This looks wrong but is it?

phal44

So I've been slacking off over the winter when it comes to getting out on my bike but as the weather *should* be getting better I thought I'd check my bike over to make sure everything was still in one piece. I had a quick ride around outside and everything seemed ok but then I noticed something weird about the rear suspension that I hadn't noticed before. I've had the bike for a year and a half so I would have thought I'd have noticed this before but maybe I hadn't!

On one side it looks like there is something missing but according to pics online, there isn't as the one's I've seen also have an empty hole there. There is thread on the inside of the hole but it's been painted and there's no sign of anything having used any of that threat until right deep inside it.


Untitled by Phal44, on Flickr

On the other side it looks like something has worked look and is about to fall out but is it? I've tried tightening it a little and whilst it turns relatively easy, it doesn't seem to work in or out and stays at that distance from the frame. Is this normal? (The bike is a 2011 Trek/Gary Fisher Rumblefish 2)


Untitled by Phal44, on Flickr

cooldad

Nope, bolt is loose. Tighten it, don't ride it.

phal44

Well I've tried to tighten it a little but it feels more like it's not biting in to anything? I can hear something rubbing when it turns but it doesn't go anywhere.

Is the shock itself going to be putting pressure on this when it's fully extended? Am I better depressurising the shock first?

bennett_346

It's not catching the threads on the other side properly. Take the shock out and check the start of the threads.

phal44

Well luckily it didn't come to that Couldn't quite get it to thread in properly so I let all the pressure out of the shock and managed to get it in there without too much fuss. I can now see the end of the bolt on the other side flush with the frame so that looks better.

Just wondering how it could have gotten to that point before I noticed Don't think the bike would have lasted very long with my weight on there in that state! Only thing I can think of is that someone had a go at taking it apart to steal it from my garage and gave up

Thanks for the confirmation anyway

cooldad

I doubt it. You need to check bolts regularly - vital ones like that every ride is a good idea.

omegas

Try using this:

http://www.loctiteproducts.com/p/t_lkr_ ... ue-242.htm

You will notice most bolts will have what looks like blue paint on.

phal44

Yeah I could see a touch of blue on the exposed thread on the empty side guess they didn't put much on there or this bolt is particularly vulnerable to working itself loose from the movement of the shock.

cooldad

Should be loctited but

cooldad wrote:

I doubt it. You need to check bolts regularly - vital ones like that every ride is a good idea.