'86 VT700 Clutch Lock Nut Question

[kubelwagen]

I was changing the clutch on my son's '86 VT700 today and was quite irritated to find the collar on the lock nut deformed into the keyway on the bolt. In all the manuals I've looked at so far there is no mention anywhere of doing this as standard procedure on this bike when installing the nut. All I have found are torque specs of 58 to 72 ft lbs.



However, the term "lock nut" does imply some locking feature, of which I don't recall seeing one on the nut itself. So is this deforming of the collar into the keyway typical to "lock" the nut?

I used a Dremel and small drill bit to very carefully clear the metal from the keyway and made a nut removal tool out of a piece of pipe. One end of the pipe was hammered into a 6-point head that fit a 32mm impact socket for my air wrench. The nut came off fine, but some of the threads are damaged on the nut and I don't want to reinstall a damaged nut.



Not one of the three big dealers in my area stocks this nut so now we're out of commission for a week. At least we have other bikes to ride.

[kubelwagen]

Anyone???

[Guitarman1777]

Did you try Bike Bandit, that was where I found my lock nut for my 86 CMX450 when I had it

[kubelwagen]

Originally Posted by Guitarman1777

Did you try Bike Bandit, that was where I found my lock nut for my 86 CMX450 when I had it

They wanted about list price plus $6.50 shipping. So I supported my local bike shop and payed the same amount and no shipping. Just a small amount of tax. It should be here tomorrow.

My real question in all this centers around the way the nut was deformed into the keyway to lock the nut. Some diagrams I've seen show a standard hex nut while others show this 4-slot nut. Do you remember what yours looked like and if you just torqued it on or torqued and deformed it as I found?

I'm surprised more people haven't commented on this. Tomorrow when I'm at the shop I'll ask the service techs.

[kubelwagen]

As a person who likes to repair and build his machines properly, this simple clutch change has sure been a black forest. Here's what I found.

The clutch "lock" nut that is now supplied by Honda is a standard 6-point nut, but does have the same ridge or collar on one side that I found on the original 4-slot nut. This is where it gets messy:

Some diagrams show the nut as the 4-slot nut and others with the hex nut. According to the Honda service techs, the factory '86 Honda manual instructs that the nut should be installed with the "collar side down" and torqued to spec. It says nothing about deforming or "staking" the nut into a keyway. An '85 manual (same single spring clutch configuration) instructs to install the nut (hex) with the "dish side down." The new nut has no "dish" on either side.

The Clymer manual describes a hex nut and "lock washer" behind the nut. But even in their diagram of the clutch it shows a thicker, standard washer and no lock washer. There is no "lock" washer in my configuration. So after picking up the new nut, I spoke to the manager of a Honda service shop and showed him all the info. It was his opinion, as was mine, that the new nut should be installed with the collar or ridge out, as it was originally found, torqued to spec and the nut staked into the keyway to "lock" it, as was originally found. However, none of the manuals describe this step.

The torque specs in the Clymer manual are misleading as well. In chapter five it shows the single spring clutch being used up to and including '86 models. '87 and on use a multi-spring clutch. I believe this is correct. Yet in their torque specs they specify 33-40 lbs for bikes '83 through '85 and 58-72 lbs for bikes '86-on. The factory '86 Honda manual specifies 33-40 lbs. This means the Clymer manual is wrong. The split should he '87, not '86. In other words, 33-40 lbs for the single spring clutch, 58-72 lbs for the multi-spring clutch.

The bottom line is to have the nut installed in such a way that it allows the clutch to work properly, doesn't come loose during operation and can be removed again if necessary without damaging the threads. However you decide to proceed, best of luck.

[gordo2472003]

I have the same bike. The real manual is available for download on this site For free. Much more accurate I'm sure.