Steering stem nut size on Thundercat

It's bigger than the limits of my socket set (up to 24mm with one massive
extra that's far too big). I don't know if it's the same on all Yamahas, but
someone must have a clue. What size socket be I buying?

 

Arr, be we talking like pirates today?

 

Tried measuring across the flats?

 

Can you use Unix to do that?

 

Arr.

 

Arr, no ruler but I can blag one off the neighbour I suppose. Just thought
someone might know off the top of their head. Off with his head, arr!

 

Antony Gelberg says...

I have an idea it's 36mm. I'm up to my ears in doing stuff at the mo,
plus working two days a week at the bike shop, so it may be some time
before I can get round to helping you out.

--
Lozzo
Triumph Daytona 955i SE (Black with added black bits)
Suzuki SV650 K3
Suzuki GSX-R750L
Yamaha 250 Flat-tracker
I ride way too fast to worry about cholestorol.

 

I figured, so I decided to have a go.

<aussie voice>
I mean, how hard can it be?
</aussie voice>

<fx: sound of machine falling off paddock stand onto previously un-damaged
side>

 

None. You just get a really good quality adjustable spanner. It'll come
in handy for all sorts of oher things, too.

 

Got one, try never to use it. That bolt looks pretty damn tight and I don't
want to round the edges.

Um, will an adjustable spanner work with a Sprint ST? ;-)

 

I've never had a problem with them, on steering nuts. Seriously.

 

What about torquing it up? Just finger-tight, yeah? Bloody easy, this
mechanic lark.

 

I think I've got one as well from removing the SZR rotor bolt.

Halfords sell them for about £10.

 

ginge says...

I've got one too, and a 34, and a 32, and a 30, and a 29, 28, 27 etc
etc.

--
Lozzo
Triumph Daytona 955i SE (Black with added black bits)
Suzuki SV650 K3
Suzuki GSX-R750L
Yamaha 250 Flat-tracker
I ride way too fast to worry about cholestorol.

 

Hah. Quite probably.

But it'll be a command-line-only command with an obscure, entirely
forgettable name that needs a whole series if very explicit command
switches that have to be exactly right, otherwise it'll do something
quite unexpected, like bugger the cat.

Something like:

<command> <bike make> [<bike model>] plus...

-R (not recursive, ie don't do every fastener on the entire bike)

-m (metric, not to be confused with -M, select iMperial)

-h (steering head, not -H which is an old BSD format switch)

-f <fastener> (specific fastener ID. The man pages don't actually list
the IDs, though. For that you need the Holy Manual)

-m (obsolescent command switch that they don't like you to use but is
the only way to avoid using xargs)

....and the rest.

 

r
If it's the nut I'm thinking of, I don't torque it. I just set it as
tight as possible so the head races have no play and are not binding.

 

Ooh, happy days looking at a machanic standing on the end of a scaffold
pole trying to undo my rear brake drums.

The head mechanic left him there for ages before he pointed out the
split pin.

The left-hand thread one took him even longer.

 

heh. Nice.

 

The Older Gentleman says...

That's not the top yoke nut you're thinking of. The one Antony means is
the one holding the top yoke down form the top. You can tighten that all
you like, it won't affect the pressure acting on the head bearings if
you've adjusted them correctly - that's taken care of by the 2
castellated ring nuts that sit under the yoke.

Antony, just do it up tight, there is a torque setting for it but as
long as you don't go too mad with the spanners it'll be fine.

--
Lozzo
Triumph Daytona 955i SE (Black with added black bits)
Suzuki SV650 K3
Suzuki GSX-R750L
Yamaha 250 Flat-tracker
I ride way too fast to worry about cholestorol.

 

<fx:awaits 'Steering stem nut thread stripped - what to do?' post>