Bent front suspension lower spindle bolt?

Irv · Aug 7, 2011

Finally got around to installing my Ulmer's front end bushing kit and came across this shortly after starting :o|

(Previous owner must have forgot to mention he hit something? :dunno:

)

I knew as soon as I started to back the bolt out that something was wrong. (this also explains the issues I had trying to do a front end alignment sometime ago)

Just curious what all I should be looking for now, what other damage might have occured?
The top spindle bolt came out without issue and looks straight, so far it is just the bottom bolt that is crooked.

I haven't started on the bulkhead bolts yet due to me being a bit nervous now but I guess I had better get in there and see if any of those are bent?

These are all from the right front(seated), nothing apart yet on the left side.
Thoughts?.........Irv

Irv · Aug 7, 2011

The bulk head bolts came out easily, both A arms are now removed and waiting for the new Ulmer bushings to be installed.

So far it is looking like I just need to replace that bolt, is that normal that nothing else would be tweeked?

heat exchange · Aug 7, 2011

The bottom A arm should be checked because the bolt was so bent.You will maybe find that a new strait bolt will not go through the the A arm.The same thing happened to my Apex and I had to replace the arm and bolt.

Irv · Aug 7, 2011

heat exchange said:
The bottom A arm should be checked because the bolt was so bent.You will maybe find that a new strait bolt will not go through the the A arm.The same thing happened to my Apex and I had to replace the arm and bolt.

Definitely something going on heat exchange, noticed this as I was putting in the Ulmer bushings. :o|

Any idea how to check the A-arms for trueness?

Thanks ;)!

(It's a rub mark on the upper inside a-arm, looks like maybe the shock spring is rubbing against it?)

grizztracks · Aug 7, 2011

The last time I seen a bent lower spindle bolt the spindle was actual bent also. I've changed a-arm bushings many times for others and found several sleds with bulk head bushings worn so bad the holes egged out. Anyone running OEM bushings should be checking their front ends.

Irv · Aug 7, 2011

grizztracks said:
The last time I seen a bent lower spindle bolt the spindle was actual bent also. I've changed a-arm bushings many times for others and found several sleds with bulk head bushings worn so bad the holes egged out. Anyone running OEM bushings should be checking their front ends.

Hopefully not the spindle :o|

I just removed all the factory bushings and surprisingly they weren't that bad?
I did spray Rust Check in all the bushing areas areas when I purchased the sled at 2,100 miles so maybe that helped them?

The worse bushing by far was the inside lower bulkhead bushing, it wasn't split and it was all there but it was getting pretty thin!

heat exchange · Aug 7, 2011

This is what my A arm looked like.It was rubbing on the spring as well.The bottom holes did not line up at all.The top A arm was bent as well,I replaced both A arms on that side just to get the bolts to go through.I would be nice to find someway to straiten out the bent A arms.

Irv · Aug 7, 2011

heat exchange said:
This is what my A arm looked like.It was rubbing on the spring as well.The bottom holes did not line up at all.The top A arm was bent as well,I replaced both A arms on that side just to get the bolts to go through.I would be nice to find someway to straiten out the bent A arms.

Thanks Heat Exchange.

I just reinstalled both a-arms to the bulk head and they both went together easily with no binding.

I will check the outside holes to see if they look like yours any, hopefully not but I doubt it is just the bent bolt that is causing the shock to rub against the upper a-arm?

sleddog66 · Aug 7, 2011

I have heard of bolts that were slightly tweaked, in fact, mine was when I put in the ulmer kit. Nothing else was wrong. howerver yours does appear to be pretty bad. Agree with everyone's statments from above

bulldogbones · Aug 7, 2011

that bolt looks like mine LOL.... after I bounced off a tree.....

APEX 06 · Aug 7, 2011

Its not a harden bolt so it should bend before anything else. Any Yamaha dealer should be able to look at the spindle.

Did the arm move freely or rub.

smoothride · Aug 7, 2011

I used a hammer and my vise to straighten my bolt and it was fine.

Irv · Aug 7, 2011

APEX 06 said:
Its not a harden bolt so it should bend before anything else. Any Yamaha dealer should be able to look at the spindle.

Did the arm move freely or rub.

I assume you mean up and down Apex, if so; yea, it moved freely, I just don't ever recall feeling the shock hit the upper a-arm at all?

When I go to pick up my new bolt and factory lower bushing, I will take the spindle in and have it checked. (screwed up the factory bushing/spacer trying to put it back in with the Ulmer bushing, also broke the Ulmer bushing :o|

)

APEX 06 · Aug 7, 2011

Your spacer maybe mushroom too.

rindtj · Aug 7, 2011

Well, I have done two different front suspension with oilites this summer identical to yours. One of the required new bolts all the way around- spindles and collars were good (we damaged bolts removing them). The second one required one new spindle and two new collars in the spindle.

So in other words this is pretty common and I would say occurs due to worn bushings- on the sled with the bad spindle we actually put a slightly tweaked bolt (not near as bad as yours) back into the sled- it will straiten out if everything else fits correctly- I would say if you get it in and are sure spindle and collar are good the bolt is the least of your worries.

Also, we too found that the bushings from yamaha are very hit or miss- some spots don't see much wear others do. Definitely no need to replace them all with oilites but if you have them apart why not do it must be the school of thought there- so again you are not alone.

Straigten everything out and be glad that you should never have to do it again!

Bent front suspension lower spindle bolt?

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