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trick to loosening socket head allen bolts to raise clip-ons?


BarryG

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trying to raise my stock bars a bit but can't loosen the allen bolts with my allen wrench. Tried using a hammer to push the wrench but no dice. I have a big breaker bar but no adapter for an allen wrench..?

Should I get a heat torch and heat them up? Or any other ideas?

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trying to raise my stock bars a bit but can't loosen the allen bolts with my allen wrench. Tried using a hammer to push the wrench but no dice. I have a big breaker bar but no adapter for an allen wrench..?

Should I get a heat torch and heat them up? Or any other ideas?

You are trying to break the loctite seal I prefer to use leverage rather than a short smack with a hammer.

go to sears get a allen key socket set , use a ratchet or strong arm.

I don't think heat is needed nor a good idea.

eat wheaties.

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Are you talking about the bolts into the clip ons? Om my XX they are 12mm bolts not hex head and the same on the VFR bars :icon_confused:

Someone obviously overtightened them or used really strong Loctite as I have never had a problem undoing mine (don't use Loctite either :icon_surprised:

I did have to use a small propane torch on my calliper bolts though the other day so it may help if it looks like you will strip the heads :icon_surprised:

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Are you talking about the bolts into the clip ons? Om my XX they are 12mm bolts not hex head and the same on the VFR bars :icon_confused:

Someone obviously overtightened them or used really strong Loctite as I have never had a problem undoing mine (don't use Loctite either :icon_surprised:

I did have to use a small propane torch on my calliper bolts though the other day so it may help if it looks like you will strip the heads :icon_surprised:

mate your up late,

they are allen bolts on mine and I thought they all were / are all allen.

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trying to raise my stock bars a bit but can't loosen the allen bolts with my allen wrench. Tried using a hammer to push the wrench but no dice. I have a big breaker bar but no adapter for an allen wrench..?

Should I get a heat torch and heat them up? Or any other ideas?

You might want to avoid using impact such as a hammer or an impact wrench on this type of bolt. If the wrench is not perfectly fitted to the inset, the risk of stripping the bolt is high. Being a recessed bolt, your only recourse after that would be to use a reverse splined extractor, and if that didn't work, to drill it out. That would be a a struggle just to access the bolt with a drill. The wheel would have to be removed and the fork slid up throuth the triple trees to gain a straight shot.

I'd suggest simply more torque. Heating the bar is an option, but you couldn't put much heat on it without removing the plastic and rubber bits. Perhaps just a hair dryer on low to give yourself a psychological edge. You can apply more torque to that bolt with your allen wrench by slipping a pipe or closed-end wrench over the allen wrench for a longer lever. Most auto parts and hardware stores will have 3/8ths and 1/2 inch drive hex head "sockets" either singly or in a set that you can use with your breaker bar.

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mate your up late,

they are Allen bolts on mine and I thought they all were / are all Allen.

Late :icon_confused: It is only 930pm here in Perth West Aus :icon_surprised:

Well both the bars I have are bolts although I did pick up and on sell another set of VFR bars 6mths ago which had socket head bolts :icon_confused:

Most auto parts and hardware stores will have 3/8ths and 1/2 inch drive hex head "sockets" either singly or in a set that you can use with your breaker bar.

That was what I got for my calliper bolts but they still needed some heat :icon_surprised:

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I have a breaker bar that actually has a hole in one end of it. I put a regular allen wrench in it and slipped it through the hole on the breaker bar for leverage. it just about took the bike off the centerstand, so I know what you mean when you say it's tight (you all have fun with that one...)

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Thanks for the replies....guys. Yes it is an allen bolt....I'll try to see if my breaker bar can squeeze in my allen wrench.....if not the socket key allen set sounds like the way to go with a ratchet. The rubber mallet I agree will probably end up stripping the thing......

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I think I used a ring spanner over the end of the allen key the first time. After that I could just do them with the allen key alone.

The '98 has allen screws, the latter ones have a hex bolt.

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quote name='MrBadExxample' date='Mar 2 2008, 12:11 AM' post='596493']

Stop fucking around with those little Allen wrenches.

Metric Allen sockets is what you need.

metric_allen_set.jpg

Yeah that is the sort of kit I have, came in handy this morning when a fellow OzBBer came over, he had been trying to take the damper out of the fork but the bolt only undid 1 1/2 tuns then the whole lot started spinning so used one of those and my impact driver to tighten it back up again :icon_surprised: ( he decided the cost and effort of the gold valves was too much ATM)

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You might want to avoid using impact such as a hammer or an impact wrench on this type of bolt. If the wrench is not perfectly fitted to the inset, the risk of stripping the bolt is high. Being a recessed bolt, your only recourse after that would be to use a reverse splined extractor, and if that didn't work, to drill it out. That would be a a struggle just to access the bolt with a drill. The wheel would have to be removed and the fork slid up throuth the triple trees to gain a straight shot.

