Shock upper bolt cracked

Andy7
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4/14/2018 4:02pm Edited Date/Time 4/21/2018 4:18pm
Hi guys, I have a 2012 KXF 450 and the upper shock bolt cracked while I was tightening it (using a properly set torque wrench at 29 ft/lbs as the manual says). I am having one machined, but do I need to buy the original one as the replica part will be made from steel? I don't know what kind of treatment do they have in stock form. Apart from that, some people told me "Kawasaki's problems". Am I better off selling it and buying another bike? Thanks in advance.
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Hondas4Life3
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4/14/2018 9:09pm Edited Date/Time 4/14/2018 9:12pm
Buy another shock bolt? Maybe it was stretched from previous owner or flaw in casting. Thats a lot of effort when you can order one for cheap.
kb228
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4/14/2018 10:22pm
Uhhhhhh what????
murph783
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4/15/2018 7:44am
Yeah just sell it, sounds like a lost cause at this point
imoto34
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4/15/2018 8:37am

You must be a interesting guy there Andy, ready to sell off your bike over a broke bolt and all. Would be painful to see your face after a catastrophic engine failure, you would have to sale the house.

The Shop

YamahaJT1
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4/15/2018 9:29am Edited Date/Time 4/15/2018 9:31am
Andy7:

Go away and stop wasting our time. Get a real job, that way you could actually buy a real bike.
Andy7
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4/15/2018 12:48pm
imoto34 wrote:
You must be a interesting guy there Andy, ready to sell off your bike over a broke bolt and all. Would be painful to see your...

You must be a interesting guy there Andy, ready to sell off your bike over a broke bolt and all. Would be painful to see your face after a catastrophic engine failure, you would have to sale the house.

I have already replaced the cases, crank, cylinder etc on this bike. My question is if Kawasaki's are prone to this failures or if all of it was bad luck. I LOVE this bike but every guy at the track tells me that they are poorly built!
imoto34
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4/15/2018 1:29pm
Kawi's are solid. Not really any routine failures you hear about unlike some of the other brands. Any one who says they are poorly built are goons. Run it till it brakes, fix and repeat. Gear head rule #1

Andy7
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4/15/2018 1:35pm
imoto34 wrote:
Kawi's are solid. Not really any routine failures you hear about unlike some of the other brands. Any one who says they are poorly built are...
Kawi's are solid. Not really any routine failures you hear about unlike some of the other brands. Any one who says they are poorly built are goons. Run it till it brakes, fix and repeat. Gear head rule #1

Thank you!
kb228
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4/15/2018 3:16pm
kawasaki is the most successful brand of dirtbikes in the racing world. Period. Bikes show it. Any of the jap bikes are solid for that matter.

For real tho idk how you broke that bolt with 30ft lbs. thats not even a lot of torque.
Andy7
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4/16/2018 4:12am
kb228 wrote:
kawasaki is the most successful brand of dirtbikes in the racing world. Period. Bikes show it. Any of the jap bikes are solid for that matter...
kawasaki is the most successful brand of dirtbikes in the racing world. Period. Bikes show it. Any of the jap bikes are solid for that matter.

For real tho idk how you broke that bolt with 30ft lbs. thats not even a lot of torque.
Yes I also was speechless. I guess that maybe it was stretched from the previous owner as another member noted. Let's just hope it doesn't happen again!
lumpy790
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4/16/2018 5:51am
Strange failure for sure. I rung one off on my 1980 125CR Husky but never heard of any one breaking a massive bolt off.

How did you get it back out?
Andy7
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4/16/2018 1:57pm
lumpy790 wrote:
Strange failure for sure. I rung one off on my 1980 125CR Husky but never heard of any one breaking a massive bolt off. How did...
Strange failure for sure. I rung one off on my 1980 125CR Husky but never heard of any one breaking a massive bolt off.

How did you get it back out?
It was easy as the bolt broke off right behind the head so I used a screw driver to push it out and then unthreaded the nut. I have broken some bolts, but only small ones, and when I did they broke in the middle of the threads, this is strange to me!
imoto34
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4/16/2018 4:55pm
lumpy790 wrote:
Strange failure for sure. I rung one off on my 1980 125CR Husky but never heard of any one breaking a massive bolt off. How did...
Strange failure for sure. I rung one off on my 1980 125CR Husky but never heard of any one breaking a massive bolt off.

