Hitchcocks Forum

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swinging arm nut, can it just fall off?
Sunday 20 august, nice day at Headcorn combined ops show. Tornado was fine,





Here's a close up... see that large nut?





Well, after the show, Tornado stayed in my friends garden overnight, before going to Chris the mechanics place to stay until my return to the UK. Chris refilled the gearbox with goo after the sealed gearbox kit pissed the oil out around the kickstart (something about not having a groove in the kickstart) and he noticed the nut missing.







my question is...
Can this just come undone and rattle off (like usual nuts) or would it have needed 'help'? I have never included it in a 'spannering' check, believing it to be a more permanent nut.


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REOC 15084

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Yes, and I'm sure if you asked a dealer he'd say they all do that

I personally know of one that's fallen off whilst being ridden as I was behind the bike at the time it happened.
The close up photo appears to be showing an unpainted thread (or two) on the inside of the nut, a sign that at this point it had already rotated from it's original painted position. Vibration would quickly see it fully unwinding and falling by the wayside!

Sadly yes it can vibrate loose. Hitchcocks do sell a nylock replacement for this as its a known problem. Lucky my bike came with one fitted from new as it was supplied by watsonian squire. Look in the parts catalogue for part number 92539 on page 149.That should fix it.

ric... Well spotted and thank you so very much. I just blew up the original photo and you are correct, it was on the way off! At least I know Tornado wasn't 'got at' now.



Thanks Paul. That helps to know as well. It's a first for me, never happened before.

And of course Redditch knew this and from about 1958 onwards provided grub screws to stop it happening. However, l have seen the spindle itself try and screw out, probably misaligned bushes. REgards, Mark

The one,lower left on my Bullet disappeared just before I sold it, a local machine shop knocked one up for $15.

The nut behind the handlebars is the one that really doesn't want to fall off!!

Or you can try LOCTITE 270 High Strength thread locker ------- http://www.loctite.co.uk/loctite-4087.h ... 2623619073 ------------ We had tubs of that stuff at Donnington keeping the Warrior and CVRT vehicles from falling apart.........I use it at home ( how did that get there ?? ) on my bikes and locomotives......

Yes clearly a risk. My old RE had a locking grub screw to lock the nut on but I believe there are nylock versions available. Otherwise I second the Loctite option. That is a big gun you have apparently mounted on you machine in the top photo!

Hi Simon (Scaly) & others. YES I can confirm because it happened to me big time several years ago on my way to the Kent Offham steam fair, an incident which I have recalled & bored most Kent REOC members in re-telling. As I braked, coming up to a roundabout, nothing happened & I entered at speed with the bike feeling as if was suddenly hinged in the middle. Fortunately I didn't hit anyone & didn't come off. The r/h swing arm nut had become unscrewed & fallen off & the shaft had almost completely exited to the left jamming the brake pedal from operating. With the assistance of another rider we managed to get the shaft back in & used a nut from another fitment on the bike as a temporary fix. I HAD NO FOREWARNING OF A FAULT DEVELOPING. I contacted our hosts as I considered this to be a potentially DANGEROUS design fault(which does not,as mentioned, exist on Redditch models) They told me they were aware & were in the process of introducing the nyloc nut others have mentioned. A contact in India confirmed that it was a common occurance there & told me that Indian models were now being fitted with new type swing arm shaft which had a hex. head at one end and just one nut at the other which was protected with a lock washer. (though apparently the washer was often omitted). PLEASE DO CHECK YOURS for security & fit at least lock washer/washers if not found. (I replaced nuts & fitted lock washers & marked with a spot of paint so I could readily check if any movement were to take place) Ride Safe. REgards, Mick.