Can't get my handle bars tight!

[chris200x]

AAArrrggghhh!!!! I have the bar clamps torqued down as far as they will go and I already stripped out one of them. :cry: Any ideas on how to get them tight without messing it more than it already is?

[oldskool83]

add washers under the bolt.....tap it out larger with a bigger thread size. if all else fails just weld it all together.

[sblt500r]

are the bolts too long? or is the clamp not grabing the bars? you can grind the inside of the clamp down a bit (the flats) so they are not bottoming out.

[chris200x]

if all else fails just weld it all together.


:rolleyes: Have you ever tried to deal with a redneck and his welding work? :lol: I'll pass on that advise,,, thanks.

I'll try grinding down the flat part of the top clamps a bit. Never thought of that. thanks!

[Louis Mielke]

Chris you shouldn't need to grind anything!!

What exactly isn't going tight? I'm a bit confused as to what the real trouble is.

[chris200x]

Louis.. the clamps aren't clamping enough. (If that makes sense) and the bars move fowrd and back. I tightened the one allen bolt so tight it pulled through the threads.

I haven't mess with it yet..

[PWK39]

Are the bolts the same size as a 200x?If so I have a heli coil kit you could use to fix it.I believe its m8x1.25.I used it on my tripple clamps same problem as you.The honda manual says to tighten the top two bolts first then the bottom ones.I tried that and they held good.I also used a torque wrench on them.The top clamps on a 200x have stamp marks on them as well.It said to put them up on top I had one upside down at first.If I can help let me know I don't live far from you.

[Red Rider]

...the clamps aren't clamping enough. (If that makes sense) and the bars move fowrd and back. I tightened the one allen bolt so tight it pulled through the threads.Chris, what has changed with your handlebars? Are they different handlebars? Did they clamp tight before? When the handlebar clamps are all tightened down, there should still be about 1/32 - 1/16" space between the top clamp, and the top triple clamp.

[dovesprings250R]

This has happened to me in the past. Assuming the bolts and clamp are ok, I would take a sharp centerpunch and with a hammer put some dimoles in the bar clamps (top and bottom) Then I would smear some red loctite over the part of the bar that the clamps cover, put em in and tighten em down. They'll not slip anymore.

[chris200x]

These are brand new moose handlebars. There were a set of answer bars on there when I brought the Tri z home but began stripping everything and never bothered to check them. In the past I've always had the bars alittle loose incase I flipped it there would be some give. But these are a little too loose for my liking.

I'm not sure if the 200x bolts are the same...

I was thinking about clipping a piece of hose clamp off (the adjustable kind with all the little slots) and putting them inbetween the bars and the clamps. Then trying to torque it down. Wonder if that'll work ok?

[Louis Mielke]

First heli_coil or time cert your bar clamps. IMHO the bar clamps are the most neglected of all the bolts. People never torque them, they just crank down on them. Even if the threads aren't stripped the inserts will be much stronger threads than the tapped aluminum.

Second. If the bars are the same as the stock 7/8ths ones they should clamp down just fine. Check to see if the old bars are meant for an atv. its possible the clamp caps were modified to fit a dirtbike style bar. This may be your problem.

Third. And once again this is my opinion that other might not share cause I'm no metallurgist etc etc. I wouldn't use the stainless bolts on the bar clamps or the triple clamps. As far as I understand, and once again I may be totally off, those stainless allens can stretch over time. Thats why you've go to lock tight them or they'll vibrate out eventually.

Finally torque those suckers.

Also remember those Tri-z bars are rubber mounted unlike any of your hondas' bars. Check to make sure those rubber grommets aren't worn and thats the play you're feeling.

[longbedGTs]

The bars on my 200M did this after little jumps and whatnot. The little splines on the bars and on the clamps were completely gone. I just slathered some JB Weld on both surfaces and put it back together. Its been holding great! Although, I need to do some work on the gooseneck, so it might be tricky to remove the nut thats under there. :crazy:

[Howdy]

A very simple solution here is to take a piece of sand paper / emery cloth and add it to the clamp where the bars sit. Then tighten down the clamp with the bars where you want them. The grit and extra thickness of the backing will grip the handle bars and they won't move. I have used this method many times with 100% success.
Howdy

[burnoutboy]

What about a thin strip of insulation tape around the bars.

[RID3R]

From what I know there should be even gaps on each side of both the bar clamps, they shouldnt be able to bolt flush against the top tripple. There should be a small gap between the bar clamps and top tripple and both gaps on each need to be the same. If this helps or even makes sense the way I put it...

[filipinoredneck]

:rolleyes: Have you ever tried to deal with a redneck and his welding work? :lol: I'll pass on that advise,,, thanks.

I'll try grinding down the flat part of the top clamps a bit. Never thought of that. thanks!

I'm a redneck and I think my welding is not bad at all. Let's see, The Clamps are aluminum, YUPYUPYUP, and the bars are steel, UUUUHHHUU. Give me a six pack, and I'll GIT 'R' DONE!!!!!!:lol: :lol: