Steering head bolt size

[frankie]

Going to purchase a set of Gen Mar risers and will have to remove the triple clamp...have no shop manual yet..what is the size of the steering head nut..

thanks for any response...

 

[banjobart]

I used a 36mm socket from True Value hardware when I did this last week.

 

[RinconVTR]

Going to purchase a set of Gen Mar risers and will have to remove the triple clamp...have no shop manual yet..what is the size of the steering head nut..

thanks for any response...

There is no need to remove the top triple (some say top yoke) for riser install (or in my case...uninstall).

 

[Ian Stephens]

I just installed the GM risers last weekend at the Calgary Tech Day at Canucklehead's. The triple-clamp does have to come off, at least on an '09. The stock bolts for the handlebars are tack welded onto a single plate that runs under the triple-clamp. The steel loops for the cables are also tack-welded to this plate. So without taking this plate off, there's no way to get the bolts off, and to install the longer GM bolts.

We even thought that by taking a bolt cutter to the steel wire loops, that it'd free the thing enough to get it off without taking the triple-clamp off. But it was not to be. There's no way to get either of the bolts down low enough to clear the hole in the triple-clamp.

Maybe we were missing something though and I'd be real curious to know how we might have got the plate and bolts off without removing the triple-clamp.

Ian

 

[FJR Flyer]

I just installed the GM risers last weekend at the Calgary Tech Day at Canucklehead's. The triple-clamp does have to come off, at least on an '09. The stock bolts for the handlebars are tack welded onto a single plate that runs under the triple-clamp. The steel loops for the cables are also tack-welded to this plate. So without taking this plate off, there's no way to get the bolts off, and to install the longer GM bolts.

We even thought that by taking a bolt cutter to the steel wire loops, that it'd free the thing enough to get it off without taking the triple-clamp off. But it was not to be. There's no way to get either of the bolts down low enough to clear the hole in the triple-clamp.

Maybe we were missing something though and I'd be real curious to know how we might have got the plate and bolts off without removing the triple-clamp.

Ian

From the GenMar installation instructions (available online):

6. Remove the metal wire loom assembly from underneath the top triple-clamp. You will need to remove the top triple-clamp to remove the metal wire loom bracket. Loosen the two top triple-clamp pinch bolts and remove the large steering stem nut. If the triple-clamp does not come off easily, put your weight on the back of the bike while it is on the center stand to lift the front wheel off the ground. This relieves any pressure binding the fork tubes and triple-clamp. Use care during removal to not scratch the bike as the looms are sharp where they have been cut. The bracket will slide out from underneath the triple-clamp. With the black wire loom bracket removed from the top triple-clamp, re-install the triple-clamp. The pinch bolts should be torqued to 12-14 ft. lbs and the steering head nut to 85 ft. lbs.

 

[BobMercer]

Frankie,

Make sure that you acquire a 6 point 36MM socket!!! The 12 point sockets are usually much cheaper, but will surely damage the nut. The required 85 ft. lbs is really putting a LOT of pressure on alloy material.

Bob

 

[FJR919]

Frankie,

Make sure that you acquire a 6 point 36MM socket!!! The 12 point sockets are usually much cheaper, but will surely damage the nut. The required 85 ft. lbs is really putting a LOT of pressure on alloy material.

Bob

I strongly suggest you follow Bob's suggestion. You might have to get an impact socket to find a six pointer.

Wrapping electrical tape around the nut before installing the socket will also help prevent marring the nut. And obviously, anything more then one layer with the ends of the tape meeting will affect the fit of the socket and the nut.

 

[RinconVTR]

I just installed the GM risers last weekend at the Calgary Tech Day at Canucklehead's. The triple-clamp does have to come off, at least on an '09. The stock bolts for the handlebars are tack welded onto a single plate that runs under the triple-clamp. The steel loops for the cables are also tack-welded to this plate. So without taking this plate off, there's no way to get the bolts off, and to install the longer GM bolts.

We even thought that by taking a bolt cutter to the steel wire loops, that it'd free the thing enough to get it off without taking the triple-clamp off. But it was not to be. There's no way to get either of the bolts down low enough to clear the hole in the triple-clamp.

Maybe we were missing something though and I'd be real curious to know how we might have got the plate and bolts off without removing the triple-clamp.

Ian

So there IS a plate with studs welded on. That was one of my very first questions on this board prior to removing the risers, and I didnt get a single reply! So I assumed they were loose studs like the ones used for the risers. And I just bought shorter bolts when I removed them...

 

[banjobart]

I used an 11 dollar 12 point socket on mine and it did not mar the nut. Taping it off is a good idea.

 

[RichardS]

I tried like hell NOT to remove the top triple tree, even using a small bolt cutter get get rid if the wire holder. While I got it cut off, the cut was very sharp which bothered me. Best to remove the tree!! 36mm 6 point from Sears.

 

[RinconVTR]

I got this a few years back. Price fluctuates at times, I bought the set for under $30.

They are very heavy duty, thick wall sockets.

https://www.amazon.com/Alltrade-648635-Axle-Socket-Tool/dp/B0028QGT68/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1286381971&sr=8-1

 

[2Bull]

Oh well, looks like I will have to remove the triple clamp. I thought the brain trust of FRJ Forum could surely get around it. Sometimes you just better follow the directions.

 

[mr.paul]

IMHO, removing the top triple is a very simple and fast operation. 36mm socket (get a good one. You will be using it again) and a couple of minutes. Less f'ing around than the other stuff you were mentioning.

mr.paul from Minnesota

 

[frito1]

Looking on ebay for a socket and I see a bunch of 36mm oil filter sockets. Anybody tried one of them? They are 36mm, 6 point. If they're made/measured true why wouldn't they work? The prices are right and local availability is slim to none.

BTW, most sockets have a taper on the beginning of the sockets throat. That's OK if you're dealing with a full depth nut, but the steering head nut on the FJR is thin for its 36mm size. To make sure you get full contact and decrease the possibility of nut damage, grind the leading edge of the socket down till the taper is removed. That way you'll get full contact on the socket. This is commonly done on sockets used to disassemble the primary drive on HD's.

 

[Eric L]

autozone axle socket

Looking on ebay for a socket and I see a bunch of 36mm oil filter sockets. Anybody tried one of them? They are 36mm, 6 point. If they're made/measured true why wouldn't they work? The prices are right and local availability is slim to none.

BTW, most sockets have a taper on the beginning of the sockets throat. That's OK if you're dealing with a full depth nut, but the steering head nut on the FJR is thin for its 36mm size. To make sure you get full contact and decrease the possibility of nut damage, grind the leading edge of the socket down till the taper is removed. That way you'll get full contact on the socket. This is commonly done on sockets used to disassemble the primary drive on HD's.

 

[squeezer]

autozone axle socket

+1. Full disclosure, though: I bought the axle socket at Pep Boys.

 

[K Rider]

Went to Autozone to get mine. They let you put a deposit down take the tool home use it bring it back at your convenience, within reasonable time and get your deposit back. Can't beat that.

 

[Harald]

Went to Autozone to get mine. They let you put a deposit down take the tool home use it bring it back at your convenience, within reasonable time and get your deposit back. Can't beat that.

They do have a heck of a good deal going there. I "rented" a press kit when I did the ball joints on my F350 and then returned it for a full refund. I didn't tell them, but I didn't even buy the ball joints from them (and the kid at the counter probably wouldn't have cared anyway).

 

[GPRIDER]

It's been a while, but I don't remember having to take the top triple clamp off my 08 FJR to put the risers on. Hmmm.... Guess I'm getting senile.

GP