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DSN_KLR650
amigoride
Posts: 13
Joined: Sat Feb 05, 2005 3:23 pm

subframe bolt upgrade

Post by amigoride » Mon Feb 07, 2005 9:27 am

Being new to klr's I am probably asking for input on topics that have been thoroughly discussed already. Thanks for your patience. I have seen two options for subframe bolt replacement. One simply replaces the four OEM bolts with a higher grade. The second appears to involve three bolts by drilling out the two upper bolt threadways and installing one long upper bolt.Obviously the first option is easier,cheaper etc . But does this method provide adequate strength for a 170 lb. rider and gear on rougher terrain? Can anyone share their experience? I have been told by a couple of experienced klr 'rs that this is one of the first things I should do to my new machine.In their words "if they let go it can be ugly". Thanks gang!

Thor Lancelot Simon
Posts: 529
Joined: Sun Oct 13, 2002 5:32 pm

subframe bolt upgrade

Post by Thor Lancelot Simon » Mon Feb 07, 2005 9:33 am

On Mon, Feb 07, 2005 at 03:22:58PM -0000, amigoride wrote:
> > > I have seen two options for subframe bolt replacement. One simply > replaces the four OEM bolts with a higher grade. The second appears > to involve three bolts by drilling out the two upper bolt threadways > and installing one long upper bolt.Obviously the first option is > easier,cheaper etc . But does this method provide adequate strength > for a 170 lb. rider and gear on rougher terrain?
Do we know of any reports of anyone managing to break the higher grade bolts (also known as the "Lite Blue" upgrade)? They're quite a bit stronger than stock and if you install them with red loctite on all bolts should have considerable resistance to vibrating loose. The way the stock bolts seem to go often seems to be that one of the lowers shakes loose and then the upper breaks -- keep them tight and you may go a long way towards solving the problem right there. A lot of people on the list do seem to go for the full-on upgrade with the drill. I don't ride very rough stuff but I do load the bike pretty heavily and I weigh about 200; I have not had trouble with the higher-grade, same-size bolts and the red Loctite on all of them.

Eric L. Green
Posts: 837
Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2004 1:41 pm

subframe bolt upgrade

Post by Eric L. Green » Mon Feb 07, 2005 10:05 am

On Mon, 7 Feb 2005, amigoride wrote:
> I have seen two options for subframe bolt replacement. One simply > replaces the four OEM bolts with a higher grade. The second appears > to involve three bolts by drilling out the two upper bolt threadways > and installing one long upper bolt.Obviously the first option is > easier,cheaper etc . But does this method provide adequate strength > for a 170 lb. rider and gear on rougher terrain?
Short answer: Yes. -E

Krgrife@aol.com
Posts: 806
Joined: Thu Apr 06, 2000 9:32 pm

subframe bolt upgrade

Post by Krgrife@aol.com » Mon Feb 07, 2005 11:32 am

In a message dated 2/7/2005 7:40:34 A.M. Pacific Standard Time, amigoride@... writes: Being new to klr's I am probably asking for input on topics that have been thoroughly discussed already. Thanks for your patience. I have seen two options for subframe bolt replacement. One simply replaces the four OEM bolts with a higher grade. The second appears to involve three bolts by drilling out the two upper bolt threadways and installing one long upper bolt.Obviously the first option is easier,cheaper etc . But does this method provide adequate strength for a 170 lb. rider and gear on rougher terrain? I'm a bit heavier than you, quite a bit actually, and the grade 12.9 top bolts I installed several years ago have held up despite lots of rough road and trail riding. Use blue Loktite and torque to spec. Kurt Grife [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Bogdan Swider
Posts: 2759
Joined: Thu Apr 06, 2000 2:04 pm

subframe bolt upgrade

Post by Bogdan Swider » Mon Feb 07, 2005 12:07 pm

I have not had trouble with the
> higher-grade, same-size bolts and the red Loctite on all of them.
Why red ? Bogdan

Thor Lancelot Simon
Posts: 529
Joined: Sun Oct 13, 2002 5:32 pm

subframe bolt upgrade

Post by Thor Lancelot Simon » Mon Feb 07, 2005 12:53 pm

On Mon, Feb 07, 2005 at 11:07:24AM -0700, Bogdan Swider wrote:
> I have not had trouble with the > > higher-grade, same-size bolts and the red Loctite on all of them. > > Why red ?
As I recall, the top ones come with red threadlocker on them from the factory; it's not imappropriate at these torque ratings, and having had my factory lower bolts shake loose and having seen pictures of a KLR where the lowers shook loose and then the uppers broke, I do *not* want my subframe bolts, upper or lower, shaking loose -- period. It's basically a permanent assembly anyway. Why *not* red threadlocker, just for the peace of mind? You can still get it loose without breaking the 8mm bolts; I use red on my motor mounts, soo, and I've loosened them without trouble (but with a lot of grunting, which is fine with me!) :-) Thor

