Play in upper and lower shock attachment

[chrispyxx]

Does anyone else have up and down play on there front shocks.
Found attachment bolts to be out of spec.
Shank of bolt Measures 0.358" Threaded part 0.390".So it didn`t matter how tight the bolts were there was all way play.

 

[chrispyxx]

Another pic

 

[cannondale27]

There is sleeves in your shock so when you tighten the bolt the shock mount will squeeze the sleeve.Bolt dia isnt critical.Bushing/sleeve dia is.But it seems Yamaha is running huge clearances on all the suspension pivot points.Not sealed either.I have found it can use grease every ride.

 

[yel_low]

same on my -08 MTX, very large play. feels like it shouldnt be that big? i think i can move a-arms 10mm up and down.. ??

 

[chrispyxx]

On the front shocks,the bushing does not go into the frame attachment.
I could tighten up the bolts so there is no play ,but after a 20 km ride it will be loose again.I`m posting two more pictures.One the threaded part of the bolt is 10mm and it the same diameter of the attachment hole.
The other picture is of the bushing and shank part of the bolt.The shank part is .030" smaller.

 

[chrispyxx]

second pic

 

[cannondale27]

Loctite and tighten the bolts.The shock bushing pivots on the sleeve.Not the bolt.Bolt has to be tight enough to pinch the sleeve so it doesnt spin.If there is still to much slop the bushing or sleeve could be worn.

 

[chrispyxx]

As you pointed out in the picture .My bushing and sleeve are brand new from the dealer.I just got the machine back from the dealer and they couldn`t fix the loose shocks after replacing all the parts.They didn`t change the bolts.I looked up the parts and found a new part # for the bolts BOLT,FLANGE (4GB)
95817-10045-00 (replaces 95812-10045-00) .Maybe yamaha has already fix this but my dealer was unaware of the bolt parts change.I just wanted to know if some other machines were like this,or mine was a eary built oct 2006 with out of spec bolts?

 

[OST]

same on my -08 MTX, very large play. feels like it shouldnt be that big? i think i can move a-arms 10mm up and down.. ??

Just came in from the shed. Decided to make a few ski adjustments and checked the shocks/A Arms while I was at it. Yes ... they are sloppy. Upper shocks, A Arms and spindle ball joints all have slop. 3000 miles on sled. Is this normal ... I think not.

 

[cannondale27]

I dont see how the bolt size affects play in the shock.It shouldnt.When I tighten any shock bolts or a-arm bolts I do it with the sled on the ground.That takes up any play between bolt and sleeve and bolt and frame and that is where shock will end up anyway.Then I tighten the bolt tight.I admit I have no idea what torque spec is but its about as tight as I can get it with a 12"14mm box wrench.This pinches the frame mount to the sleeve in essence making the sleeve part of the frame.Only possible place for play would be between the sleeve and the bushing.More than likely its the bushing that is shot.Notice how they are split?Try to put that split at the top of upper mount and bottom of lower mount it helps a bit.If the bolts are coming loose Loctite is in order.

A little play in all these parts is normal.I would say about a 1/8 in at end of a-arm and about a 1/16 in up and down of shock mounts.Any more and bushings are worn or bolts arent tight.Best bet is to check out a new sled for play for a comparison.That said I have 2000mi on mine and every bushing is pretty bagged out.