Locked up the rear wheel

[Jeff F]

My rear wheel locked up at about 50mph! I laid down 117 ft of rubber getting it to a stop. I was on a country road. I was approaching a stop sign. I think I had touched the brakes to slow a bit or had downshifted, or was about to when the excitment began.

When I made it to the side of the road I shut off the bike. I checked over the bike - - and also my shorts. I could find nothing obviously wrong with the bike such as leaking brake fluid or engine oil, drive shaft broken etc. The bike restarted and shifted fine. (My shorts were not fine. ) I rode home, (very cautiously) - about 5 miles in 3rd gear tops, - the bike seemed normal.

I loaded the bike onto a trailer and took to the dealer. I'll let you know what he finds but in the meantime I'd appreciate any and all thoughts.

I went back to the scene of the skid in my truck and took the pic below. That's a 100ft tape measure hooked to my bumper. My truck is sitting at the end of the skid. The start of the skid is in the foreground. My rear tire has 2 flat spots. You can see a break in the skid where the tire jumped. The tire has about 6000 kms on it (~3600 miles) and is ... make that WAS, in good shape - lotsa tread, properly inflated etc

I'm thinking brake problem, drive shaft or transmission but again saw no obvious external problems and bike seemed fine later.

 

[Jeff F]

Hmmm ... that pic doesn't enlarge ? Try this one

 

[Jeff F]

Thanks, yah it was a bit of a ride.

The brake and clutch fluids are due to be changed but not overdue. Yes the brake recall inspection was done in the early spring.

 

[Tor]

Make sure you get your shorts reembursed too, by gali. I am hereby headed out in the carport to check and see if all the bolts are tight on my calipers. I've just got one thing to say, Jeff: serious sh**. Not good at all. If this had happened in a corner, or going into a corner, well do your own visualization.

Glad you managed to keep yourself and the scoot upright.

 

[NBA336]

Hi Jeff. You sure are having bad luck with the bikes these days. Thanks for the info. I just replaced my tires about 6,000 km ago, but never replaced the bolt, just used the same bolt. I am in Magog, Quebec right now without the bike, but as soon as I get home, I'm going to check it out. Too damn scary. Glad you are O.K. though. Talk to you later.

 

[Killtimer]

Whoever did the last rear wheel R/R. A lot of people don't torque this bolt to the recommended value/don't use a new dab of thread locker. The most often quoted reason is the force needed to break it loose..........

 

[Jeff F]

Here's a pic of the offending bolt ... & what happened, if I understand correctly. Follow it numerically so the the comments make sense.

Thanks Leo and KT for the tips on bolt "responsibility". If you check the pic attached and think this is not the same bolt you were talking about let me know - otherwise I'll be talking to my dealer ... who apparenlty has just tripped himself up - he was my last tire guy

 

[Jeff F]

Thanks for the confirm.

Section 16-11 (Installation of Rear wheel/Suspension) of the 03 service manual has it - install new bolt, torque specs provided in bold print.

This should be an interesting conversation ....

 

[Burger]

Here's a pic of the offending bolt ... & what happened, if I understand correctly. Follow it numerically so the the comments make sense.

Thanks Leo and KT for the tips on bolt "responsibility". If you check the pic attached and think this is not the same bolt you were talking about let me know - otherwise I'll be talking to my dealer ... who apparenlty has just tripped himself up - he was my last tire guy

I'm a bit confused (not difficult) ... I've read what you've said and looked at the pic and while I can imagine that bolt being loose not being healthy I can't for the life of me see what could have exerted enough force or pressure to lock solid your rear wheel. Could someone explain what I've missed please?

Thanks,

 

[Jeff F]

That bolt holds the rear caliper from pivoting when the brakes are applied. If the bolt moves enough for the pin portion to not hold the caliper the first time the brakes are applied the caliper will swing forward pinching the brake hose and stopping the flow of brake fluid with the brakes on. The caliper will not move back because it is still held by the rear axle and it's 80 ft. lbs. of torque on the nut.

Paul

Yes, this is correct.

and, yes it was a Honda dealer. There defintely is a large flat spot in the tire - 2 actually, 1 is an area at least the size of your hand. The 2nd flat spot is about 1/2 that size. They would be very noticable at speed and unsafe.

I haven't got it officially from them yet but I believe they will cover everything without debate - i.e. no cost to me for new tire, brake line, brake system flush, & clutch while they're at it.

A new Shoei for my mental anguish would be nice too

 

[Jeff F]

6000 kms or 3600 miles

 

[SToler]

Along with the bolt and brake line I would want the tire replaced. Skidding the tire 117 feet would almost certainly flat spot the tire. I would think this would cause a hop that would only get worse.

Tire,bolt, brake line, a fraction of what it would have cost if the bike had gone down or hit something.


Paul

I would also try to get them to replace the big "arm" that the rear caliper mounts to, the piece that the rear axle goes through.
Seems a little unlikely to bend, but I had a similar problem with my Magna and everything up to, and including, the rear brake pedal was bent and un-usable. $3000 worth of damage including rear fender, etc...
The design of this braking system is different than the Magna, but I would still want that piece replaced. IMO of course.

Better Safe Than Hamburger Meat.

Scott

 

[Jeff F]

Update

New tire, new brake line, brake flush, clutch fluid flush, bike checked stem to stern for other improperly torqued bolts - all on the dealers nickel.

As you guys predicted having the dealer pay for this wasn't much of a conversation - and rightly so. They showed lots of concern but took great pains to admit no error or accept any liability - but then ponied up fairly quickly. Funny how that works.

 

[BruceP]

Thank you Jeff F

I normally change my own tires and make sure I tighten the front and back bolts and use lock tight. This is very important! The bike shops do not do this, and in town here I have here of at least 3 occurrences of the problem one with not a good turn out on a gold wing.

 

[Jeff F]

Hi Bruce

The senior mechanic confided in me that there was "hell to pay", as he put it in the shop over this incident.

I still think these guys run a good operation but their Q control process has its failings - obviously. They have a system, (or so they thought), so that this sort of thing never, ever happens.

Hopefully my experience helps ensure that this becomes a reality at this dealership.

Cheers,

 

[ErnieCopp]

Jeff - Thanks for the warning to all of us. Great photo work ! -- Ernie