Subject: Pesky Loop Generator Bracket
Author: Richard Arimoto
Date: Nov 25, 2002, 3:42 PM
Post ID: 1711464585
I know that better minds than mine have attempted to fix the pesky
problems with the loopframe generator brackets and have failed. I first
tried muscle and blue loctite, I assume everyone does, but that didn't
work --no surprise there. I was going to try using red loctite next,
but figured that probably wouldn't work either, and it is a bit of a
pita to take everything apart and tighten the bracket, so I did some
thinking.
I couldn't find studs to fit, so that was out.
My theory is that is you can keep the two allen-head cap screws (AHCS)
that hold the generator bracket to the engine from backing off, the
bracket should stay firmly attached (bracket fracture is another matter)
[I know: Maybe, maybe not. I said it was a theory].
So, how to keep the cap screws from backing out?
What I decided might work, and we'll be finding out in the next few
months, is to fabricate a piece of metal to �tie� the two AHCSs together
(the turning or loosening force on one of the screws would be prevented
by its attachment to the other). Here's what I'm trying-first I started
with a template. I made this to show the guys in the shop how the cap
screws were oriented and what the basic unit would look like. This
template was cut to fit the two cap screws holding the bracket, and it
is adjustable to capture the orientation of the AHCSs in their working,
i.e., tightened down, position.
I had the guy in the shop cut a couple short pieces of a 3/8 inch hex
wrench to fit into the AHCSs (these are just a little bigger than 9 mm
and therefore fit into the cap screws with less slop than the metric
wrench would); these pieces of the allen wrench are about 5/8 in long.
I then had two holes drilled into a small piece of 1/4 plate: these are
positioned so that the allen-wrench pieces will drop straight down into
the heads of the AHCSs (the AHCSs are on the bike, already tightened
down). The pieces of the allen wrench were then welded to the plate,
keeping their orientation such that they drop into the AHCSs.
I'm thinking that this piece will prevent the AHCSs from loosening.
We'll see.
=> Any opinions or predictions on this??
Oh, it cost $15, including the hex wrench.
I probably didn't describe this very clearly. I'll take some pics
tonight in case anyone would care to see.
Rich A