uh oh

YING · Nov 30, 2020

alan hodge said:
took the commando out yesterday it was 65F and my pal calvin and i headed for the countryside road he on his 78 T140 bikes were running great sun was shining it was a perfect late fall Carolina day....uhoh! my bike started making an ungodly kabooomm kaboomm looked down the right hand exhaust was floatin free nut had come unscrewed...i had just wrenched on them a few weeks ago....this is the first time bike has acted a fool it has 1,100 miles since build....fished $2 mole wrench out of tool kit and screwed nut back in head with gloved hand and grabbed nut fin with wrench and screwed some more thank gawd the threads were OK but crush washer had been spat out.......made it 5 miles back to home and nut stayed put........today i took pipes off and checked threads and coated nut threads with hi temp anti seize grease and put new copper washers in and took proper nut tool and used might and main force on them will retighten after next (short) ride and safety wire...well,, that's my story and i'm sticking with it pic shows me on knees on roadside worshipping at altar of vintage biking

Alan,
Where in NC are you located?

L.A.B. · Nov 30, 2020

JimNH said:
Is the MKIII design less susceptible?

Could be? As there's no crush washer.

swooshdave · Nov 30, 2020

Time Warp said:
There are a few older threads regarding the exhaust and supports off the cradle.

I have a stash of photos from some of those threads. Good stuff.

swooshdave · Nov 30, 2020

Fast Eddie said:
A trick I was enlightened to some while ago (but I can’t remember who / where) was that not only should these be tightened when the engine is hot, but also whilst it is still running. Keep tension on the wrench whilst the engine is running and the vibes kinda help as an impact wrench. Seems to work.

I have yet to have one come loose. Tighten down when hot.

Triton Thrasher · Nov 30, 2020

Time Warp said:
farmyard wiring jobs

Race track paddock, m’boy!

Craig · Nov 30, 2020

I’m with SwooshDave , have yet to have either side come loose , check and tighten when hot as well ....

maylar · Nov 30, 2020

Craig said:
I’m with SwooshDave , have yet to have either side come loose

How many miles do you have on a Commando?

Craig · Nov 30, 2020

maylar said:
How many miles do you have on a Commando?

Caught me out ..... 7700 miles , and still have not had any loose exhaust ... haha !

alan hodge · Nov 30, 2020

YING...here near Belmont Abbey College Gasolovakia County NC

swooshdave · Nov 30, 2020

maylar said:
How many miles do you have on a Commando?

One or two.

TomU · Dec 2, 2020

Worse was probably the embarrassment of your Norton breaking down next to a working Triumph

And +1 on tightening when hot and all, but i wonder if it would help to have a softer muffler mount.

jseng1 · Dec 2, 2020

The stock setup is problematic. Cut off the pipe flange that goes into the head, make a sleeve that slips into the head and silicone bronze braze it to the pipe, braze a spring hook on the pipe. Remove the washer, put silicone on the ex nut threads and screw the nut all the way in till it bottoms on the threads. Torque it down when hot. Drill a spring hole in the rose nut. Now the pipe can move in the nut and not pull out the threads.

uh oh

YING

Pittsboro,NC

L.A.B.

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