fun.

Once you learn the correct way to hold the nut between 2fingers and sit just the correct height and angle to get those fingers up to the cage, it only takes 5 or 6 tries  to get the bolt started.

It's the learning process that can be frustrating.

Patience grasshopper, patience.

It's times like these that I wish my hands were dainty, which they aren't.  I also need to remember exactly which position to hold my tongue in while attempting to line things up.

Hulk Hogan's hand on left, Andre the Giant's hand on right.  actual untouched photo