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Thread: brand new to forum... already stripped my swingarm oil plug

  1. #1

    brand new to forum... already stripped my swingarm oil plug

    Hi everyone, love the forum.
    Long time listener, first time caller. yall have helped me out with a lot already

    I bought a 2009 xb12r about 9 months ago and love it, i just started my third oil change on it and stripped the plug. I felt like an idiot until I read about the torque specs being wrong in the manual and online (ive always been careful about my pounds and inches).

    heres the question, I already ordered the TIME-SERT kit and was wondering if there is anything I should watch out for, or if there is anyone that has recently used the kit that has any pointers.

    I know there are a lot of threads on here about this, and ive tried to read them, but im having trouble finding a detailed account of this process (using the time-sert) from someone who has actually done it.


    thanks guys

    13418724_910350082421035_1237364400781913454_n.jpg

  2. #2
    Senior Member
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    I feel for you....

    I was *so frustrated after buying my Firebolt, changing the oil as a first step - and then finding out I had massively overtorqued the plug as a result of the service manual's being wrong.

    I'm just waiting for mine to strip now....I've done two other changes...careful to just torque to about 10 ft.lbs. Yet I'm fairly certain the damage was done way back when and will eventually result in my threads stripping out.

  3. #3
    Senior Member Cooter's Avatar
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    The timesert should come with directions. Pretty self explanatory and a one out of ten for difficulty.

  4. #4
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    I know this doesn't really help but I had a Silverado that I put over 220k miles on and a Honda with 214k miles numerous other vehicles and my Buell had over 37k I have never once torqued a drain plug to spec. Just tightened with ratchet. And I do all my own services.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by djs2k2 View Post
    I know this doesn't really help but I had a Silverado that I put over 220k miles on and a Honda with 214k miles numerous other vehicles and my Buell had over 37k I have never once torqued a drain plug to spec. Just tightened with ratchet. And I do all my own services.
    Yeah, I do all my own routine servicing as well, but the problem with this one is that the service manual publishes an incorrect spec. (actually wildly incorrect in this case). So even if you're comfortable torque'ing by feel, the manual is giving you a specific torque spec "spread". Those who are committed to doing maintenance "by the book" (which is absolutely crucial to avoid maintenance related mishaps, by the way, in any formal mechanical field), wind up doing the "right" thing and getting the "wrong" result.

  6. #6
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    No doubt that sucks. Such a crucial misprint....

  7. #7
    Senior Member GregoXB's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by vicenzajay View Post
    Yeah, I do all my own routine servicing as well, but the problem with this one is that the service manual publishes an incorrect spec. (actually wildly incorrect in this case). So even if you're comfortable torque'ing by feel, the manual is giving you a specific torque spec "spread". Those who are committed to doing maintenance "by the book" (which is absolutely crucial to avoid maintenance related mishaps, by the way, in any formal mechanical field), wind up doing the "right" thing and getting the "wrong" result.
    Yea that's true and explains why this has happened to so many people...

  8. #8
    Senior Member Simplymichaeljr's Avatar
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    I torqued my to specs and thankfully haven't had that happen. I now torque to feel. In hindsight it is only a drain plug with an o-ring so it isn't a crucial bolt as to worry about stretching it by torque unlike a head bolt, etc. And it's soft metal-aluminum

  9. #9

  10. #10
    thanks for the replies guys. I fixed it and made a post with some pics of the process if interested. i also have more inserts if anyone in the LA area ever needs to use the time-sert



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