Alternator bolt upgrade?

[steammoto]

First, do I have the correct part or is this the oem piece ?
#15
http://houseofmotorcycles.bikebandit.co ... OW/2292799 (http://houseofmotorcycles.bikebandit.com/parts/Triumph/TIGER/885+CARBS+SERIAL+NUMBER+71698+AND+BELOW/2292799)

Second, anyone out there done this? any tips/caveats? is there a different option just as reliable(and cheaper than the $120 upgrade bolt)?

Thanks

[tigerrider]

Not done it...but wouldn't the set up from a '98 work? I thought they "fixed" something on the '98s...though Nightrunner points out things could still happen...he's posted the best text I have seen for the DAR fix.

(I am assuming you are talking about the DAR)

[nightrunner]

Have you got your alt out yet?  Obviously there was a design change somewhere along the way, and frankly its news to me.  I assume you have verified your engine number is in the range listed for part #15(?).   In your link, the 8mm bolt (#1) joins with nut #25, and part #15 is a sleeve.   In the other version, part #15 has female threads at both ends and there is an 8mm bolt at each end.  I have heard that DAR CAN occur at these bolts but its rare.  If you pull your alt, you can see whether #25 is a bolt or a nut.  It appears the factory switched to the bolt+nut to cure "8mm DAR" (looks like we have to define some new terms here).   I have heard/read very little about the 8mm bolts breaking.  The DAR reports I have read about are from the 6mm bolt (#21) head breaking off.   The biggest pain is getting the broken bolt out of the alt shaft.  Anyway, do you have DAR or is this a preventative fix?  My concern is that you have the rattle and are trying to buy the parts before taking it apart.  

I had "6mm DAR" but fixed it myself and can walk you through it.  Two dealers in Atl area told me they knew nothing about any alt problems so I lost faith in dealer solutions.  It never occured to me to look for a factory fix kit or upgrade.

[steammoto]

This would be a prevent fix. I disassembled the alt(bolt there, no troubles) and checked the clutch side bolt(also intact). No DAR. I have bolts that screw into the spline/sleeve(95 model). I read(don't remember where)that these bolts were rather soft and prone to failure. The cheap fix would be to replace the bolts with a higher grade/stronger bolt(s). My thinking was that the single thru bolt/nut assembly($120 fix) would be the ultimate fix with no chance of breakage but that doesn't seem to be the case. Not sure what path I will pursue if any.

Thanks for the info

although it is described as"thru bolt" I don't believe part #15 is what I am looking for

this write up may have sparked my concerns just a little
http://www.richard-halford.co.uk/triumph/bearing.html (http://www.richard-halford.co.uk/triumph/bearing.html)

[nightrunner]

Wow, that guy took a lot of pics.   I have not checked the 8mm bolts on mine but the 6mm bolt (#21) that broke was rated DIN 10.9 which is equivalent to US grade 8, which is pretty tough.   I replaced it with DIN 12.9.  But my theory is that its not the bolt.  Note that the alt cush drive vanes are on splined shafts.   There is a tiny amount of play in them; just a fraction of a degree.  But over time, and continuous leading and trailing torque, and only in some cases, those shaft-end bolts get tighter and tighter until they snap.   Obviously it has to slip in one direction and grip in the other to slowly tighten that bolt.  Its also possible the same mechanism could loosen the bolt over time.   If there was a way to ensure the bolt wont work itself tighter and tighter, that would solve DAR.  Maybe lose the lock washer and use the strongest thread locking compound they make.   What I did was put JB Weld on the splines when I re-attached the vane to the alternator to take up that tiny bit of wiggle room.  Then used the aircraft grade bolt for extra measure.  I let a machinist do the broken bolt extraction since I have about 50/50 track record with easy-outs (and I was quoted $800 on a brand new alt).  As for the clatter from DAR, I think its from those splines jiggling, and it only gets louder as time goes on.

I also vaguely recall a post years ago on the Yahoo group about a trick to swapping in the new splined shaft.  Something about bolting it to the old one, with splines aligned, and then pushing through.  Note again the new one is a sleeve and the old one threaded ends.  That way you avoid having to dismantle that sprag clutch assembly.  FWIW