Who's the FRIGGIN' IDIOT???

[joe schmoe]

I went to add a Gerbing heated clothing fuse connector to the wife's Spyder. I found the positive connector and also what looked like a EASY negative connection...Well I loosened the negative bolt and it just kept turning and turning and turning......It's not a pressed in threads for the bolt, NO it's a friggin' nut bolt set up...

Well whoever designed the Spyder was a FRIGGIN' IDIOT cause there is a nut attached to the chassis and you can't get to it unless you completely DISASSEMBLE the Spyder!! Plus to beat this PURE STUPIDITY, the fuse block where the POSITIVE terminates is RIGHT there within millimeters of this negative bolt....FRIGGIN' IDIOT ENGINEERS!!

Does anybody know how to get to this nut and tighten it back up??? I tried a wrench, pair of pliers, my fingers, channel locks and I just can't get to it...I can touch it with my fingers, but can't hold onto it to tighten it!!

[boborgera]

I went to add a Gerbing heated clothing fuse connector to the wife's Spyder. I found the positive connector and also what looked like a EASY negative connection...Well I loosened the negative bolt and it just kept turning and turning and turning......It's not a pressed in threads for the bolt, NO it's a friggin' nut bolt set up...

Well whoever designed the Spyder was a FRIGGIN' IDIOT cause there is a nut attached to the chassis and you can't get to it unless you completely DISASSEMBLE the Spyder!! Plus to beat this PURE STUPIDITY, the fuse block where the POSITIVE terminates is RIGHT there within millimeters of this negative bolt....FRIGGIN' IDIOT ENGINEERS!!

Does anybody know how to get to this nut and tighten it back up??? I tried a wrench, pair of pliers, my fingers, channel locks and I just can't get to it...I can touch it with my fingers, but can't hold onto it to tighten it!!

Your not alone on that ,There's quite a few threads about that bolt.
You can get at that nut by bending a cheap screwdriver into a hook shape [similar to a spring puller] and wedging it against the nut while tightening
the bolt with a 10mm socket.

[Y Rider]

My negative connection was loose and I was able to tighten it up by wedging a large flat blade screw driver between the frame and nut then using a 10mm socket on the top side. Had to remove the right side panel to access the nut.

[trucknrn]

I agree,but if you notice the hole that the bolt and nut is in............................has threads sheech found that when I took the bike apart to install cb.

Good luck

Dick

[ulflyer]

Joe Schmoe: I did the same as you and after getting it tightened, I drilled a small hole in the frame, near the positive terminal, and attached the ground with a screw.

[NancysToy]

This issue has been well publicized on this site. Never, never, never loosen the negative jumper terminal connection or use it to ground an accessory! I know it is more trouble to remove the Tupperware to get to the battery terminals or other ground connections, but it is an essential on the Spyder.

[joe schmoe]

So let me understand something here...You can tie directly into the positive terminal with the stand off screw, but you can't connect to the negative of the jumper terminal??? It's a chassis ground their is NOTHING electrically speaking special about it...This makes no sense to me...

What is the reason NOT to connect to it other than the FRIGIGIN' IDIOT ENGINEER doesn't know about pressed in threads?

[Bigmeech]

ok now im worried.. before i even took my spyder home i had the dealer install some battery tender hook ups. I know for a fact that they just attached them to the jumper terminals.... I havent had any probs,,, but i havent used my battery tender yet bc i have been riding every day... should i get them changed or what? whats gonna happen if i use my tender with this set up

[NancysToy]

So let me understand something here...You can tie directly into the positive terminal with the stand off screw, but you can't connect to the negative of the jumper terminal??? It's a chassis ground their is NOTHING electrically speaking special about it...This makes no sense to me...

What is the reason NOT to connect to it other than the FRIGIGIN' IDIOT ENGINEER doesn't know about pressed in threads?

It's not pressed in threads, it is a loose nut in an inaccessible place. I can't disagree that it is a design boo-boo, but it is what it is. That is why it should not be used. There are better places to ground accessory wires...but they all require removal of body panels. The negative jumper can even be used if you want to remove the body panels. It is just taking the easy way out that gets folks in trouble. Sorry it makes you nuts.

[NancysToy]

ok now im worried.. before i even took my spyder home i had the dealer install some battery tender hook ups. I know for a fact that they just attached them to the jumper terminals.... I havent had any probs,,, but i havent used my battery tender yet bc i have been riding every day... should i get them changed or what? whats gonna happen if i use my tender with this set up

The negative jumper terminal can be used if you want to take the time to remove the body panels, then find or make a wrench to fit, and work blindly to keep from losing the nut, then tighten the nut. Most people don't bother. Your dealer evidently did. As long as the terminal is tight, you have nothing to worry about.

