Damper bolt

[twowheel]

I was wondering if anyone has the bolt that holds the rear shock damper to the frame for a TLS. Mine seems to have rattled loose as they are prone to do. If any one has a spare I could really use it.

[Steve TLS]

I have no spare, had to buy one from the stealer, but so I never had to again here was my solution (and loctite). Drilled the heads and lockwired them.

[rzarobbie]

hey steve.. is there a certain type of wire you use?

and better yet, drilling those bolts looks like a pretty precise job to pull off, any tips? (this of course coming from the laziest rider around)

[Steve TLS]

I'm an electrician, that's just 30amp fuse wire (had to sort through my 3" nails to find it though).

I've got a baby drill press in my garage, I just put the head in the vice and drilled away.

the other advantage besides not loosing bolts is that I hope it will help to stop the frame cracking at the top mount too.

[rzarobbie]

stop cracking in the frame eh?

I better get to checking myself... or will it be obvious when I lose these bolts.

Better yet, are there certain bolts you check everytime you ride? I just give it a quick look over... but any specifics will help out a bunch!

[Steve TLS]

The frame can crack at the top mount. I knew when the bolt fell out alright, I had to ride it home 50km on back roads, it was like a friggen pogo stick.

I bought a new bolt and washer and tightened them back upto spec (36ft/lbs), two rides later I decided to re-check them and they were both loose again, so out with a drill bit and some wire and loctite.

Here's a cracked frame...

[RichardTL]

On these bolts 2 important issues to consider. The one is the tightening to the correct torque (not over torqueing) and also Suzuki did shim some bikes as it seems some dampers were smaller than the distance between the mount points.

As these are cast-if the damper is too small it puts stress on the area as well. The shims were fitted in both top and bottom mounts.

[Steve TLS]

You are correct Richard, it doesn't get mentioned often and I'm guilty of leaving that out all the time too. Although you wouldn't get a smoke paper between mine . (probably why mine hasn't cracked, even thought the bolts have been loose etc.)

[RichardTL]

I agree, Iwould think this shimming was as required, as on my 97 there was no play at all.

On the copied report on the cracked frame group they talk of a 0.6mm shim at the top and a 0.3mm shim at the bottom, but I would assume it would differ on the bike.

[TLstreak]

I have one if someone would be so kinda to tell me a length as its thrown in a drawer with a bunch of similar bolts

[twowheel]

know

You know when your bolt has come loose when the rear end is really mushy and bounces around off of all the bumps in the road.

On a side note I was at an event with some suzuki dealer guys. They told me that the guy who designed the damper unit for Suzuki will revalve and correct any of the problems that came about from Suzuki cutting corners in production of his part. Nobody knew his name but he is in Europe. Anyone know about this? Price? Name? Location? Had it done?

Supposedly if the damper is done how he designed it it is a real nice set up.