How did you get it back out?
Andy7 wrote:
It was easy as the bolt broke off right behind the head so I used a screw driver to push it out and then unthreaded the...
It was easy as the bolt broke off right behind the head so I used a screw driver to push it out and then unthreaded the nut. I have broken some bolts, but only small ones, and when I did they broke in the middle of the threads, this is strange to me!
Have pics? Wouldn't mind seeing see.
Andy7
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4/16/2018 5:11pm Edited Date/Time 4/16/2018 5:12pm
imoto34 wrote:
Have pics? Wouldn't mind seeing see.
I don't have right now, as I'm getting another one machined(only temporary until I get the replacement part). I will upload a pic as soon as I get it back.
Andy7
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4/18/2018 7:41pm
Okay guys here are the pics. My guess is that the previous owner didn't aligned the bolt. This is because the frame have a mark on the flat side where the bolt makes contact with it. So this guy might have tightened it anyway,marking the frame and maybe upsetting the bolt. Anyone have any other theorie?







omalley
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4/19/2018 8:45pm
Andy, I think you mean that the bolt head was turned so that it didn’t sit flush into the countersunk (cut-out where the bolt head should sit). if this is the case, tightening it (the previous owner) likely pulled at the head/shank at an angle and weakened it, later causing it to break when you torqued it. I’ve owned plenty of Kawis. Never had an issue like that. Generally I’ve found them to be overbuilt (read: heavy) if anything. Only other thing I’ve seen is threads wear out faster than my Honda’s for things like the shrouds, fenders etc.

****Note: I realize my reference to “head,” “shank,” and “pulling at an angle” will likely result in some good old-fashioned shenanigan posts...let the games begin....
Andy7
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4/20/2018 3:55pm
omalley wrote:
Andy, I think you mean that the bolt head was turned so that it didn’t sit flush into the countersunk (cut-out where the bolt head should...
Andy, I think you mean that the bolt head was turned so that it didn’t sit flush into the countersunk (cut-out where the bolt head should sit). if this is the case, tightening it (the previous owner) likely pulled at the head/shank at an angle and weakened it, later causing it to break when you torqued it. I’ve owned plenty of Kawis. Never had an issue like that. Generally I’ve found them to be overbuilt (read: heavy) if anything. Only other thing I’ve seen is threads wear out faster than my Honda’s for things like the shrouds, fenders etc.

****Note: I realize my reference to “head,” “shank,” and “pulling at an angle” will likely result in some good old-fashioned shenanigan posts...let the games begin....
Yeah I think that was the cause. I absolutely love this bike, but was a bit worried about all the negative comments from my friends at the track. After all, I shouldn't have listened to them in the first place!
mattyhamz2
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4/20/2018 4:20pm
Kawi's are solid as a rock. If they are breaking, it's usually from lack of maintenance. I've got an 05 250f in my garage with over 200 hours on it and only on top end and clutch replacement. We just rebuilt the motor to make it fresh again as a back up bike for my wife or family friends. Our 06, 07, 08, 10 and 12 kx450s were amazing. Never any issues.
Andy7
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4/21/2018 8:11am
mattyhamz2 wrote:
Kawi's are solid as a rock. If they are breaking, it's usually from lack of maintenance. I've got an 05 250f in my garage with over...
Kawi's are solid as a rock. If they are breaking, it's usually from lack of maintenance. I've got an 05 250f in my garage with over 200 hours on it and only on top end and clutch replacement. We just rebuilt the motor to make it fresh again as a back up bike for my wife or family friends. Our 06, 07, 08, 10 and 12 kx450s were amazing. Never any issues.
Yeah the 2012 is one of the best bikes I've ever ridden
Paw Paw 271
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4/21/2018 9:13am
The bolt was loose and thus caused fatigue to the bolt head and thus caused the failure. The bolt was moving under load and flexing.

Paw Paw
Andy7
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4/21/2018 4:17pm
The bolt was loose and thus caused fatigue to the bolt head and thus caused the failure. The bolt was moving under load and flexing. Paw...
The bolt was loose and thus caused fatigue to the bolt head and thus caused the failure. The bolt was moving under load and flexing.

Paw Paw
Hopefully it didn't happen while I was riding!
imoto34
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4/22/2018 7:25am
Just curious, why did you have to replace the cases and jug?
Andy7
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4/22/2018 7:51am
Because of something called previous owner...



Man, I don´t have enough courage to weld the cases where the crank bearings seat



Those were two cracks in the swingarm, although they don´t look like them



Even the triple clamps clamps were bent (and I thought cast aluminum couldn´t be bent). I can´t imagine how you can trash a bike like this in only 100 hours
imoto34
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4/22/2018 8:57am
Holy smokes man, did you have to tow it out of a lake when you bought it!
Andy7
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4/22/2018 1:43pm
imoto34 wrote:
Holy smokes man, did you have to tow it out of a lake when you bought it!
Haha that would have been better I guess. Anyway, I don't regret it. I LOVE this bike!

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