The Honda PCX / Forza / ADV150 / SH Forums

Maddiedog and I decided to go on a long ride with a local scooter group today. Besides the fact that we had not yet tested the new NCY variator install, there was that need to stretch our legs and get the bikes out of storage in anticipation of the arrival of Spring. Unfortunately, the weather decided not to cooperate. Yesterday it was in the high 70s. Today it was 38 degrees and windy! Since the date was already set, and other riders were already waiting for us, we bundled up and went anyway.
When we arrived at the start point there were 7 others ready to get going. Dave (Maddiedog) rode my wife's PCX because that was the one with the newly changed out variator. We were the only PCXs. The wind was really gusting. The whole group headed out to some remote counties and the leader took us through some really serpentine back roads. Lots of twisty turns. I don't know how he found them, but they were fun!
Then, after a break for a beverage and for some of the riders to fuel up, we headed back toward home. The odometer said that we had put 69 miles on the bikes when Dave's bike suddenly lost power and made a loud screech. We pulled over to the side of the road and listened closely. Dave and I agree that the variator nut had come off. Great. We were out in the middle of nowhere. As we were discussing what to do, which ranged from calling a wrecker to letting Dave take my bike back to his house so that he could hook up his trailer and come back to get the bike, a car coming in the opposite direction of our travel slowed down and the woman rolled down her window. After we explained our problem to her she told us that her father lived right down the road and he had all sorts of tools. She went to notify him and within minutes we were all taking the bike apart on the side of the road. Once we reached the place where we could see the nut, sure enough, it was off. Unfortunately, the guy didn't have a 22 mm socket, which is what it takes. The one that I had ordered was sitting in my mail box at home.(I found this out after I got home.) So the guy drove back to his house and came back with an air compressor and an impact gun with a 7/8" socket. In the end, it worked!
An hour after the breakdown we were back on the road and headed home. I am not sure if we thanked him enough. Nice twist to a strange day though.

Brilliant...restores your faith in human nature

Any idea why the nut let go? Does it need serious tightening, or maybe thread lock?

Great story Mel. Thankful that even with the breakdown, it turned out good. Any idea why the nut let loose?

New Variator/rollers.. Did the installer torque the nut to specs??

The installer was Dave (Maddiedog). We thought the torque was correct, but we surmise that the belt might have been in the wrong position on the clutch from when I had shut it down previously. I think it had to do with the belt being high on the clutch vs loose enough to allow us to place it where we wanted it. (Strangely, when I had changed out the rollers on my bike, I didn't follow the torque specs either.) I doubt that I can explain it correctly. I do know that when we put it back together and he used that impact gun, it was secure, though I will bet it was beyond torque specs. Of course, when we had taken the bike apart in order to install the new variator we had a time getting the nut loose, so I am guessing that they don't follow their own torque specs on that.

I could see where that would be easy to do. Pinching the belt is the only logical explanation. Should have happened to me by now but for the impact wrench. I know I shouldn't use the power tool to tighten that nut initially but the power tool rotates and bumps the crank as it tightens and you don't use the clamp to hold the drive face. Then perhaps get a torque value after that, yep I see how that could happen with just a torque wrench alone. I'm going to continue to do it my way but people should be very careful not to over tighten and strip that nut with the impact wrench or you are looking at a new crank shaft.

Again don't use the power tool with the clamp on the drive face to tighten, that's for the torque wrench only. There are video's of this, not an original idea. I saw it on YT

What a great story! Restores your faith in humanity. Glad it turned out ok.

kramnala58 wrote:Great story Mel. Thankful that even with the breakdown, it turned out good. Any idea why the nut let loose?

Mel46 wrote:The installer was Dave (Maddiedog). We thought the torque was correct, but we surmise that the belt might have been in the wrong position on the clutch from when I had shut it down previously. I think it had to do with the belt being high on the clutch vs loose enough to allow us to place it where we wanted it. (Strangely, when I had changed out the rollers on my bike, I didn't follow the torque specs either.) I doubt that I can explain it correctly. I do know that when we put it back together and he used that impact gun, it was secure, though I will bet it was beyond torque specs. Of course, when we had taken the bike apart in order to install the new variator we had a time getting the nut loose, so I am guessing that they don't follow their own torque specs on that.

Yes, That seems to be the answer. If you tighten to specs against rubber it will come loose no doubt. Glad you had that nice lady and friendly folks to help you guys out.

Just hook the belt out before you torque down the variator nut so it doesn't pinch the belt itself and give a false torque reading.