Locking and Bonding

Securing and bonding: screws and everything that shouldn’t come loose

In the good old days, the mechanic would put a dash of paint over the head and base of every bolt and nut he tightened. Even if the paint was sold as "screw locking paint", it didn't really secure the screw, but the service mechanic or customer could always tell if the connection had subsided or loosened: if so, the paint had flaked off.

Only glued bolts are secure

When the Harley-Davidson comes out of the factory, many of the bolts are glued with threadlocker. Loctite, as many call it. After the invention of the liquid adhesive for securing threads, it still took over two decades for the adhesive to become commonplace in the motorcycle sector. Nowadays, chemical threadlockers - whether liquid or dry - have become an integral part of any repair and have largely replaced traditional means such as spring washers and lock washers. As mechanical screw locking elements all subside at some point (usually sooner rather than later), the DIN standards for locking devices such as lock washers, toothed lock washers, spring washers and shaft washers etc. have now even been withdrawn - due to their proven ineffectiveness.

Chemical screw locking

It offers the advantage, especially with smaller diameter screws, that the tightening torques do not have to be increased excessively and still provide a high level of protection against loosening. This way the strain on sealing surfaces of cases is distributed more evenly and the seal remains intact for longer.

Heat-resistant adhesives

in a variety of forms are also used to position and secure bearings, or help with repairs when conventional welding is too costly or not even possible due to the material.

Adhesives also provide invaluable services when all types of tapes need to be attached to the motorcycle during a repair or permanently. In an easily removable form (masking tape, capillary screw locking) or as an almost indestructible material (duck tape, bearing locking), adhesive provides a wide range of services on the Harley-Davidson.