Tengai Mark Van Horn
Posts: 1922
Joined: Tue Nov 19, 2002 8:31 pm

subframe bolt upgrade

Post by Tengai Mark Van Horn » Mon Feb 07, 2005 1:40 pm

At 1:53 PM -0500 2/7/05, Thor Lancelot Simon wrote:
>On Mon, Feb 07, 2005 at 11:07:24AM -0700, Bogdan Swider wrote: >> I have not had trouble with the >> > higher-grade, same-size bolts and the red Loctite on all of them. >> >> Why red ? > >As I recall, the top ones come with red threadlocker on them from the >factory; it's not imappropriate at these torque ratings, and having >had my factory lower bolts shake loose and having seen pictures of a >KLR where the lowers shook loose and then the uppers broke, I do *not* >want my subframe bolts, upper or lower, shaking loose -- period. > >It's basically a permanent assembly anyway. Why *not* red threadlocker, >just for the peace of mind? You can still get it loose without breaking >the 8mm bolts;
A friend of mine had me do the BigCee upgrade on his bike. When I removed the factory bolts, both heads twisted off. I saw traces of thread-locker in there, and had I known, I woulda heated the bolts with a blowtorch first. Mark

Don Van Dyke
Posts: 60
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 8:00 am

subframe bolt upgrade

Post by Don Van Dyke » Mon Feb 07, 2005 7:56 pm

Todd at Happy Trails says that that the simpler option, just using stronger bolts of the same size, is strong enough to hold anything you would most likely want to carry with their aluminum paniers. That is all they suggest that you do for the panniers. Happy Trails is one place you can buy the bolts. At 03:22 PM 2/7/2005 +0000, amigoride wrote:
>Being new to klr's I am probably asking for input on topics that have >been thoroughly discussed already. Thanks for your patience. >I have seen two options for subframe bolt replacement. One simply >replaces the four OEM bolts with a higher grade. The second appears >to involve three bolts by drilling out the two upper bolt threadways >and installing one long upper bolt.Obviously the first option is >easier,cheaper etc . But does this method provide adequate strength >for a 170 lb. rider and gear on rougher terrain? >Can anyone share their experience? I have been told by a couple of >experienced klr 'rs that this is one of the first things I should do >to my new machine.In their words "if they let go it can be ugly". >Thanks gang! >
Don Van Dyke Sacramento, California Moto@... www.intellection.org

dooden
Posts: 3355
Joined: Sat Dec 15, 2001 3:37 pm

subframe bolt upgrade

Post by dooden » Mon Feb 07, 2005 8:55 pm

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "amigoride" wrote:
> > Being new to klr's I am probably asking for input on topics that have > been thoroughly discussed already. Thanks for your patience. > I have seen two options for subframe bolt replacement. One simply > replaces the four OEM bolts with a higher grade. The second appears > to involve three bolts by drilling out the two upper bolt threadways > and installing one long upper bolt.Obviously the first option is > easier,cheaper etc . But does this method provide adequate strength > for a 170 lb. rider and gear on rougher terrain? > Can anyone share their experience? I have been told by a couple of > experienced klr 'rs that this is one of the first things I should do > to my new machine.In their words "if they let go it can be ugly". > Thanks gang!
Many believe just keeping the OEM bolts tight is enough also, I happen to just be getting something else from Jake so I op'd for the bolts that he happen to have. I run 200+ and ride the bike pretty hard off road, yet to see a problem with just upgraded fasteners, but then the OEM seemed fine upon removal also. It's all about piece of mind. Dooden A15 Green Ape

kdxkawboy@aol.com
Posts: 1442
Joined: Tue Jan 21, 2003 7:59 pm

subframe bolt upgrade

Post by kdxkawboy@aol.com » Tue Feb 08, 2005 12:38 am

In a message dated 2/7/2005 7:40:48 AM Pacific Standard Time, amigoride@... writes: Being new to klr's I am probably asking for input on topics that have been thoroughly discussed already. Thanks for your patience. I have seen two options for subframe bolt replacement. One simply replaces the four OEM bolts with a higher grade. The second appears to involve three bolts by drilling out the two upper bolt threadways and installing one long upper bolt.Obviously the first option is easier,cheaper etc . But does this method provide adequate strength for a 170 lb. rider and gear on rougher terrain? I've gone the route of replacing the OEM bolts with a higher grade. I'm running HT panniers, carrying a full touring load as well as a lot of hard off roading and have yet to see any problems with the higher grade bolts. I use red Loctite with them to make sure they don't vibrate loose and replace them, along with all the other frame bolts, every third or fourth year as preventive maintenance for metal fatigue. Pat G'ville, NV [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

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