Stuck bolt, need some advice.

[ken]

Yesterday I got my MC jack modified to fit under my RSV, so today I decided to start the process of lowering the front forks and adjusting the steering bearing. When I got the front shell of the fairing one of the six bolt appeares to have the end of an allen wrench broken off in it. So I thought I could just drill it out. Nope! The broken allen head is to hard to drill. I then thought I could use my dremel and grind a slot for a screw driver but the bolt is the lower right and recessed into the fairing so the cutting wheel will not fit. So here I am look for help:8: on how to get the bolt out.

 

Oh ya the bike has a light bar. Whats the trick on getting to the bolts? They are too close to the fairing to get to.

[Flyinfool]

If it is the end of an Allen wrench broken off in the hex hole of the bolt, this is usually from someone using a ball end Allen wrench and breaking off the ball.

Use a sharp pic, like an ice pick, or a small prick punch, to see if you can get the broken off ball to wiggle at all. If you can get it to wiggle even just a tiny bit it will usually come out with a strong (preferably rare earth / neodymium)magnet and a little gentle tapping.

 

If it was not through plastic you could try to solder a rod to the broken off ball to try to pull it out that way. In this case the soldering temp may melt the plastic around the bolt.

 

As for the light bar....I love my 1st gen.

[Guest scarylarry]

On my light bar there there are allen heads, I do use a ball end allen wrench and never had a problem..

As far the rounded one, I'm lost I don't know if WD-40 will hurt the finish if it won't might not be a bad idea to spray it so if you get a bite it will help it break lose..

[Uturn]

I tried a strong magnet and it was no help since I couldn't get it in to the recess. But here is the method that worked.

The two items you'll need are: heavy duty vibrator (not the "bunny") and a metal dental pick probe. Wedge the dental pick into the hole next to the broken allen. Turn the vibrator on and hold it hard against the handle of the pick. If you are lucky, the vibration will transfer to the bolt and the broken piece will come out. I know this works !! Maybe not everytime, but the broken ball end removed itself for me. Good luck.

 

MIKE aka Uturn

[steamer]

are you talking about the 2 bolts that hold the light bar on?

[LilBeaver]

I know you said that you couldn't drill it out, BUT, did you try a FRESH left handed bit?

 

I have had good luck with the left hand bits on 2 or 3 stuck bolts on mine. I believe they were all the silly allen head ones too.

 

As for your light bar, maybe you could post a photo of where you are at - that might could be helpful for us to provide suggestions

 

If the light bar bolts you are talking about are the ones that are in the middle of the mounting bracket, directly below the headlamp and above the front fender then a ball end hex is a way to do it. If you are referring to something else, then I have no idea what you are talking about - I'm sure someone else can chime in.

[LilBeaver]

Wow, look at all those responses within 2 minutes of each other.

 

:sign isnt that spec

[Flyinfool]

Wow, look at all those responses within 2 minutes of each other.

 

:sign isnt that spec

 

It is not often that I can type faster than ANYONE.

[ken]

I tried this before drilling. It's in there good.

 

If it is the end of an Allen wrench broken off in the hex hole of the bolt, this is usually from someone using a ball end Allen wrench and breaking off the ball.

Use a sharp pic, like an ice pick, or a small prick punch, to see if you can get the broken off ball to wiggle at all. If you can get it to wiggle even just a tiny bit it will usually come out with a strong (preferably rare earth / neodymium)magnet and a little gentle tapping.

 

If it was not through plastic you could try to solder a rod to the broken off ball to try to pull it out that way. In this case the soldering temp may melt the plastic around the bolt.

 

As for the light bar....I love my 1st gen.

[ken]

Where would one find a left handed bit. This might work.

 

I know you said that you couldn't drill it out, BUT, did you try a FRESH left handed bit?

 

I have had good luck with the left hand bits on 2 or 3 stuck bolts on mine. I believe they were all the silly allen head ones too.

 

As for your light bar, maybe you could post a photo of where you are at - that might could be helpful for us to provide suggestions

 

If the light bar bolts you are talking about are the ones that are in the middle of the mounting bracket, directly below the headlamp and above the front fender then a ball end hex is a way to do it. If you are referring to something else, then I have no idea what you are talking about - I'm sure someone else can chime in.

[ken]

Yes, they are going to be a issue too. Thinking once I get the shell loose it will move up so I can get to them.

 

are you talking about the 2 bolts that hold the light bar on?

[Rick Haywood]

If you get the light bar off and all the bolts but one out you can move the outer shell enough to cut the bolt from the inside. As for the light bar I just use A T-handle allen wrench and it will fit in there and remove the bolts. Before I replaced the bolts I went to Ace and got longer ones and longer brass spacers and moved the light bar out about another 3/8 of an inch or so that way in the future you won't have to take them off to remove the outer fairing.

 

PS I replaced the allen screws with good quality phillips screws from ace and it makes them easier to remove

[Eck]

OK, my 2 cent suggestion on the broken ball in Allen head..

 

Using the next size larger ball end allen wrench...place it on the head of the bolt and tap it carefully. Is what you are trying to accomplish is this: As you tap on the Allen wrench, you are trying to push it into the head of the bolt (JUST A LITTLE) to where it "expands" the head of the bolt. It will bend the metal outward making it easier for the ball to come out.

Again, You only want to enlarge the outer edge of the head of the bolt. Dont go smashing the Allen wrench with a hammer now for you will crack or even break the fairing. You must slowly work at it "carefully" and bend the metal edge outward. If you can not get the Allen wrench to do this then use a small punch and tap out each "edge" around the broken off ball on the head of the bolt. Keep trying to remove the ball as you bend the metal outward.

You can also use a very small flat blade screw driver.. Tap in between the broken ball and the head of the bolt "as a prying motion" to expand the metal around the broken off ball.

 

 

You can always go to Ace hardware and get another bolt to replace the damaged one..and you can always get another small screwdriver...

Oh, and you can ride your bike missing that bolt if you need/ want to..

 

Now for the two bolts on the driving lamps.

You MUST use a ball end Allen wrench to remove them. I strongly suggest you put a slight covering of grease on the threads of the two bolts BEFORE you replace them back into the aluminum block that they screw into..it sure helps NOT cross threading the dissimilar metals..The aluminum block will strip out before the steel bolts do...

 

Added thought/ suggestion:

You can also use a small Dremel tool and slowly-carefully grind away ONLY the TOP edge of the Allen bolt until the ball comes out. You do NOT want to grind the head all the way down. You want to leave a little of the Allen head so that when the ball comes out you still have the LOWER portion of the head left so you can still use an Allen wrench to remove it. You will need to replace the bolt once you get it removed..

Edited November 5, 2010 by Eck

[autopilot]

Don't know how much room you're working with, but you can try to use a hair dryer to heat up the area around it. Take the pick, spray it with an aerosol air can, and using the little tube, shoot a little into the hole directly on the broken tool piece (long enough to get it cold). Then try the tapping & the magnet and the rest.

[ken]

OK. I got it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I got a little liquid courage in me:smile5:. With dremel in hand I was able to grind the bolt head down with a chain saw sharpening bit. Not damage. I got off the outer shell and the light bar!!!!!!! Done for now.

[Dano]

And I was gonna suggest a 20 lb sledge............

[hillrider]

Now that you've got the light bar off, there's someone, I wish I could remember who, either on this board or the other one that makes a drilled bar for dropping the lights about an inch. Makes removing the outer shell a snap. No need to remove the lights.

[CaptainJoe]

I was gonna suggest giving it 2 or 3 sharp blows with a ball peen hammer then using a pair of good vise grips. Will ruin bolt head but you can always buy another.