All 4 rear wheel bolts loose at once!

[Grazoid]

Okay , so had the R1100GS MOT'd at the weekend , so gave it a good check over before heading off to the MOT Station.

Bike had had new front pads fitted so I used it to do the short trip to work Monday to help bed the pads in. No probs with handling etc to work or on the short detour on the way home. Got in , late, and had a few things to do. So the bike sat on the drive for a couple of hours in the late evening.

This morning set off again , and the handling felt strange so stopped to check tyre pressure... the entire wheel moved. Up on centre stand to check the usual suspets and the first thing I see are shiny marks on the heads of the FINGER TIGHT normally light rust patina'd bolts! The BMW tool makes no marks on my bolts to leave shiny metal after use...

Is it possible for all FOUR bolts to slacken at the same time after travelling less than 40 miles, after being correctly torqued ( something I have done a few times now with no movement between tyre changes) .

Or do I have some maniac trying to kill me!

Concensus amongst the smoking group at work is someone possibly tried to nick the wheel but did not have the right tools. Which is a bit of a shock as apart from my trials bike going around 18 months ago ( which the coppers and the insurance company reckoned was a steal to order job as the other bikes were ignored ) I live in possibly the most crime free area of Derby.

Other problem is I have possibly now screwed all my bearings! Which is the main query - will this feck the output bearing ?

 

[Paul G (BHT)]

Or do I have some maniac trying to kill me!

I would say so, it's highly unlikely for a correctly torqued wheel bolt to come loose on an oilhead....... I wouldn't leave the bunny out in the garden tonight, or any other pets for that matter

Other problem is I have possibly now screwed all my bearings! Which is the main query - will this feck the output bearing ?

Again it's very doubtful, just torque them back up and check for play if you are in doubt

 

[Mick Fagan]

Would it be an idea to check out the condition of your rear caliper?

Maybe the reason the wheel was left on was because they couldn't get the caliper undone, or off?

Mick.

 

[Grazoid]

Would it be an idea to check out the condition of your rear caliper?

Maybe the reason the wheel was left on was because they couldn't get the caliper undone, or off?

Mick.

Yup already checked that - was my assumption as well - spanner for the wheel , but no allen keys

 

[nunesaf]

More or less the same happened to me... only I didn't torque them to the spec (not even close!)

When I stopped the bike, it woobled as if there was no tomorrow. It was a fascinating experience but I am keen on not having it again.

The bearing will be fine

 

[davegs]

loose bolts

You had not done them up with a tourqe wrench to the correct settings,
these go up tight so look in the manual and do them up properly!!, sam4e thing happend to me I thought too tight could not undo them at the side of the road, but thats what happend so find out the torque settings accordingly
happend to me but not since being correctly tightend.
dave gs.

 

[Colban]

Did you lube the bolts at all?.
BWM say not to as it changes the tightening torque figure.
I think it should be 70ft/lb,dry thread.

 

[Grazoid]

You had not done them up with a tourqe wrench to the correct settings,
these go up tight so look in the manual and do them up properly!!, sam4e thing happend to me I thought too tight could not undo them at the side of the road, but thats what happend so find out the torque settings accordingly
happend to me but not since being correctly tightend.
dave gs.

I can quote torque figures for the bike in my sleep ... for the past three and a half years and the 7 times the wheel has been off for puncture repairs and new tyres it has been 50NM to seat the wheel then 102NM.

Never happened before, even when it was being rattled around on the tracks in the Alps last summer.

Last check was Saturday morning before it's MOT and had only done 20 miles since... funny how I rode home Monday night and they were done up , then when I rode off the drive this morning they were not.

Only innocent reason I can think of is that the bolts have developed a slight stretch. That would allow them to gradually loosen so have marked them all and will do regular checks.

 

[Grazoid]

Did you lube the bolts at all?.
BWM say not to as it changes the tightening torque figure.
I think it should be 70ft/lb,dry thread.

Nope always been in dry. well always have been since I have owned it... which makes me think that stretching maybe the answer if someone had previously greased 'em and overtightened them.

 

[davegs]

torque

Should be 50ft lb initally then after a settle down run 70ftlb. since I've used these settings no probs.

 

[Grazoid]

Should be 50ft lb initally then after a settle down run 70ftlb. since I've used these settings no probs.

Well as I have always used the recomended settings , and the maximum is 5FtLb more than your max, I must be doing something right

I think you should invest in a new Nm torque wrench , FtLb is soooo last week

Seriously , after riding over a thousand miles since the last time the wheel was out , some of that on roughish tracks in Wales, and doing a fairly rigorous test 20 miles previously it was a real shock to have them suddenly decide to become loose riding down the drive ( all of 5 wheel turns) .

As a temporary measure I have marked the bolts with Tippex so I have an immediate visual check. If there is any movement I will get a new set of bolts and try again. But I doubt there will be any movement.