caliper mounting bolt fell out riding...wow!!!!!

anyone ever go to hit the front brake with only one bolt in the fork ????? single caliper front disk set up,,,,turned into a scary front end tuck at 60mph yesterday....one mount bolt had fallen out and i did not know it.....the caliper tried to wrap around under the axle and tuck the front end.... only the brake line routed behind the lower tree stopped this for millasec while i let off the lever in a flash,,,,almost crashed...first time i've ever even heard a this happening...did not locktight threads....think i might on the new bolt........rode home ten miles with back brake only and parked it...... really really scary stuff at speed....craig

Wholly crap,Craig!:ohmy:
Glad you didn't wipe man!

Thanks for the heads-up bud.I just had both calipers off to get a new tire installed,and I think I'll check the bolts.
I'm using lock-washers,but still...wow.

Coulda been ugly hey.:huh:

Wow that sounds like a scary ride with a pucker factor of a 9.9
I think I will check mine also on all of my bikes. I just had mine removed last week. At least you let off the lever before something drastic happened.

WOW man glad your able to tell us about the mishap. Dam your lucky, glad your OK.
Mark

Wow, glad you're OK.

This happened to me before but I was backing out of my brother's driveway. We were thankful it didn't happen on the road.

as near as i can figure...this is where i screwed it up......i had installed new tires and while i had the front off...a newer front fender and serviced the glazed pads,lubed the carrier bolts and test drove.....turns out my newer fender was a copy of a kz-z1 and had flanges not crimped where the tire almost touches the side of the fender....at first i thought the rubbing-squeeking noise was my caliper bolts just sticking through the fork mount holes a smidge and contacting the disk under braking flex of the front end....so i removed and shimmed with a washer so they stuck through flush...only to find it was my avons profiles sharp edge that was just skimming the fender...removed fender crimmped chrome return at rub spot and .....HERE IS THE MISTAKE....
1.)either
the bolts should have no washer and locktight???

2.) i forgot to tighten the upper mounting bolt....

3.) or the washer is fine but i need locktight....

i have never seen this or heard this before.......if you wanna get a good scare...pull out one mount bolt and walk your bike 5 feet and hit the front brake,,,,just pushing it in the garrage on foot i tried it and almost washed out into my garrage.....i think the combined wheight and speed is all that saved me....and a gaurdian angel...i had just pushed it hard on a offramp and just by chance did not set up for the corner by braking.....WOW!!!!

Wow! Glad you're OK!
I vote for #2. Getting distracted and forgetting to tighten up a bolt is really easy to do. Happens to everybody.

just to total overkill this story.....i was riding a tie in road between the coast and salinas "inland" ca. and was pulling to the front of the line at long lights,,timing the light and rolling thru in front of everyone.......when i caught up to a 5 rider harley group ,arms in salute on the ape hangers,nazi helmets and skulls on flames...you know..........i was smiling in my helmet and waiting 100 ft back so as not to seem like i was joining the gang...they were doing 50mph at best"lucky me".....and the rear rider was checking his mirror at me a lot....so i dropped back more to wait for a light and roll by em all....when i saw stopped traffic coming ahead and touched the lever..WOWZER!!!!......so basic story is...i broke down to the side of the road in a front end shaking wobble...while the harley's pulled away and vanished.......i bet i made their ride/year...they are still talking about it at work at the accounting office today....hahahahahaahahhahaahaaha

Yea, there's no doubt you forgot to tighten the bolt. These won't come loose, no need to loctite. Glad it all worked out OK too. It should have the lockwasher on it.

If you have the time and know how to do it, drill the heads of the bolts and use 0.32" SS aircraft safety wire(sometimes called lockwire). It will be a sure way to verify the integrety of these very imprtant bolts.

www.browntool.com/Default.aspx?tabid=255&txtSearch=safety+wire+

i like to use a marker called tourque seal to keep track of important fasteners like brake calipers if you mark them as soon as you tighten them to spec it helps you keep track of which bolts you have tightened or not. it's a little trick i picked up woking on beemers those rattlin vibrating things needed every fastener tourqued to spec.or stuff would fall off. on a regular basis.by the way craig i'm very glad nothing bad happened to you or your bike take care buddy and when you are working on your bike focus on what your doing and don't let anything distract you something stupid like that happening at the wrong time could mean your life, so be cool. i'm one of the worst i'll get ten things going at once and can't focus on anything for any lentgh of time.

just reading this now...wow...glad youre ok....that kind of crap will give the "ultimate pucker"....you ll remember that one for years......