Looks like I was too late. The bolt thread is stripped. I bought a hex bolt socket set today and put a little pressure on the bolt and it's officially stripped. :icon_rolleyes:

If I don't mess with the bars, I assume I can keep riding it the way it is? I never made any leverage on loosening that bolt anyway....

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You might want to avoid using impact such as a hammer or an impact wrench on this type of bolt. If the wrench is not perfectly fitted to the inset, the risk of stripping the bolt is high. Being a recessed bolt, your only recourse after that would be to use a reverse splined extractor, and if that didn't work, to drill it out. That would be a a struggle just to access the bolt with a drill. The wheel would have to be removed and the fork slid up throuth the triple trees to gain a straight shot.

Looks like I was too late. The bolt thread is stripped. I bought a hex bolt socket set today and put a little pressure on the bolt and it's officially stripped. :icon_rolleyes:

If I don't mess with the bars, I assume I can keep riding it the way it is? I never made any leverage on loosening that bolt anyway....

hoooooboy --- here we go again -- BG---BAD BG (slaps hand) -- don't touch !!!

Sorry bud I'm 2k miles away

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Sucks when things strip - big time

It should come out and be repaired with a Heli-coil.

And to get things loose always heat the part the threads go into, and chill the bolt. The idea is to utilize thermal expansion and contraction to break the bond.

Same idea goes for installing bearing races, heat the race - freeze the shaft or housing.

A heat gun is much safer than a torch, and brake cleaner is great for chilling the bolt.

I hope you don't regret not fixing it.

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Sucks when things strip - big time

It should come out and be repaired with a Heli-coil.

And to get things loose always heat the part the threads go into, and chill the bolt. The idea is to utilize thermal expansion and contraction to break the bond.

Same idea goes for installing bearing races, heat the race - freeze the shaft or housing.

A heat gun is much safer than a torch, and brake cleaner is great for chilling the bolt.

I hope you don't regret not fixing it.

I think what BG is saying is the hex portion on top of the bolt rounded off on him -- not the threads

I'd be very leery of helicoiling anything that held my bars on

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I wrote this in another post, so I'll just copy and paste it, as it fits your situation.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Look for something like this...I see them frequently in auto parts and hardware stores.

http://www.brandsplace.com/tool-hand-tools...extractors.html

(look at the 2nd and 3rd ones)

Ideally you'd find a reverse splined, blunt ended piece that will sink as far into the hex recess as possible. Heat up the bolt for a bit, hammer one of these guys into place, and give it a firm supported tug on the wrench. You need to support the wrench head with your free hand so you don't twist the extractor bit out of the bolt when you are appying turning pressure.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Harbor Freight has something like this:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/disp...temnumber=40349

(you wouldn't need the drill bits)

or this:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/disp...temnumber=93822

IF you have enough clearance to get them in all the way.

Sears also has has several different extraction tools suitable for this purpose. Hex drive bolts are pretty nice in that when they strip, you've got the hole already drilled to take them out......like that's really a salve for the wound.

And of course, you already know its pretty tight, so no problems leaving it the way it is until you are good and ready to remove it.

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Sucks when things strip - big time

A heat gun is much safer than a torch, and brake cleaner is great for chilling the bolt.

Please don't do both at the same time. :icon_biggrin: :icon_snooty:

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Sucks when things strip - big time

A heat gun is much safer than a torch, and brake cleaner is great for chilling the bolt.

Please don't do both at the same time. :icon_biggrin: :icon_snooty:

some brake cleaner is flammable -- some is not -- if you lose your eyebrows and get a reverse mowhawk -- you have the flammable kind :icon_whistle:

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Definitely go ahead and fix it. Not worth the risk. I would try the extractors first. Heat would be my next step (torch, etc).

Good Luck!

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I'll get around to fixing it. First got to order VFR bars off ronayers. Pre-VTEC VFR will fit a '98 XX?.

Stripped bolt is still tight so I'm not to worried about it to be honest. Been commuting everyday on it as is.

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I'll get around to fixing it. First got to order VFR bars off ronayers. Pre-VTEC VFR will fit a '98 XX?.

No. All XX forks are 43mm. The early VFR's have 41mm forks.

thanks...so only 2001-up VFR bars fit XX right?

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When I walked in to work this morning I tossed my fruit on my desk. When I looked over a few minutes later and saw the arrangement I immediately thought of you :icon_evilgrin:

Drill and extract. I wouldn't heli-coil, and you shouldn't need to, if you drill straight. Just knowing a bolt is stripped would bug me so bad, I'd tear the bike down if I had to. Perhaps you aren't obsessive though.

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