Rigid_EVO Possible Cause for vibration?

chatodomingo · #1 21st October 2008

So yesterday evening I had to take a 75 mile trip for a work meeting, then turn around and make the 75 mile trip home afterwards. On my way back, I began noticing quite a bit of vibration of my pegs (I have forward controls on an 03 883R). A couple of weeks ago I replaced my brake pads, and in order to bleed my rear brakes (and do other brake related fixes) I had to loosen my exhaust and take off my rear brake lever in order to take off the top of the rear master cylinder, shorten the brake lever rod, yadda yadda. So, when I began feeling the increased vibration in my feet, I thought that perhaps I didn't tighten the exhaust enough, which may be shaking the motor or something. When I made it home, I put the bike in neutral, and gave it some gas, trying to figure out if it the vibration was indeed from the motor area, or maybe from the front tire or forks. In neutral, at a stop, with my feet on the pegs (had the bike on it's jiffy stand) I gave it some gas, and the vibration was still there. The more gas I gave it, the more it vibrated. So, to me that said it was not coming from the forks or tire. It was dark, so I went inside. This morning I began feeling the exhaust, to make sure they were tight enough to not vibrate. They were. My next thought was that maybe my motor mount bolts may have gotten loose, and the vibration was from my motor itself. What I found was a missing bolt where the motor bolts in to the top of the frame under my ignition coil.

Honestly, as much as I would like to say that I know for a fact this bolt just came out, I can't. Certainly this is something I would have noticed. But sometimes I seem to miss the obvious (anyone else in that boat?). Has anyone else had this problem of the motor mount bolt coming out? And secondly, would you be in agreement that this culprit could be the cause of my vibration?

kilroykarr · #2 21st October 2008

I have the same bike as you, same year, same model. Anyways this happened to me as well, the same bolt while I was on a 300 mile trip to KC when I lived in Iowa. Got 3/4 the was there and noticed a strange vibration. Got off my bike looked around couldn’t find anything. So we finished the ride and when we arrived had some more time to look and found that the bolt was missing. Went and bought a stainless bolt, lock washer and loctite. How many miles do you have on your bike when this happened, I think I had around 6k I think.

chatodomingo · #3 21st October 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by kilroykarr

I have the same bike as you, same year, same model. Anyways this happened to me as well, the same bolt while I was on a 300 mile trip to KC when I lived in Iowa. Got 3/4 the was there and noticed a strange vibration. Got off my bike looked around couldn’t find anything. So we finished the ride and when we arrived had some more time to look and found that the bolt was missing. Went and bought a stainless bolt, lock washer and loctite. How many miles do you have on your bike when this happened, I think I had around 6k I think.

I've got a little over 15,000 miles, and ride the hell out of it daily.
Tell me, when you replaced that bolt, did it fix the vibration?
Also, is this bolt one that I can buy at a hardware store, or do I need to go to the stealership? Got specifics on what you bought?

kilroykarr · #4 21st October 2008

Yes it fixed the vibrations.

What I did was, on the other mount on the left side of the engine has a nut not a bolt. I took the nut off and went to a local hardware store and found a stainless bolt that fit the nut and was the right length. Before you go the store stick a pen or something in the hole to find the depth. Then get yourself a regular washer, lock washer and loctite.

Or if you’re close to a HD store then get it from them if you want the original one.

The one that fell out is a bolt from the factory and the left side is a stud and nut from the factory.

The service manual says to check the engine mount bolts at 1000miles and every 5000miles thereafter. So I guess it’s our fault they fell out.

chatodomingo · #5 21st October 2008

Man, I sure do appreciate your responses. You've been a huge help! I'm heading to the Harley shop at lunch today. I'll shoot another response tomorrow to let you know how it all worked out.