Ram Mount.

[swooshdave]

I'd just drill and tap a hole in the top clamp and be done with it.

 

That's so... practical. I'm going to see if I can use one of the screws that hold on the instrument panel, that might work.

[swooshdave]

I just removed that big nut with the hex opening.  It is not "completely" structural, the triples are clamped to the steering stem, so that top nut is more decorative than functional.  With that big nut gone, the rest of the installation is easy peasy.

I assume JRD did likewise.

 

What did I do wrong or different from you?

[JRD]

Hey guys, sorry I havent been on the forum in several days, we have been really busy the last couple weeks.  

 

Swooshdave, I installed the smallest black plastic "nut pocket washer" between the rubber hose and the brass nylock nut.  Parts number "D" and "F" in the kit.  When you tighten the flat head machine screw it compresses and flairs the hose which holds everything in place.  I dont recall having to take the chrome lock nut off, but that was over two years ago,  if it makes installation easier, go for it.  Hope this helps

 

 

Jerry

[swooshdave]

Hey guys, sorry I havent been on the forum in several days, we have been really busy the last couple weeks.  

 

Swooshdave, I installed the smallest black plastic "nut pocket washer" between the rubber hose and the brass nylock nut.  Parts number "D" and "F" in the kit.  When you tighten the flat head machine screw it compresses and flairs the hose which holds everything in place.  I dont recall having to take the chrome lock nut off, but that was over two years ago,  if it makes installation easier, go for it.  Hope this helps

 

 

Jerry

 

Unfortunately not. The hex on my lock nut is only big enough to pass the brass nyloc nut with the kit and not the pocket washer.

 

Maybe they made the hex hole bigger in 2002? Seems weird but hey... Guzzi!

[bbolesaz]

I could not get the smallest "pocket" washer to fit into the hex hole in the chrome lock nut.  Hence, removal of chrome lock nut.

[swooshdave]

I could not get the smallest "pocket" washer to fit into the hex hole in the chrome lock nut.  Hence, removal of chrome lock nut.

And then what? So you attached the mount to the chrome nut, reinstalled the chrome nut and tightened it by hand and then?

 

How tight is the chrome nut suppose to be?

[swooshdave]

Since no one could answer this I dove in. So from what I can tell the chrome nut is mostly cosmetic?

 

I just simply unscrewed it.

 

 

 

Then I attached the Ram mount, still using the vacuum line. This provides an indirect attachment that should harm the nut. And allows a little movement for the occasional bumps. We'll see if I need to make adjustments later to this.

 

 

 

 

Plenty of room to reach the key. And it puts the phone where you need it.

 

 

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[docc]

I seriously thought some reliable folks said the nut loads the stem bearings. The clamping is secondary.

 

I would absolutely not ride without this stem top nut in place.

[swooshdave]

I seriously thought some reliable folks said the nut loads the stem bearings. The clamping is secondary.

 

I would absolutely not ride without this stem top nut in place.

Take yours off and you tell me what it does. Nothing will fall apart. My vote is decorative. I'd be glad to be proven wrong.

 

 

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[docc]

Dunno. I figure I'll leave the main retaining nut in place and keep using the pinch bolt, as well.

 

Seems to me the front suspension pushes up on it through the forks . . .

 

In fact, that nut appears to be the final retention for the front suspension. All else retaining the forks, axially, in the triples are pinch bolts.

[Scud]

I don't think that nut loads the bearing. But I do think it serves a locking function. Imagine if the pinch bolts on the lower triple are looser than the top clamp's pinch bolts. A slight movement of the forks would push the top triple up. Maybe it's a redundant "belt and braces" sort of thing. But it's a front end on a motorcycle so I tend toward extra safety being a good thing.

 

 

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[swooshdave]

I don't think that nut loads the bearing. But I do think it serves a locking function. Imagine if the pinch bolts on the lower triple are looser than the top clamp's pinch bolts. A slight movement of the forks would push the top triple up. Maybe it's a redundant "belt and braces" sort of thing. But it's a front end on a motorcycle so I tend toward extra safety being a good thing.

 

 

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Well the nut is tightened back down. Not to the same torque but it's threaded. Pretty sure if all the pinch bolts fail and you are relying on that top nut to save your ass you're in bigger trouble than you've ever been in.

 

If the front end is clunking, get off. #protip

 

 

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[bbolesaz]

I concur with Swooshdave.  The top nut is not totally decorative as it will retain the top triple if the clamp bolt is loose.  But if that top nut is holding your triple down, like SD said, you have bigger problems.

[Slipstream]

I just completed installation of this mount on my 2000 Sport. I was able to pass the nut and appropriately sized plastic nut holder up through the bottom of the stem tube. To do this, I taped the nut into the plastic nut holder, and pushed the assembly up to engage the ss mounting screw using a socket with a washer taped over it to provide a flat surface and a series of 1/4" drive extensions. This allowed me to leave the chrome top nut torqued in place. I used a small piece of rubber tubing to support the ss screw where it passes through the chrome nut hex hole, and used the kit supplied rubber expansion plug in the stem.

I did trim the actual mount base (as in Swooshdave's photo earlier in this thread) using an angle grinder with a cutoff wheel, a file to clean up the cut, and some flat black spray paint to protect the bare metal. I also put a locally sourced neoprene washer between the mount and the chrome nut.

I hope this helps...

Now to mount a USB outlet somewhere nearby in order to power my phone/gps.

[swooshdave]

I changed my mounting technique. I've now change it so it's just sandwiching the top nut. I'll take pics later. No need to trim anything.