Ball joint nut

[AndyJW]

I have removed my fork brace to repaint it and the only way I could get the balljoint nut undone was to drill it and split it in half, being extremely careful not to damage the threads on the ballnut. It took a whole afternoon getting that one f***er off! There was no way that nut was going to come off any other way since when examining the threads I could see that the nut had been well loctited in position. I has suspected as much, but didn't want to use a blow torch on it because it would have damaged the paintwork on the telelever and melted the grease out of the balljoint.

Anyway, my question is whether it would be OK to use a replacement stainless steel nyloc nut,which should hopefully come off a lot easier in the future, instead of using a standard one which presumably needs to be loctited to stop it coming loose?

 

[russ996duke]

I have removed my fork brace to repaint it and the only way I could get the balljoint nut undone was to drill it and split it in half, being extremely careful not to damage the threads on the ballnut. It took a whole afternoon getting that one f***er off! There was no way that nut was going to come off any other way since when examining the threads I could see that the nut had been well loctited in position. I has suspected as much, but didn't want to use a blow torch on it because it would have damaged the paintwork on the telelever and melted the grease out of the balljoint.

Anyway, my question is whether it would be OK to use a replacement stainless steel nyloc nut,which should hopefully come off a lot easier in the future, instead of using a standard one which presumably needs to be loctited to stop it coming loose?

BWM suggest heating the loctited part with a hot air gun to break the lock before trying to undo!!!

Personally, I would get a replacement from BMW/motorworks etc etc and loctite back in!

 

[Timolgra]

buy yourself a hot air gun from B&Q for about £15, also use on disc and ABS ring bolts etc

 

[Bigtwin]

It took a whole afternoon getting that one f***er off! There was no way that nut was going to come off any other way since when examining the threads I could see that the nut had been well loctited in position.

You do know it's a LH thread don't you?

 

[tufty1909]

BWM suggest heating the loctited part with a hot air gun to break the lock before trying to undo!!!

I gently heated with oxy/acetylene torch on low heat, I could see loctite burning out of threads. Nut came undone really easy.

Personally, I would get a replacement from BMW/motorworks etc etc and loctite back in!

Ditto!

 

[DrFarkoff]

Get a replacement and a heat gun and a good thread sealant/locker

There's a special tool thing that you can fit a 7mm allen key into while you act the prat tryin to torque the Fecker to ludicrous torques!!!!! 130nm

Basically fit all together and tighten up the nut as tight as a big bag of tight things I usually use two linked combo spanners and a specially "adapted" 7mm allen key with an extension
Then When I think it's about right I check the torque wrench clicks if it doesn't I give it another wee go!

Oi AndyJW most of the suspension line and disc bolts are loctited and if you just tear away unscrewing stuff you'll biollix a wheel or a gearbox or final drive because that stuff BM use cuts the bl**dy threads out

My repalcement box for my RS came with no threads on the left swingarm pivot bolt! I had to get it built up and recut and I still don't even know if the box is duff or not! All down to someone not knowing about the threadlock

Have fun and careful wot you do wi Yer Nuts! They only have to be hot to touch to soften the threadlock not glowing red hot

 

[AndyJW]

Ok thanks for the advice. I guess I need to invest in a hot air gun before I do any future work on the bike. Where do I get my hands on a special socket to torque up the ball joint nut whilst holding an allen key?