S&S Couplers: How often do they need tightening?

[AngryScientist]

Do I need to carry that spanner wrench with me if i'm out on the road for 100+ miles, or once they're tight, they're good to go?

cheers.

[Bradford]

I check mine once or twice a year, probably too much. They stay tight on my bike.

Then again, I also carry the spanner...on a tandem, plenty a places to put it and the extra grams don't make a difference.

[572cv]

S&s has a lightweight spanner they sell direct. That's the one I carry with a spare tire.
I have found that checking tightness once in a while is good policy, as is loosening and regreasing with the teflon goop. Also you have to be prepared for those occasions where you just have to show someone how they work ;)
Finally, if you are riding along and something feels a little funny, stop and see if you forgot to tighten a joint well. It won't come apart but it will feel 'off'

[OTB]

Have had my S&S bike for several years, never had to retighten during a ride, have assembled and disassembled it many times for travel. Would feel comfortable not bringing the wrench on the ride (I guess I am because I've never brought it with me).

[singlecross]

I have two S&S bikes. I always carry the wrench on a ride. I have never used the wrench during a ride. I will continue to always carry the wrench on my rides. Why invite misfortune? Be well... and carry the wrench.

singlecross

[Bob Ross]

I've found mine will come loose inexplicably after JRA...no correlation to when the bike was last assembled. Not often, but more often than one would expect. So maybe 3 or 4 times a year I'll have to re-tighten them. I don't carry the spanner with me, but I did get into the habit of checking the couplers before I go for a ride.

[Smiley]

Serotta and Bedford install their couplers so if the frame gets tourqued the couplers tighten on opposite sides. My Co-Mo tandem is not this way. Never had to tighten them but carry a wrench on the tandem just incase.

So if you don't understand what I am saying the loose nut end for Bedford will be right tighten on one tube and left on the other tube, where as on the Co-Mo the are both on the same side.

[roydyates]

I finally picked up the wrench on Thursday on a trip to Bilenky. I found that my couplers were tight after riding ~1200 miles without checking. Without checking is perhaps not completely true since occasionally I checked to see if they had come loose enough for hand-tightening. They never did, but that's a fairly worthless test.

BTW I also found that the same wrench works on the steel couplers on my bike as well as the oversize Ti couplers on my wife's bike. Apparently it's the shape of the hook and not the curvature of the wrench that matters.

[jamesutiopia]

You can't really over-tighten the couplers with the 6" wrench (even if you use a glove to protect your palms), so torque them up!

I've found that the couplers will loosen if you don't torque them enough during assembly, and now carry the wrench all the time.

That said, the time I found the lower one loose I was able to get the last 100 miles back to the hotel by tightening it with my fingers (every 20 miles or so) and there was no visible damage (Ti couplers)

[CaptStash]

Maybe I'm living in a fool's paradise, but I never even considered carrying the wrench, although I do try to remember to check to see if the couplers are tight.

The bike's first coupled trip I did five rides for a total of about 30 miles, and never checked. When I went to uncouple they were still way plenty tight. Of course mine are Ti and the OP's are steel. Perhaps that makes a difference?

Captstash....

[rugbysecondrow]

I don't carry the wrench on a normal/non-traveling ride. If they would loose for some reason, a good hand tightening would be sufficient to get me home.

[Fixed]

rugbys a good hand tightening might crimp the tube :cool:
cheers

[Charles M]

Maybe I'm living in a fool's paradise, but I never even considered carrying the wrench


And you shouldn't ever need to if you tighten them well on build up.

I always just used a drop of blue threadlock at the end of the male end of the threads (grease the rest of the threads but a drop of blue at the end) and never once had to tighten them again.

No idea if the blue was neccesary though as even when I traveled, I didnt use the locktight and never had to re-snug during a week or two of riding.