Forum

[Adrian]

Andy,



my 2005 Electra-X is MOSTLY metric in and around the engine and transmission, but there are still some cycle thread fasteners around the chassis, and the four long studs holding the gearbox onto the back of the crankcase casting also have ⅜" BSC threads, though hopefully you will not need to disturb those. A few Whitworth spanners/sockets besides the usual metric selection will still come in handy...



A.

[andyo]

Thanks guys, yes I have whit spanners, vintage bikes are my main thing, and yes Pete i'm best to take them out, I hate exhaust studs, if the snap its a major headache one of my pet hates ...

[jefrs]

Andyo, I would remove and discard the studs and replace with bought spares. Unless the nuts are brass/bronze they always try to weld themselves onto exhaust studs, heat and wet. I fancy a little Copper Eze on the nuts myself to maybe prevent that. Torque should be 2.50kg.m / 25Nm (M8)



I do understand the "because I can" but why turn up studs when you can by threaded rod, or better yet buy the correct parts. Me, I always factor in the "how much would it cost for me to do it" against the p/n 570489 M8x40 shouldered stud (prolly about 3/6d each if they were in stock - the nuts are 40p).

[papasmurf]

Jefrs where are you getting 25Nm from the manual states 12Nm (8.8ft lbs) for the nuts. Between 8 and 9 ft lbs is sufficient for exhaust/cylinder head retaining nuts due to when hot they will be far tighter anyway, due to the differential in coefficients of linear expansion of the materials. (The exhaust pipe seal being copper.)

[Bullet Whisperer]

As it happens, I am working on an Electra X at the moment and one of the jobs is to change the rusted exhaust manifold nuts. As per my fix for My Honda CB500T many moons ago, I plan to replace the nuts with domed 'Acorn' nuts, to make a better job of it and keep the weather and road dirt out.

[jefrs]

Yeah the torque values are from the 2010 Workshop "Service Manual" which is for "Bullet Classic (C5)", "Bullet Electra EFI (E5)" and "Bullet EFI (G5)" aka B5, the Manual is © 2009 so it should still cover 2008 models.



The required torque on any fastening is based on its diameter and the materials, the design engineers look these thing up if they don't already know them when they specify the torque. Throughout the book the torque for a M8 is usually (less into alloy) 2.50kg.m (25Nm) e.g. the cyl head mounting nuts are M8 and given as 2.50kg.m. The exhaust studs are M8 on the EFI hence 2.50kg.m

But note, I looked up the 08 model, exhaust studs are a different p/n but they're still M8.

[jefrs]

Neat idea Paul, but I need the long socket on the exhaust nuts to clear the stud, can you get 'long' domed nuts?

[Bullet Whisperer]

Hi jefrs, I have just bought these - I suppose deep ones might be available, or you could use spacers under this type, or cut a bit off the studs, if required. I will see how they go on this Electra X soon enough! Regards, Paul ... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/390927755607

[Adrian]

jefrs, there's always these:



http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/A4-MARINE-GRA ... enflKTwt7w

[jefrs]

I had long nuts like those on one bike but they were brass. Stainless is rather hard and can have a nasty habit of seizing on. Those studs get a mite hot so they deform, the softer brass conforms and will come off. Despite being done up to a relatively low torque, the softer brass needs to be a long nut. Only four turns of thread are needed to hold a fastener, the rest are redundant, but an exhaust stud/nut may need some redundant threads.



Slipping a dome nut onto the end of the stud as a lock nut may work very nicely. Sawing the end off the stud may mean you haven't got enough to grip with the stud puller if you ever need to get them out. I found some black plastic dome covers for the nuts at the back of the handlebars, just dressing for the exposed stud ends.