Give credit where credit is due!

**M1CRO:Me** · 21st January 2006, 13:30

Just a short notice to give credit where credit is due...

Took the Busa to get a new rear tyre on Friday afternoon and shot down to Botany Honda (closest shop to home).. Anyway, it appears that when they took the rear tyre off and tried to put the new one back on, the thread of the axle nut, just started to peel off. Actually, the mechanic grabbed the inside thread and the whole thing just come apart from the nut.... The inside of the nut ended up looking relatively smooth.. Bugger!

Talking to the mechanics, they reckon the last time the axle was tightened, someone used a ratchet gun to tighten it up as it takes a huge amount of force to start peeling threads.. Not sure how true this is as I wasnt looking when a certain other "shop" changed it... Anyone have any experience on this? Do shops regularly use a ratchet gun to tighten the rear axle after a rear wheel change??

Anyway, the mechanic shot down the road to see if he could find another nut for the axle, but couldnt find one. So he asked around a few engineering shops around East Tamaki, and after half an hour couldnt find one

Spoke to the manager and he offered to take me (and my pillion) home, and they would grab a new axle and nut from Holeshot (Takapuna) on Monday morning..

Obviously, IMHO, I am impressed with the level of service this shop offers and they went out of their way to address this issue... Will drop a few dozen on their lap on Monday when I go and pick up the bike...

Just my 2c, and to give credit where credit is due!!

**APPLE** · 21st January 2006, 13:42

yeh mate there great guys,dan@dave.and johns a good mechanic 2.i've never herd of that rachet gun bein used on a bak tyre before.sounds hard case man?

**froggyfrenchman** · 21st January 2006, 14:24

Not just ratchet guns... using a cresent or socket, it can be easy to put too much force on a nut. Think about it, spanners are all diferent lengths depending on size, this is so you cant easially apply too much force. But if you are tightning an axel with a big crescent or have a long handle on your socket, you have much more leverage and the nut has to be much tighter for it to "feel tight".

Did iput that in a way that makes sense?

**M1CRO:Me** · 21st January 2006, 14:32

Originally Posted by froggyfrenchman

Did iput that in a way that makes sense?

Yup, works for me

Will just have to double check to make sure that it is torqued to the correct level every time the wheel comes off (once I find out what it is :slap: - surely this is what the bike shop "should" do?

**quickbuck** · 22nd January 2006, 00:24

Originally Posted by SpeedMedic

Isn't this why Torque wrenchs were invented?

Exactly. Um, I take it you don't need to loosen the axle to adjust your chain?

**What?** · 22nd January 2006, 06:35

Originally Posted by M1CRO

Anyone have any experience on this? Do shops regularly use a ratchet gun to tighten the rear axle after a rear wheel change??

Donchamean "Rattle Gun"? Pnuematic drill is what it is - often capable of delivering HUGE amounts of torque.
Fortunately these are not commonly used by bike shops, but was once common in a certain yellow tyre shop on the shore (one of the reasons I stopped dealing with them).

**RiderInBlack** · 22nd January 2006, 06:41

Shit Busas must have crap axles

Would have to be hellishly tight before that would happen on "Roxanne". Never seen a ratchet gun used on any of my bikes for anything come to think about it. At the most an extention to give more leverage (which can be as risky), but usually just to undo a seized nut/bolt and not for tightening.
The arse that did it needs a good

Well done Botany Honda

**avgas** · 22nd January 2006, 22:54

Never heard that one before - but i remember the old man having disaster hit him in the south when the bike shop didnt tighten the wheel nut on the 955. Not the best thing for a single sided swingarm.
Bike went into wellington mc and got fixed after a small mission.

**sAsLEX** · 23rd January 2006, 07:56

Originally Posted by SpeedMedic

Isn't this why Torque wrenchs were invented?

One of me westie car mechanic mates only ever uses his FT torque wrench, or Fuckin Tight, and he works in a fairly major dealership

**Kickaha** · 23rd January 2006, 08:02

It's not the rattle gun that over tightens the nut, it's the guy using the rattle gun that does

Most guys using them just hammer them up till they are tight with the gun on max setting,if the gun is set right it will only tighten to a set torque figure and not necessarily overtighten whateverthefuck they're doing up

**Lou Girardin** · 24th January 2006, 09:01

Most Suzuks rear axle nuts need 100 nm torque, that's bloody tight. God knows which gorilla would've stripped the nut last time.

**M1CRO:Me** · 24th January 2006, 10:00

Originally Posted by Lou Girardin

Most Suzuks rear axle nuts need 100 nm torque

Checked the manual, and your right.. It is 100...
As my luck would have it, Axle bolt has to be ordered via Japan and will take around 2 weeks to arrive..

**Kickaha** · 24th January 2006, 13:23

Originally Posted by M1CRO

Checked the manual, and your right.. It is 100...
As my luck would have it, Axle bolt has to be ordered via Japan and will take around 2 weeks to arrive..

Take a sample to any competent engineer and get him to make one

**Jackrat** · 25th January 2006, 17:18

I've been to Botany Honda twice now,once for a new tyre and another time for a puncture repair when I couldn't get the bike home.
Both times the bill came to less than the quote.
Ya' just gott'a love that.