Aftermarket clip ons not staying put on fork tube

So I bought a set of Driven Racing Clip-ons for the R1 and used loctite on the bolts, tighten the shit out of them, probably way tighter then they should be around my fork tube but DAMMIT they keep moving during my race! Moving 2-3 inches in towards the frame. When I am lifting my body transitioning from left to right is usually when it moves. Then the rest of the race Im riding all screwed up cause the bars are uneven and out of position. Im looking for some advice and if anyone else has had this problem.

 

Triple checked they're the right diameter? Sounds obvious, but I wouldn't think there's a lot of variables here...?

 

I didnt check, assumed the Driven would get it right. They were specific to my R1, not universal. The clamps arent bottoming out on each other, so they could fasten tighter but Im wondering if I can out some material in between the clip ons and the fork tube that wasnt so slick? To give it some bite. IDK.

 

Make a shim out of a cut up Budweiser can and re-install, that should work. Its the 4th of July.

 

How many pinch bolts do they have?

We had that issue on a couple models. Everyone holds on and presses differently under braking.

We eventually got rid of everything and went to a brand with 3 pinch bolts. Never had another problem.

 

Does Driven provide torque spec for the bolts? Tightening the shit out of them may not be best idea, if one decides its reached its strain limit during a hard cornering move and goes Ping!

Is there any scarring or marks inside the bore that clamps on the fork? Maybe not bored paralell and only pinching at one small area?

 

Bolts too long and bottoming out? You think you're at max compression but you're actually just trying to screw the bolt in where there is no more room.

 

Vortex clipons problem solved

 

Are you sure they are both tightened equally? That would be the first thing I’d check. I’m assuming there are 2 pinch bolts? Sounds like the one is way too tight and when you unload it with a loose (r) top one they “walk) up the fork tube and become loose. Also are you sure they were fastened on square? Did you tighten one all the way the do the other? Go back and forth in small increments. Also you can very slightly, as in just break the corner of the upper and lower diameter to ensure you are clamping on the meat of the clip on.

What did Driven have to say?

 

Only works if torqued correctly. I’ve seen more people than I care to count screw up clip on installs by not torquing them correctly. Mainly one torqued all to hell and the other tight but the other one has side loaded the clip on so much that the angle it’s on in relation to the tube is probably a good 10 degrees. F ing scary stuff.

Op : What does the gap look like in the alum where the bolt goes through? Is it even top to bottom and on both sides?

 

Ok looking at their website they are 2 bolt per side ones. I’d be willing to bet they are uneven top to bottom, side to side or both. When they are uneven you are putting them out of round and losing contact area.

 

another solution... maybe put a set bolt through the triple like the way most stock clip ons come.

 

I’ll say it since no one else has. JB weld, but use the good kind in the stick.

 

Had a issue with Harris clip on like that, spun on the bar twice, crashed once because of it. They only had one pinch bolt.
I use vortex now.

 

Ditto.

 

It's not exactly the same, but,
I wanted my grips about 2" higher on my K5 Literbike.
So, for free, I put them on top of the upper triple instead- I saw a bike that was doing this.
I already had the fork tubes pushed up thru the upper about 8mm- now it's about 15mm.
The little pin that goes in the recesses of the upper triple isn't used anymore.
OEM only has 1 clamp bolt on them too.

Without any locktite or anything else, they don't slip. I ride pretty 'sporty' on some twisties out of town, pull a few small wheelies, etc. They haven't moved.
I 'hand torqued' them.

 

Get a vernier, (digital caliper) and measure the fork tube diameter. On my 2004 Graves R1 the tubes are 50mm, the 2005 are 49mm (iirc)

 

And I would contact driven and let them know that their junk is going to get someone killed potentially.

They should be pinching on before coming close to bottoming out.

And yeah, woodcrafts or vortex.

 

On my 2009 R1 my Driven clip-on also move. I was lucky enough to notice it pushing my bike around in the pits and thinking something was wrong with the electronic steering damper. I moved all of my cables away to make sure nothing was catching, but the clip-ons still move, left moreso than right.

All bolts are tight and installed properly

 

Sorry for the slow response. There are 4 pinch bolts. Two on each side of clamp. I did not torque them evenly (both sides) so there is a good chance they are not. I also emailed Driven yesterday and am waiting a response. I will try to remove and measure, and tighten each one back and forth.