saddlebag bolt stripped, any suggestions?

[Brian D.]

Hey all went to take off left saddlebag today so that i may look at rear tire and change final drive for its new 600 mile change and i got three of bolts loose but the top back bolt striped when i went to loosen used a 4 metric hex head with flex ratchet so needless to say i can't get it to turn or remove . any ideas or suggestions, also pushed it in tight prior to trying to loosen, anyway not happy, three weeks old and this happens. thanks Brian d.

[SaltyDawg]

They are really soft metal so if you have a dremel you could cut a slot in it or even cut the head off. Or try and easy out.

 

Then go to a hardware store and buy a replacement with a hex head on it and you won't have anymore problems.

[midnightventure]

You can try using a sharp center punch. Hold it against the outside edge of the bolt head and strike sharply several times. If it breaks loose you can probably remove it with your fingers.

[Midrsv]

I just ran into the same problem when having a new set of tires installed. Seems when the dealer installed my saddle bags they over-torqued the screws. I just took an air driven cut-off wheel and cut the head off. I replaced it with a hex head bolt. I have been thinking about ordering a set of the screws with knobs from the ebay seller.

 

DT

[Eck]

 

i got three of bolts loose but the top back bolt striped .

i can't get it to turn or remove . any ideas or suggestions,

 

 

Brian,

If I understand you correctly, you were able to remove three of the bolts but the one your having difficuly with is the top "REAR' bolt which goes thru the chrome spacer.

 

If this is the case, I would reccomend the following:

Take a dremmel tool and carefully grind the head off the bolt, and not damaging your saddle bag...

there is a flat washer between the bolt head and a rubber washer, and trying to hammer and chisel the head off the bolt might not be to safe.

 

After the bolt head is cut off you can remove the saddle bag and chrome spacer.

 

Now you have the threaded portion of the bolt sticking out.

Try spraying some lubricant from the aft side (between rear fender and the chrome luggage rack brace) and spray the lubricant onnto the "few" threads that are sticking out on the aft side.

Next try grabbing the bolt stud with some small vise grips and try turning it out..hopefully it comes out..

If not, I would try to tighten it and see if it turns inward... if it does turn inward (like your tightening it)..then use the dremmel tool again and cut the bolt length down where it is almost flush with the chrome trunk brace. Now using a small drill bit and drill, slowly act like your going to drill a hole in the center of the bolt. The drill bit should grab the bolt and "turn" it inward.. once it comes out the back (careful you dont run it into the fender..thats whay I had you cut the length down..)

You can grab the bolt with pliers and flip your drill to reverse the remove the drill bit from the bolt shank.

hope that makes sence to you.. if not, give me a call.. phone number is in my profile.

 

[StarFan]

Maybe I am not getting this - but why not just put a good size vise grip on the bolt head, lock it very tightly and turn the bolt out? Would maybe help to spray a little WD40 on the opposite end (threads) or heat it a little.

Am I wrong ?

[Tartan Terror]

NO dont heat it! Remember its a plastic box. Also the head of the screw is rounded so getting a hold of it with a vice grip is gonna ge tough unless you cut a slot or flatten the edges. I had that problem before and I finished up cuttng a slot and using a screw driver. It has been said here but go on ebay and buy the nice setup with the Knobs. I did and makes life so much easier to clean it by removing the bags with no fuss.

[GigaWhiskey]

I have had to use my dremel to cut slits in the screws that stripped. Then I use a flat head screw driver and. maybe tap it with a small hammer if needed. I have a few on the diaphragm covers like this.

[KeithR]

I find that the Allen head wrenches are always a little loose so I use a piece of heavy plastic over the tip of the wrench and that snugs it up on the screw.

So far no stripped heads.

 

 

Keith