I am having a strange problem on my 2008 R1200GSA. It has 43K miles and twice within the last 6K miles the wheel bolts have loosened to the point of almost falling out. I tightened them to spec both times and within a few thousand miles, they are loosened. Does anyone use blue loctite on the threads to prevent this problem? Thanks for any help or advice you can provide. Derek
Blue Loctite is a viable solution but also look at your wheel carrier hub for the sign of cracking around the threaded bolt holes. This has been a problem with some hubs and would be covered under warranty.
Have you checked to see if they're clean? I'd take out the bolts, spray everything down with a suitable cleaning solvent, wipe, let everything dry off and reinstall. Of course, do look for damage. If your bolts really have come loose your threads might be damaged.
Make sure they are clean and dry. There was a thread about this a few years ago. Inmate put lube on his lug bolts and they all worked free on his way to work. Bad news, but IIRC, he did not crash.
Yeah, no oil on wheel bolts, it's deadly. How much torque are you applying? IIRC you do it twice, once at 90 is it and again using 120?
Dry clean bolts as all have stated. Have the bolts ever been over torqued and stretched? Check them agaist a new set. And if they have come loose I would be checking the hub for wallowed out threads.
I think Tuckers was talking R11x0GS (bigger bolts but only 4 of them) and missed that the OP was talking R1200GSA (5 smaller bolts).
The threads are dry and no damage to hub. Due to the rotational force of the wheel, the bolts should not want to loosen. I will re-check my torque specs and give her a go for a another few thousand miles. However, I will always from now on check my wheel bolts on a disciplined schedule with each tank of fuel. Never again will I assume that everything is tight. It would be a horrific mess to have that rear wheel fall off while at speed. Thanks for the advice.
I've witnessed a BMW dealer spaying silicon spray on the final drive (getting it in the bolt holes too) saying that it reduced corossion between the hub & the wheel, on an 1150R bike. So much for dry threads.
I use dry graphite spray on lube - only on the tapers of the bolts (none on the threads) to help keep the tapers from galling the rim. I know I know anal... but I have used that stuff for years and have also seen some wear on wheel bolt/rim tapers that I just didn't like. But, never any on the threads. And mine have never come loose. I also use a pretty good torque wrench - every time.
At the risk of being flamed, i have always sprayed the bolts with a light swipe of wd40 etc, so as not to corrode or gall the threads. This is 15 years of oilhead maintenance, never a problem. However i do have witness marks applied to the bolts and a few others around the bike using liquid paper/tippex whatever,survives many washes but removed easily when i want to. Every start up waiting for one bar to show i have a quick scan of witness marks around the bike, works for me.
I put a dab of fingernail polish [red, and no not mine!] on the bolts or nuts that require torque settings...you dab the nut/bolt and adjacent surface...if there is any movement..loosening..you can quickly determine that with a visual during your "pre-flight"...not as good as safety wiring but it works!