[Bob Denman]

Maybe we should organize a ryde to Valcourt and "Storm the Bastille"... If we find the guy maybe we can end up with an "international incident" to put down in our resumes...

[joe schmoe]

Maybe we should organize a ryde to Valcourt and "Storm the Bastille"... If we find the guy maybe we can end up with an "international incident" to put down in our resumes...

I'm ready...Where's my GUN???

The Spyder is fixed...I went to Sears got a crowfoot 10mm wrench, tied some fishing line to it (just in case I dropped it) and worked it into the slim narrow inaccessible crevasse...Got it on the nut and tightened the bolt back down...

Now when and where are we meeting for "Storming the Bastille"?

[JJW SpyderRider]

Your not alone, I did the same thing when I first bought my GS. I was able to get the nut back on and things tightened up. John with seal floor boards also did the same thing this week.

[MarkLawson]

The negative jumper terminal can be used if you want to take the time to remove the body panels, then find or make a wrench to fit, and work blindly to keep from losing the nut, then tighten the nut. Most people don't bother. Your dealer evidently did. As long as the terminal is tight, you have nothing to worry about.

If you get to the point where you've removed the nut & bolt, replace it with an 8mm bolt. The threads are already cut. At least, they are on my '10 RT. I now can remove it without problems. Used some blue Loctite to keep it tight.

One other thing, be careful in that area with your wrench. There's a big fuse panel there that has a positive terminal and WILL arc your wrench if you touch it while messing with that nut underneath. My 10mm wrench now has a nice notch burned in it...

[dancogan]

If you get to the point where you've removed the nut & bolt, replace it with an 8mm bolt. The threads are already cut. At least, they are on my '10 RT. I now can remove it without problems. Used some blue Loctite to keep it tight....

That's exactly what I did when I got into the position of fighting with the innacessible nut. Just got an 8mm bolt and tightened it down. Long term - it's probably a better solution, too, than just tightening down the nut.

[stillriding]

Maybe we should organize a ryde to Valcourt and "Storm the Bastille"... If we find the guy maybe we can end up with an "international incident" to put down in our resumes...

And while you're "storming" find the idiot who's responsible for the placement of the rear tire valve!

[MouthPiece]

And while you're "storming" find the idiot who's responsible for the placement of the rear tire valve!

Amen.

Chris

[spydershusband]

Wow, yesterday must have been the day. I did the same thing to the boss's RT. I got lucky and wedged a pair needle nose under the connector and got it tightened up. On the bright side I know how all the tupperware works. So I took off the other side and grounded it to the fuel tank.

[Eraser]

And while you're "storming" find the idiot who's responsible for the placement of the rear tire valve!

Amen.

Chris

You mean there is one?!?!

[MarkLawson]

And while you're "storming" find the idiot who's responsible for the placement of the rear tire valve!

I've often wondered about that. It's in such a place that I can't even get the furnished pressure gauge on it. My only conclusion is that they felt the valve needed the protection from rock damage provided by the rear sprocket.

[GeoffCee]

I've often wondered about that. It's in such a place that I can't even get the furnished pressure gauge on it. My only conclusion is that they felt the valve needed the protection from rock damage provided by the rear sprocket.

Rock damage isn't part of BRP's thinking, otherwise Spyderpops wouldn't be making an after market device to protect the belt from rocks. My conclusion is different from yours, I think the simpleton who placed the inflator where it couldn't be got at has a secret ambition to become a gynecologist.

[Bob Denman]

Gee... That reminds me of a joke...
A Gynecologist gets sick and tired of his profession: the paperwork, the whining and complaining, the long hours. He likes motorcycles so he decides to go to one of those motorcycle tech schools and become a mechanic...
He does pretty well and is down to taking the final exam...
When he gets his score back, he's amazed to sett that he got a 175!
So he goes to the instructor to inquire about his score...
"The answer is simple ", says the instructor. "For the final you rebuilt a morotcycle engine perfectly. I've just never had anybody do it before by reaching up through the muffler!"

[GeoffCee]

A Gynecologist gets sick and tired of his profession:

Ridiculous. What is there not to like? He should try vetinary work for a spell, he'll soon snap out of it.

[Bob Denman]

Seriously for a moment... (I know...)
Being a veterinarian might be the toughest job of all... The sick that you treat can't complain; they can only suffer in stoic silence. When you look them in the eyes and you see their trust...

[M109Dreamer]

And while you're "storming" find the idiot who's responsible for the placement of the rear tire valve!

Beat him with a big stick until he moves the rear tire valve to the opposite side.