Another pivot bolt failure, 2005 chopper

[Moespeeds]

So this is the second 2005 Chopper to drop into my lap with a broken pivot bolt, and if you count the twisted bolts on my 04 it's the third. This guy had a loose drive belt, bike has about 5k miles on it. I tightened it and aligned the bike, and when I took it out the fender was rubbing the tire. Upon closer inspection I find this. The thing is, the owner claims he had the recall done this past fall. I will confirm on Tuesday and let you guys know. So what is my recourse here? Goto Big Dog, or is this guy screwed? If you got an 04 or 05, just put some damn grade 8 bolts in there before someone gets killed!

 

[KaptinAmerika]

Hey Moe is that a Rolling Thunder or a Daytech frame? Can you get a pic of the inside of the swingarm where the bolt goes through?

 

[dingo]

wow....glad no one got hurt.....will be interested to see how this works out.

 

[MARV]

the 3 bolts that broke on mine were all on the cup side of the swingarm

even the upgraded bolt

once it breaks you need to change both bolts and the pivot axle
and check the upright for a twist, according to the recall

just changed that adjustable swingarm cup/spacer to a solid piece with much tighter tolerance to the bolt. plus a gusset behind it to the new upright. ill get a pic up of it soon


http://nhthqnwws111.odi.nhtsa.dot.g...s/Public/Recalls/2006/V/RCRIT-06V389-7388.pdf

 

[KaptinAmerika]

Wow, I had a similar problem with an 03 Chop with a Rolling Thunder Chassis. I kept taking it in and telling them something was wrong with the rear end but they just blew me off and said nothing was wrong with it.
In the end I tore the whole rear end down, had a race and a bearing fabricated to fit the inside opening of the cup spacer that the swingarm axle could pass through, which is where all the force was being delivered anyway not at the outside of the spacer, and it solved all my rear end issues. Up to that point that area of the swingarm bolt had no support so it was free to bend the swingarm upright and tweak the bolt.

 

[MARV]

because that adj cup recesses into the frame upright, the amount of material to the right of the bolt head in the pic is much thinner then the upright on the left side of the bike. making it easier for the upright to twist, which is noted in the recall. the less amount of material on the force side of the bike was an error. IMO

plus the massive amount of play between the right pivot bolt and the I.D. of the adjustable spacer is downright amatuer. IMO

then dont forget about the pivot axle itself which is also adjustable and doesnt even have any type of set for the adjuster (same with the adj cup)

just too many opportunities for a problem with BD's pivot set-up

had to have been for easy install during assembly


edit: posted at the same time as Kapt

 

[TCALZ06]

Hopefully BDM takes care of that. That problem goes along with the broken handle bars they recently covered.

Just shouldn't happen

 

[Moespeeds]

I agree man, this was some shit, I mean I took the bike out on the highway like this. I probably hit 80mph. WTF the pivot bolts should not be breaking period.

 

[Moespeeds]

So what should I do here? If the dealership did the recall back in Nov, should I send it back to them? How can I tell if the recall was done? Dealer is closed today, so I can't call them.

 

[MARV]

i didnt get coverage because they said my recall was already done.

problem was they reimbursed me for an "upgraded" bolt to replace the original piece of tin that broke before the recall even came out.

they never mentioned the part about replacing the left bolt and pivot axle plus check for twist at that time.

i believe thats why i went on to brake the other 2 "upgraged" bolts.


if the bike your working on already had a broken bolt, they might not of changed the other parts as the service recall states to do.

 

[Moespeeds]

Well the dealership is going to fix it, but they are making the owner eat the cost of the center section, $125. Seems kinda fishy to me as they aren't going to put a claim in with Big Dog at all, but who knows. I don't get it, you do a recall, it fails anyway, then you charge the customer for the same shitty parts that failed the first time. No wonder they are having such a tough time.

 

[Jokerhd13]

Holy crap,your lucky you didn't go down. Bigdog was good till the depression hit,guess they have no manpower now.They recently wouldn't cover my sidecovers cause my warranty was up.....so what ,thier was a service bulletin ,so they know there was a problem !

 

[KaptinAmerika]

Holy crap,your lucky you didn't go down. Bigdog was good till the depression hit,guess they have no manpower now.They recently wouldn't cover my sidecovers cause my warranty was up.....so what ,thier was a service bulletin ,so they know there was a problem !

True but in this economy they will only take care of things that are a safety recall issue and try to avoid the service bulletin stuff. I think they know the free ride is over and it will be tough to get customers and keep them so they will probably start trying to distance themsleves from as much of the recall stuff as they can. I didn't say its right or fair I just think they will be trying to conserve funds to avoid closing down altogether.