Compensator Bolt

[Skin]

Working on a 2012 Limited, replacing the compensator on it and pulled out the comp bolt and found this. Talked with the customer and he told me he had it at a Harley dealership to fix what I'm fixing, clunking and other noises.  Why would a dealership do something like this? This will be another chapter in my book, "Put The Wrench Down and Step Away From the Bike"

[Norton Commando]

It appears that the first two threads or so became buggered up from cross-threading and then the damaged area was removed via a bench grinder.

Jason

[Buglet]

   Is that what they teach the techs in school. Or is that a tech that's working flat rate and has to get the job out to keep his job. Or another thing is the customer on they back and saying I need it right now. Or they didn't have the replacement bolt in stock and no one wanted to wait for it. I sure there could be other reasons either way is not the way the job should have being done.   

[Thermodyne]

Someone thought the bolt was bottoming out before it completely compressed the spring pack.  And rather than take some measurements, they just cut the bolt back.

Prolly reading an old tech sheet on the comp nuts needing trimming and though it would work for spoke comps too. 

At any rate, I would carry that back into the dealer and do the livid customer dance in front of as many other customers were in the store. 

[Hossamania]

I'm afraid I'm not one to carry on in public and make a big scene, I lean more towards having a nice polite but firm conversation with the service manager, maybe store manager and owner if necessary, expressing my disappointment, and looking for assurances that he is going to talk with his techs about their procedures, and take care of this situation in a satisfactory manner for both of us. I think this also helps me get a little extra special service and attention going forward for any future work I might have done. I don't go in to embarrass them or look for freebies, if someone treated me that way, they'd be escorted out, or, at the very least mostly ignored and future dealings handled in a very different manner than a preferred customer.
I knew a guy that was super smart about everything Harley (just ask him), he was asked to leave the dealership and not come back. That did not surprise me. Sometime I'll post some info on him and his butcher techniques of "performance mods."

[black]

Someone thought the bolt was bottoming out before it completely compressed the spring pack.  And rather than take some measurements, they just cut the bolt back.

Prolly reading an old tech sheet on the comp nuts needing trimming and though it would work for spoke comps too. 

At any rate, I would carry that back into the dealer and do the livid customer dance in front of as many other customers were in the store.

No reason why they should do that to a bolt ,just replace the bolt They are like 5 bucks any HD shop should have a bin full

[Hossamania]

Has this person owned the bike since new? Do we know for sure that the dealer did this the last time it was worked on, or is it possible previous work caused this? Has it always been dealer serviced? Not defending, just not accusing until all facts are in.

[Dan89flstc]

Maybe the owner of the bike did it, always easier to blame it on someone else later.

Lots of hacks out there working on their own bikes.
 

[Appowner]

Reminds me, in 2009 I got my 08 FXSTC back from servicing.  Big name dealer in Northern Virginia.  Did my usual walk around and everything seemed fine.  Ride home felt different somehow.  Couldn't put my finger on it.  Once home I started poking around it more and found the front tab for the seat wasn't captured in the pocket on the frame.  IOW I could lift the front of the seat up 6 or more inches.  That was the last straw for me.  Never gave that dealer another penny.  Found an outstanding Indy instead and was quite happy after that.

[jamminhd2000]

Maybe the owner of the bike did it, always easier to blame it on someone else later.

Lots of hacks out there working on their own bikes.

Happens all the time....jimmy

[Skin]

I know this Dude and he is not mechanical and the bike has been bought new and taken care of by the dealer only. They had the bike several times to try and figure out what the issue was and he got tired of it and brought to our shop. He is a patient Guy and would have been willing to wait if they needed to order the proper bolt. It's also the original compensator and in the era of the comps coming apart. IMHO, they should have replaced the comp unit to the upgraded kit. He said he's going to walk away on this one, thought it better instead of chancing an out of control situation.

[jmorton10]

"Put The Wrench Down and Step Away From the Bike"

Exactly.  We happen to have a local HD dealer that is awesome but that is definitely not the norm.

This dealer is 2nd generation & they know their sh**.  I do all my own work, but if I couldn't I would trust these guys all day long (service manager is an old school wrench/machinist that has been there almost 50 years)

~John

[HighLiner]

Someone thought the bolt was bottoming out before it completely compressed the spring pack.  And rather than take some measurements, they just cut the bolt back.

Prolly reading an old tech sheet on the comp nuts needing trimming and though it would work for spoke comps too. 

At any rate, I would carry that back into the dealer and do the livid customer dance in front of as many other customers were in the store.

No reason why they should do that to a bolt ,just replace the bolt They are like 5 bucks any HD shop should have a bin full

The last part is not quite the case, I checked 6 local dealers before I found one with a bolt in stock.

[kd]

I just had to order 2 also because I wanted them in my box as spares.

[jmorton10]

Our local dealer always stocks those, I have picked up 4 of them at different times.

~John