Installation instructions for Nichols Engine Bolts Thank you for purchasing our bolts.  You will find they are considerably stronger and tougher than the stock bolts.  Nichols bolts have proven without failure over several race seasons.  AMA Superbike riders and several AFM and WERA riders have used these motor mount bolts.  More than a thousand riders are currently using them.  Lap times have been reduced as a result of the increased chassis rigidity.  Installation requires less than an hour and can be accomplished with simple hand tools.  Below is detailed instructions and torque specifications. INSTALLATION: We recommend you replace the front bolt first on applications requiring two bolts.  It is beneficial to place the bike on a swingarm-stand to perform the installation.  The rear bolt is more of a challenge due to the fact that the rear suspension places a load on it.  With the bike placed on a swingarm-stand, remove most of the suspension load when you remove the rear bolt and install the new one.  This can be accomplished by having someone lift up on the rear of the bike while removing the stock bolt and installing the new one. Not all installations require drilling the frame. In particular, all applications for the 12 mm bolts do not require drilling. Applications where the stock bolts thread into the frame are the only applications which require drilling the frame. For example an 851 will require drilling but a 916 will not. If your application does not require drilling, the next three paragraphs do not apply. When drilling the frame, we recommend that you only back out the stock bolt enough to drill thru the frame plus a .25 of an inch (6mm) for 1992 or earlier models.  On later models you need to drill thru the frame plus 1.25 inches (30mm).  The reason this is necessary is because the holes in the engine case are not straight.  These holes are cast.  The stock bolt is soft enough to conform to the miss-aligned holes -- but ours will not. You will need to drill the threaded end of the frame with a .406 dia (13/32) drill.  We recommend the use of a slow rpm drill motor (approx. 600rpm).  The drill will most likely cut a little oversize (.002 to .005) this will give you the necessary clearance for the bolt.  It is a good idea to use some cutting oil when you do this (WD-40 works well).  Please make sure that your drill follows the threaded hole.  If your drilled hole is not reasonably straight, the bolt may bind when you install it.  Prior to installing the bolt, make sure ALL the chips are removed form the frame and engine. Once you have done the drilling and cleaned ALL the chips form the hole, you may use the new bolt to drive the stock one out.  This should be done with a soft hammer (plastic or lead) but NOT with ball-peen or a carpenters hammer.  Please do not forget to use the Loctite and torque the bolts properly. If you decide not to use the Loktite, do not assemble the nuts and stud without some type of lubricant or anti-seize.  If the nuts and stud are assembled dry they may gall together and you will not separate them without causing severe damage! After you insert the bolts through the frame and before you apply the Loctite or tighten them, please make sure you center the nuts on the bolt. If your bolts came with spacers, install one spacer under each nut. Both nuts should have equal engagement on the bolt.  You can do this by measuring the depth form the outside edge of the nut to the end of the bolt.  If your Ducati is an 851,888,916,748,955,or 996, you will receive one short nut. Remember to install the short nut on the battery side of the engine. IT IS CRITICAL THAT THE NUTS ARE CENTERED WITHIN 1/16 OF AN INCH (1.5mm).  TORQUE TO 45-50 POUND-FEET (6.2-7.0 Kp). If you have any questions about the installation procedure, please contact us via phone at 408-945-0911 or email.  Thank you for your purchase. -- Jon Nichols