How can I tighten the hidden centre frame bolt on a 1TX ?

[flips]

  Hello and goooood mornin to ya Jeff.

Yup - that's the nut I'm referring to (the later FJs have that normal flange nut).

So, as you have the same as me, can I ask how you tightened it?  What do you use to get at it in the frame? (as the bolt and nut and sunk WELL inside the "chamber" of the frame).

I have limited tools, (example: most of my spanners are old BSF and Whitworth owing to the BSA).  I have limited metric, and the hex keys (hex wrench) I have are not long enough to reach inside the frame to get at the bolt.

I do have a half decent socket/ratchet set though, but the hex keys I have are only on a "multi-tool" style layout. Y'know? 8 keys on one swiss-army style fold out.

Anyhoo, after giving up on the hex keys/wrenches, I resorted to getting a large screwdriver (flat blade) for reaching the bolt head, and tried another screwdriver to get between the nut and frame to stop it turning.  (doesn't this American/English drive you up the wall?  We call them Allen keys, you guys call them Hex wrenches.  But, to us, a wrench is a large adjustable spanner, or a "shifter".

What do you guys call a standard socket set? 

But, as for the nut n bolt - It's on, but it's not tight by any means.

Maybe I should invest in a paint spray-gun and a gallon of thread lock-tite.  Cover the whole bike in one go!

Hi Dave.
When you say the nut is on but not tight,do you mean the nut has stopped turning on the bolt but the bolt still turns in the frame?.The nut will bottom out on the bolt IE only screw on to the bolt so far.
To remove the nut you might try the magnet on a stick trick.To put it back on you just put it on the allen key and guide it onto the bolt and turn both.I dont recommend continuing with the screwdrivers as if you damage the bolt/nut to much it will only cause grief  . If your allen keys are not long enough to reach the nut/bolt you might need to buy/borrow a set of the non swiss army knife variety(If your planning on maintaining your fj I would recommend buying a good quality long or "T" handle set).If the ones you get are still too short, try using the long handle end in the bolt/nut and getting some small ring spanners with the ring over the short ends for leverage.
I wonder why the p/o found it necessary to use the threaded rod in the first place.Maybe there is some other issue.Are the correct collars there?(part 19).Is the bolt your using the correct length?.

Cheers

Jeff P

[fj12_rider]

I have to say I have to agree with flips , if you are going to maintain your own bike you are going to need to invest in some tools . I`ve had a few bikes in the last 6 months and have had to buy all sorts of weird and wonderful tools . Trying to "bodge" repaid it is just going to make things worse for sure. A decent set of allen keys wont cost the earth . I reccomend a set of ball end ones  : http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-675323-Piece-Ball-End/dp/B0015NULLE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1353703079&sr=8-2



I`ve got similar to those and they work just fine and are about 6 quid . If the bent end is too short use the other end and a ring spanner .

[Anti-Dive Dave]

Thanks chaps for the advices (advices? is that even a word?)

Anyhoo - I shall add the long keys to my "stuff to buy" list.  

All of my previous bikes when something went wrong, ended up in the bike shop, and I paid for them to fix it.  It was less hassle for me, and I never needed to be fully mechanically minded or fear having a go and making it worse in the end.  A sad way to be, but thats how it was when I was younger.  Never really needed tools.  I did the basics, but would never touch an engines internals, valves/shims/buckets etc.  

But, over the years, I've gathered a few bits and bobs, was gifted a quality socket set from my neighbour and scoured boot sales for other tools.  I thought I would have everything I needed for a Japanese bike, but this FJ was NOT normal from the previous owners.  (the majority of my tools prior to the FJ are old British Standard/Whitworth and American Fine owing to the Brit bike)

But, on the FJ, there are very few original bolts, and the frame and engine was mounted with lengths of threaded rod and nylock nuts.

There are very few nuts the same size.  Take the headers....Some are 13ml, some are 12ml and 2 are hex bolts.

Then we got a 5/16 nut on one side of the frame and 1/2 on the other.  The triangular front frame engine mounts do not have a single bolt that is the same size.  

But, I'm slowly replacing things.  It makes working on the bike a bloody nightmare, as you're forever stopping to change sockets, or find that old british spanner.

They put it together with a "make do, and that'll be ok".  If a nut fitted, then it was put on and just left.  Who cared if it was the right one?  They said it served a purpose and for £200, what the hell do I expect?  "You'd pay £200 for the engine alone! I was told..

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When I went to view the bike, she was languishing in a barn, uncovered, leaning against a pile of car tyres. She was covered in bat shit and an inch of grime.  Broken plastics, flat tyres...

Brake fluid had eaten everything as all the banjo bolts were loose. The clutch was solid as the m/c was shot and all the fluid ate the left side.

She really was in a sorry state.  

It came with 2 boxes of bits that were no use to man nor beast.  Y'know, broken casings, things with stripped threads, wiring with no plugs at the end and lashings of insulating/electrical tape.

I paid £200 for the bike, and slowly, I am getting her to look half decent. (yes, that FJ in the profile picture IS the same bike I bought as a dog 7 1/2 months ago)  So far, I have spent about £800 quid.

It's become a labour of love (sometimes) .  Sourcing bolts, nuts, spares/plastics take time, and I'd rather wait to get the part I need rather than botch it myself.

There are still a couple of engine bolts that are threaded rod, as I'm having trouble sourcing the right ones.

Plastics are a nightmare to find that are not snapped or broken.  I don't want to do the plastic welding, and will wait till I get lucky and source the parts.  They will turn up - it's just a case of when.

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I may go down the line of buying another 1TX and making one good one out of the two.

I can't blame the guy I bought it from, as he bought it with the intention of just using the engine for a chop project.

It was the guy who owned it before him that made a right arse of any repairs and neglected the condition of the bike.

I bought her in March this year, and I promised I'd have her through an MOT by June - which I did.

She still leaks a lot of oil and I've only covered about 3000 miles since June.

Its an ongoing thing, and still have a list as langs my arm to replace things.

As said months ago chaps - I can't say thank you enough for all the advice and patience you have shown.

Yes, most questions asked on a daily basis can probably be found somewhere in the forums, but if no-one asked the same questions, but rather just logged in, found the info and logged out, then this place would be mighty quiet!

MANY THANKS TO ALL!  

[Woodsman]

Fair play to ya for rescuing the old girl. Keep up the good fight Dave.

[fj12_rider]

Hi Dave
   I do love to read your post . Always well described and well written
   As for the bike . The FJ I have is the first bike that i HAVENT had to do that too . All my other ones were bought in a state and had to be brought back so to speak . you`re doing a great Job with her Dave just keep going and you`ll end up with something you can really be proud of , its a great feeling , having spent about a grand so far you are still in the ball park of whats she`s worth in good condition so you`re not over spending which is always good . I had a ZZR 600 last , I paid £360 for the bike and spent around the same on parts but it just kept getting worse and worse until finally I`d had enough of it and sold it for £300 just to get her gone . It was probably the worst loss I`d had on a bike . Still the money went to buy the FJ and now I`m s real happy chappy because this is just such a lovely bike . I`ve just had to buy a screen for it as you know ,I found one on wemoto for £45 in the end so it wasn`t too bad , got to wait 3 weeks  for it though as they are made to order which is a bummer. Today i`m trying to muster up the energy to go outside and check the valve clearances but its bloody freezing out there ..lol . It has to be done though . If something is out thats another tool I`ve got to buy along with some shims so it`s pretty much never ending ..lol

Keep up the good work can`t wait till the finished pic are ready to be seen !!