Sagafraginmurgatroidin!

[punkncat]

MAN I HATE THIS!!!!

Why is it that when you work on something you get it to the last thing that needs to come out and something messes up?

My Harley has been down for the majority of the winter due to a broken drive belt and rear exhaust pipe. I have had the parts for a while and just have been lazy and not fixed it. Well spring is here, I got the fever and MUST ride and soon. I mean gosh! I am paying insurance on the dang thing I may as well be riding.

Well I got out the trusty shop manual and read over the repairs. Being mechanically inclined I decided to save myself $400 and fix it. I took everything off, and it all went well up to the very LAST allen bolt holding the drive cover in place. I go to turn it out and the aluminum head completly rounds out. No chance at all of getting a grip. I haven't an easy out to fit, nor a 1/4" reverse thread screw I can use to get it to come out.

What fool uses aluminum for a screw that should be made of steel? I am so pissed. I have the parts, the time, everything, and its all in vain due to this...

the small allen screw at the bottom of the cover.

[MarkM]

Well you have two options use the vice grips you already have or cut a slot in the head and use a regular screwdriver...oh and buy a new screw.

[punkncat]

HMM , hadn't thought of the cut a slot idea......

Here is a pic of the busted rear exhaust pipe. Keep in mind I had to bash the rear part up a bit to get the muffler to come off.

[BlackVCG]

Cutting the slot is the best bet. Use a dremel with an abrasive wheel and cut a slot big enough for a stout plain-end screwdriver and that should get your screw out. The screw is already toast so cutting the slot obviously does no harm.

[PyRo]

I don't know how much room you have but you might be able to get some thin nosed (whatever they're called) vice grips on it.
Upon failure cut a slot.

But it's much more fun to do it this way

[WickeDKlowN]

Cutting a slot would work. I've done it quite a few times actually.

[punkncat]

But it's much more fun to do it this way

I just wish I knew what "this way" was......

[stupiddogg]

he welded a rod to the original stripped screw and then had more material to grab...


do the notch thing works everytime

[punkncat]

Well , I am trying a variation on the weld thing. Since I don't have the TIG welder required for aluminium, I went to the next best thing. JB Weld.

I used it to attach a allen wrench to the end of the bolt and am waiting on it to cure. Hopefully about this time tomorrow I will be underway to the hardware store in search of a new bolt to put there and shortly thereafter be cranking her back up....

[WickeDKlowN]

JB Weld whould work. Notching it with a Dremel would have been alot quicker.

[punkncat]

Unfortunately I cannot find my dremel....

[WickeDKlowN]

I know the feeling. I let a friend borrow my brand new XPR 400 to put a tv in his S10. Havn't seen it in like three weeks.

[CasingBill]

If I was u, I put an ad in the paper and dump that thing then get something reliable.

[punkncat]

If I was u, I put an ad in the paper and dump that thing then get something reliable.

HEY!!!!

Not all of us support the Jap economy like you rice boy.


...ok now really ....the wife didn't want me riding the sport bikes again. She knows my riding habits too well. She rode with me on my Hurricane one too many times.

[CasingBill]

Hurricane=Good