Author Topic: Sidestand bolt snapped (Read 4035 times)

Robbieukb12 · « **on:** September 17, 2005, 04:26:53 PM »

Hi guys its been a while since my last post but i've been busy burning rubber

Anyway i parked my bike up yesterday when i went to the shops put the sidestand down, got off and then the bike nearly hit the deck i just managed to keep the thing up it was that close the footpeg was touching the floor.
Anyway once i got it up on the centre stand i examined what had happened, only the damn side stand bolt had sheered off and the sidestand was lying there on the floor.
I was mortified that such an important part had failed after such little use so i headed straight to the the dealer who really did'nt seem to give a s**t but told me that a new bolt was only £2.50, now the bike is only an 02 with 11,000m on the clock ok the warrenty has ran out but i said i want Suzuki to pay for it because this should never fail no matter how old the bike is he said "nah dont think so not for a bolt" so i called Suzuki GB and thay said that the dealer would have to contact them and put a technical report in then they would investigate it and then they would maybe consider contributing to the cost.

What a complete pain in the arse i asked the dealer if he had one in stock and what a suprise that he said no it will take a couple of days to get one.
Has anyone else had a sidestand fail on them?
I dont know if i'm over reacting but this does seem like a big deal to me i keep thinking what could have happened it i'd have walked away and the bike to have gone over

Robbie

PeteSC · « **Reply #1 on:** September 17, 2005, 04:46:41 PM »

Haven't heard of that, Robbie. I'd make the dealer write a technical report.....just for the hassle value!

fartndust · « **Reply #2 on:** September 17, 2005, 06:48:12 PM »

I never considered the potential for that bolt to fail...yet I sure do rely on it to hold up the B12 day after day...WOW!
If you have a chance to run into town and you have a spare couple of bucks, grab a grade 8 bolt to take the old ones place. (Don't know if the stocker is grade 8 or not, but I'm guessing NO)
Those stealership- people are your buddy when your buying a bike or gear, but when you show up with a warranty claim or question...suddenly YOUR a leper. Those vegetable munching/gas pass'n/tofu eat'n/tree hug'n/bastages!! (sorry I got off the subject

)
Anyway, great save! Glad it did'nt get scraped up, I'll be changing mine out. Thanks for the heads-up!

bgrundy · « **Reply #3 on:** September 17, 2005, 10:47:16 PM »

Twenty odd years of riding and I've never seen that happen. Wow. Ironic that parked up on the sidestand is when we like the think our bikes are SAFE.

I know it's easy to say from here, but I'm with PeteSC. I'd make 'em do a writeup. At the very least it creates a paper trail for other's who might have the problem. And the dealer at LEAST owes you that!

Ride (and park) safe!

Barry

tacoman · « **Reply #4 on:** September 19, 2005, 02:55:39 PM »

I've never heard of a sidestand bolt breaking. Probably a bad bolt that snuck past a supplier's quality control. As long as you caught the bike and it didn't get anymore damaged I'd probably leave it at that. Like the previous post said, buy a good quality grade 8 bolt at a hardware store, put a dab of grease on it, and call it good.

PaulVS · « **Reply #5 on:** September 19, 2005, 03:36:57 PM »

I'd replace it with a stainless steel one from a hardware store.

Much sturdier.

chevsuz12 · « **Reply #6 on:** September 19, 2005, 04:24:58 PM »

Yeah I'd go grade 5 or stainless. Grade 8 is too hard for side load applications. They do not bend but will shear pretty easily. Grade 5 and stainless will just bend slightly but shouldn't sheer under the same load.

Red01 · « **Reply #7 on:** September 19, 2005, 07:13:55 PM »

Quote from: "chevsuz12"

Yeah I'd go grade 5 or stainless. Grade 8 is too hard for side load applications. They do not bend but will shear pretty easily. Grade 5 and stainless will just bend slightly but shouldn't sheer under the same load.

Sorry, but I just GOTTA call

on this common misconception!

A Grade 8 bolt not only has a higher tensile strength, it has a higher shear strength than a Grade 5, too.

Check this out.

Red01 · « **Reply #8 on:** September 19, 2005, 07:28:18 PM »

One other thing, metric bolts have a slightly different grading system, so they don't come in "Grade 8" but their system is similar in that a higher grade bolt is stronger in every way to a lower grade bolt.

At $2.96 for the OEM sidestand bolt, I'd probably just bite the bullet and order it since it is a shoulder bolt and not likely something you're gonna find at the local hardware store and probably not even at a fastener specialty store either.

chevsuz12 · « **Reply #9 on:** September 20, 2005, 01:06:34 AM »

I stand corrected! Excellent article by the way.

Robbieukb12 · « **Reply #10 on:** September 20, 2005, 02:33:02 PM »

Hi thanks for all your reply's yes i was lucky enough to catch it on the way down but it was close, i now have forearms the size of Popeye's

I did go and order the bolt from the dealer even though he didn't exactly help me out it was £2.70(pounds) in the end. I did consider looking around for a stronger bolt but as Red said it's a shoulder bolt not somthing most hardware stores have around.
I have just finished putting it in, a little tricky lining the bolt up and holding the sidestand with the springs on but got there in the end. I did fit it and then try to stretch the springs on but gave up

and did it the other way instead.

I must admit i dont think i'll be using it much glad i've a centre stand.

Thanks

Rob