loose blind threaded insert?

[pbrguy]

I'm wondering if anyone has the same problem I've encountered. While removing the mesh grill on the right side of my seat (where the diag wires are) I noticed that the top screw was turning and turning and turning...turns out that the "blind threaded insert" was completely detached from the rear sub-frame and was just spinning around in the aluminum! (has anyone else come across one of these that was loose?)

I was able to put some side force on the allen and managed to crack the bolt free and get the screw out (makes you wonder why the shop didn't let me know this was stripped when THEY had to get to the diag wires!!!)

Well the monkey within took over and I stupidly tried to pull out the threaded insert...turns out that this a very poor judgement and as I've read elsewhere on this forum...I "should have stopped and had a beer"...but instead I forged ahead with no plan of action and managed to slightly damage the rear subframe as the insert got about halfway out...when it started to rip through the aluminum!!! CRAP!!!

I've managed to hammer the damn thing back down (needless to say i'm PISSED about f'ing up my brand new bike like this!!! GRRRRRR...)...may end up replacing the rear subframe if it continues to bug me $$$...

Anyone know the deal with these inserts?...are they "user" serviceable in the event one comes loose...or it's threads get stripped?

[irdave]

Yep, yep, yep. This is REALLY easy to fix. Really. I just mounted a new fairing stay in the front and had to put new "nutserts" in. Not a biggie whatsoever.

You can buy some of them at ACE, but to get metric ones I had to go to a fastener store. The ones in the fairing stay were M6 x 1.0. Anyways, you can buy a fancy tool for the install, or I just used a long bolt that threads into the nutsert and a long nut looking thing that has 6 sides to it so that I could hold it with a wrench, then tighten. This is KEY. The threaded thing has to be bigger than the bolt. The threads ARE NOT to screw together. The threaded thing is just a spacer that you can hold with a wrench. I know that's horrible directions. Email or PM me with an email address and I'll take a picture- it really is easy.

Let's try for better directions first...

Long metric bolt that threads into nutsert. Long ( maybe an inch or inch and a half) threaded thing (don't need the threads, just happens that way) with 6 flats on the outside so that you can hold it with a wrench.

Slide bolt thru "threaded thing with flats"(again, just a spacer) and thread it into the nutsert from the flange side and just snug down.

You should be able to slide the nutsert into the hole just like you want it in the end while it's attached to this bolt/spacer.

Use an allen wrench to turn the bolt and whatever size wrench to hold the spacer and tighten. It doesn't have to be "rippen' tight", just to the German torque spec of Guddentite.

At this point, you should be able to unscrew the bolt from the nutsert and the nutsert should stay in place.

Ta da.

Get in touch if that was clear as mud. Oh, and the stuff is cheap. Like 30 or 40 cents each for the nutserts.

[pbrguy]

That makes perfect sense...next time I'll post here before monkeying around with the bike...The nutsert probably only needed to be snugged down as per your instructions...instead of me trying to rip it out :(

As it is just the fastener to hold the side mesh panel in place I've tacked it down with some super glue (all I had at the time) and it works temporarily. I think eventually (during the winter months) I'll remove the rear subframe and have an aluminum shop remove the buggered nutsert, patch, and redrill the hole to the correct size and pop in a fresh nutsert.

Thanks for the info on the nutserts :)