Right Side Brake Caliper Bolts

Ace Hardware is your friend when all the motorcycle dealers turn their backs on you.

I finally got around to doing some much needed maintenance on my bike. Normally I like to change the fork fluid at the beginning of the riding season but this year I was delayed. Well I got the forks all topped off with new fluid and everything almost back together when it happened.

I torqued the lower bolt to 23 lb. ft. and moved on to the top bolt. It made contact with the fork but didn't seem to tighten. I thought it might be starting to strip so I backed it out and this is what I found, see attachments.

If you look close you'll see that the bolt decided it was time for a stretch. I called two shops but they did not have the bolts in stock. That's when I made the trip to Ace Hardware as I wanted to go riding. The correct bolt is a M8-1.25x32 flange bolt and the closest Ace had was M8-1.25x35 and the cost for 2 at Ace was less than a single bolt at either shop. The only difference is that the Ace bolts were small head which simply means the head was 10mm instead of 12mm like the factory bolts.

Once I got them home it was time for a little shortening on the grinder. 3mm didn't take long to get rid of. I dressed the end of the bolt threads with a file and then ran them through a die to ensure a clean thread.

You can see the results, good as new.

As a note these were the factory original bolts and had been in and out numerous times for tire and brake pad changes. I don't know why it waited for today to stretch but it did.

After things where finally back together it was time for a ride. I rode up to Newcomb's Ranch for a sandwich and something to wash it down. Then it was across the mountain toward Wrightwood. Just as I came around a bend, where you can see the Palmdale area what I thought was a doe ran out in front of me. After hitting the brakes and taking a closer look as it scrambled up the hill side I saw that it was not a deer but instead was a big horn sheep. :bow1:

I've lived in this area all my life and new they were around but never before got to see any in person or up closed so this was a real treat for me. What a day, Ace Hardware comes to the rescue and a big horn sheep all in the same day.

I almost forgot, for those who might feel that that Ace Hardware bolt may not be up to the task let me set your mind at ease. The bolts are class 8.8 so I'm sure they will do just fine. I may just leave them instead of spend the money Honda whats for their version.

Honda part - #20 on the drawing, BOLT, FLANGE (8X32), part number - 90131-KBV-003, required - 002, manufacture cost $3.85, Service Honda price $3.01
Ace Hardware - $1.30 each and a little time grinding off 3mm

Byron said:

The correct bolt is a M8-1.25x32...

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You'd think Honda would have put 3mm of extra thread in there so the bolts would be a standard size. Yeesh.

--Mark

Blrfl said:

You'd think Honda would have put 3mm of extra thread in there so the bolts would be a standard size. Yeesh.

--Mark

Click to expand...

If you not careful it may bight you. I ran the 35mm bolt in the top hole and there was plenty of clearance. However, when I ran one in the lower hole it stuck through the bracket and may have hit the disc when moving. I decided to trim them back to the factory length to be safe.

I'm sure they'll work fine, but those 8.8 screws are not really the same as the ones you've replaced. The OEM screws are ALOC, which are supposed to be replaced each time they are removed and have a somewhat higher torque setting (31Nm) because, AFAICT, they are designed to stretch slightly upon installation in order to apply the designed pressure between the caliper body and the fork lowers. What may have happened with yours is that you've re-used them so many times (applying the same torque each time) that they have simply stretched beyond their limit. I've also done this sort of thing by using a "normal" torque setting on a fastener to which I'd applied anti-seize... :

The "standard" Honda torque value for M8 flange bolts (and nuts--not present here) is only 26Nm, so if you're not using ALOC fasteners, perhaps a lower torque setting would be more appropriate? Otherwise, what stretches instead of the fastener may be the threads in the fork...

Ciao,

One thing I do as a trick when I have to grind off a bolt is to get a nut to fit as well. You can put the nut on the bolt and grind down to the nut and the nut will protect the threads. I then screw the nut further on the bolt, clean the threads and knock the sharpness off with the grinder or a file. When you remove the nut it will ensure that the threads are clean and straight.

JZH said:

I'm sure they'll work fine, but those 8.8 screws are not really the same as the ones you've replaced. The OEM screws are ALOC, which are supposed to be replaced each time they are removed and have a somewhat higher torque setting (31Nm) because, AFAICT, they are designed to stretch slightly upon installation in order to apply the designed pressure between the caliper body and the fork lowers. What may have happened with yours is that you've re-used them so many times (applying the same torque each time) that they have simply stretched beyond their limit. I've also done this sort of thing by using a "normal" torque setting on a fastener to which I'd applied anti-seize... :

The "standard" Honda torque value for M8 flange bolts (and nuts--not present here) is only 26Nm, so if you're not using ALOC fasteners, perhaps a lower torque setting would be more appropriate? Otherwise, what stretches instead of the fastener may be the threads in the fork...

Ciao,

Click to expand...

Point taken but the threads are on the caliper as the bolts simply pass through a boss on the forks.

sennister said:

One thing I do as a trick when I have to grind off a bolt is to get a nut to fit as well. You can put the nut on the bolt and grind down to the nut and the nut will protect the threads. I then screw the nut further on the bolt, clean the threads and knock the sharpness off with the grinder or a file. When you remove the nut it will ensure that the threads are clean and straight.

Click to expand...

I usually do the same things with the nuts but in this instance I forgot to buy a couple as I don't have metric ones laying around.

Our loal Ace Hardware is alway my FIRST stop for fasteners.....


They stock an amazing assortment of oddities and specialty stuff.



Girls behind the counter are ussually cute too!

Byron said:

Point taken but the threads are on the caliper as the bolts simply pass through a boss on the forks.

Click to expand...

Sorry about that. It is cheaper to replace a caliper, I suppose.

What torque did you use?

Ciao,

I had one actually fall out of the right caliper on a trip to Canada earlier this summer. (I think I had forgotten to torqued it) I wound up getting a similar one at home depot that lasted over 1000 miles through Canada and back home to South Carolina.

Good find at Ace!

Sent from my C771 using Tapatalk

JZH said:

Sorry about that. It is cheaper to replace a caliper, I suppose.

What torque did you use?

Ciao,

Click to expand...

I torqued them to the manual specified torque of 23 lb. ft.. I also applied some blue Loctite.

Depending on the source material the regular torque for a M8-1.25 bolt is in the neighborhood of 17 lb.ft.. "In general the proper torque spec is usually around 65-70% of the failure torque rate." So with the grade 8.8 bolt the "failure torque rate" would be in the neighborhood of 24 - 26 lb.ft.. With the factory torque of 23 lb.ft. this is probably the reason Honda has them listed as a use once and discard item.