Sidekick Lower Deck: Important Installation Tips

Background

We have received feedback reporting issues with the rear nuts on the Sidekick Lower Deck. Specifically, the issue is that the nuts cannot be fully tightened or that they cannot be loosened once they are screwed to the bolts. This phenomenon is called "thread galling", also known as "cold welding".

In most cases, this is caused by heat generated from a large amount of pressure and friction while tightening the nut too quickly. After some testing, we have confirmed this is the case. We have also ruled out the possibility of pitch difference between bolt and nut.

Solution

To prevent this issue we suggest adding anti-seize lubricant to the tip of the two rear bolts before securing the nuts. If anti-seize lubricant is not available, applying any standard lubricant can also reduce friction and prevent thread galling, although the effect will not be as good as an anti-seize lubricant.

 

 

Other suggestions

• Slow down installation speed
• If a nut begins to bind to the bolt: STOP and wait
• Avoid damaged or dirty threads