snapped exhaust stud?

[Troll]

This site works because there are bikers here....

[tmassey]

if we could just get washington to work as well as this site does...america would be in great shape again.....ok ok ok....i'll stop dreaming.

[lumper]

Alright, move it along, nothing to see here except a guiy with a huge smile on his face after fixing a potential nightmare.

Went to a friends place who has a Dremel.
He cut a deep groove into the head of the stud and then we tried a few screwdrivers, bent the first few, and then we moved the stud.
Then because we moved it and flared the cut a little we couldnt line up the Dremel a second time to fix it and had to cut another groove making it a Philips head now.
We used the same screwdrivers until we bent and ground and broke about 4.

Then I suggested we go to Home Depot and get something heavy duty.
I bought two very large flat head screwdrivers knowing he would grind one down to fit better, and a new heavy 12" crescent wrench.
We got back and he ground one screwdriver after seeing it wasn't going to fit as is, and that one snapped almost instantly, so we banged the other one in for a tight fit and put the crescent wrench to work and spun that mother off in about 5 minutes.
Sooooo happy!!

I had a long week struggling with this thing, the English or metric extractors wouldn't fit I needed a 7mm, the cam style needs a lot more stud than I had to even grab on, the torch and grips did nothing but risk melting my hoses and bruise my palms, but that damn Dremel and some serious elbow grease did the trick.
Thanks so much for all the tips and just keeping me in mind while I Was struggling with what to do, it feels a lot better knowing people are thinking about your problem and offering tip[s and suggestions, thanks so much everyone!!

Lump

[lumper]

Ok, thanks man.
I found out that Autozone rents the set that is more like the first one I posted a link to.
IT is free basically when you bring it back.
I am on a wicked budget and leaving for a trip on Monday monring so if I can save the $30.00 and still get it swapped out then thats the best bet for me.
I will look at a hand impact wrench too as I think I saw one I can also rent and see if the extractor works first.
I definitely dont want to make it worse.
I appreciate all the tips guys, thanks so much.

Troll I should have thought tool at first and my mind went right to, oh crap, now what, lol.
Thanks again,
Lump

[griz01]

The universal cam lock one is not really effective. i have had one for years. It needs lots of room to work, usually more length than is left and tends to side load the stud so that it snaps off. The first one is a much better choice, it locks with cams also, the more you twist the tighter it grips, designed to be used with an impact wrench but is centered on the stud so much less chance it will snap the stud because of the side torque. I would cut a groove and use a hand impact driver, works 90% of the time. cut the groove about 1/2 the depth you have left sticking out, if it fails you still have enough left for the extractor.

[lumper]

Hey Troll,
So I am looking at an assanmacher 8mm stud puller

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_SPM1216533901P?prdNo=14&blockNo=14&blockType=G14#desc

But I thought by looking at it that one of the cam type might be better to try in case the stud size varies or gets stripped or whatever, the part of the stud I can grip is the middle section between the threads.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00960570000P?mv=rr#desc

The outer threads are gone and only the middle part sticks out, no threads, the rest is obviously threaded into the head.
I was thinking the cam is adjustable to whatever it is grabbing within its range, 6mm - 19mm so maybe that would be better than buying one socket and having it be slightly off or something.

They all seem to run 20.00 to 30.00 for a single unit.

What do you think?

Thanks,
Lump

[lumper]

Thanks Troll, I will look for a tool like you described, I dont want to make it any worse and if they actually make a tool for just this problem thats the way I want to try to get it out.
Heating up the aluminum is no problem I have a couple good torches and I can shield the area well so I am going to look online right now to get an idea of what you are talking about and see if Sears hardware or other local store might have one that I ca buy Friday and try to get it out that way.

Thanks again buddy.
Lump

[Troll]

Jb weld won't work. There are stud pullers for just this job. I just saw some from I think, Stanley, in a local farm supply store, maybe Irwin.... anyway, they are sockets with reverse threads in them to grip the stud and turn it out. Personally, I think you are flirting with disaster if you use any kind of impact tool. The last thing you need at this point is to snap off what you have, or strip out the aluminum threads in the head. Find something to shield the hoses with, like a piece of flat steel, and heat the aluminum with a propane torch before you try to remove the stud.

[lumper]

Back to the topic I started with.,

Today I picked up my new exhaust stud and acorn nut.
I have the middle part of the old stud sticking out and I can only grab it head on, not from the side as there just isn't room.
I have a buddy who might have an impact gun and  a compressor, I will call him to see if I can get him to stop over, maybe I can file a groove into it like a screwdriver slot? ad try the impact gun with that?

There isn't a lot of room to weld or even to heat up the stud, I can heat up the stud if I put some flashing around it to protect the rubber hoses and lines that aren't too far away when you have a torch in there.
SO far I soaked it with a little brake fluid/wd-40 and heated it up for a few seconds but I was worried about the torch until I get some metal in there to shield everything else, anyway that sucker is in there so this is going to be fun.

I was also thinking of a jb weld type of solution where maybe I can epoxy the threaded part back on and use it temporarily like that until I can pull this engine after our trip next week.
Looking into anything that might work.
Thanks for all the tips,
Still working on it,
Lump

[lumper]

hmm, thats interesting.

Troll I have the same tires as you front and rear, the me880 metzlers marathon.
They are pretty new the front one still has those rubber spikes on the sidewalls especially and I almost thought looking at the wheel I can see where it might ride "rough" when I lean but I thought thats just too simple, with my luck it must be something broken, lol.
I would be relieved to find out its normal I have nothing to worry about.
If we ever get together anywhere I will have to ask one you guys to take my bike for a quick ride and tell me what you notice or feel.

Anyone going to Laconia?

Lump

[chief]

I agree with Troll... on my hd's the vibration masked all sorts of things, and the big fenders on the drifter amplifies some noises that I would never have heard on a bike with a regular fender.

I've had that sort of vibration on the drifter - replaced the tire and it appeared to go away. I have had cupping problems on some tires... tire pressure and tire mfg seems to make a difference.

[Troll]

Probably not a wheel bearing. These front ends seem to be more sensitive to tire wear than either of my last 2  H-Ds. I have some chevron wear on my front ME880 that would not have been noticeable with my TourGlide, or maybe just the native vibration was masking it.  If I am going straight, there is no problem, but as soon as I start to equalize the tire wear, I feel and hear the front tire, and maybe some rear, as well.

[lumper]

yeah a little paying attention would have done the trick, I was all stressed taking so many parts off the bike at once without a good reference in a small and messy garage with no set up for working on the bike yet, parts every where,  that when I got to something I knew I must have been distracted cause I know darn well it doesn't take many turns before they are tight from having taken them off a few times now.

One thing I love about this bike is how user friendly it is when you need to work on it, everything is well thought out and made simple for even a modest wrencher who can read.

I need to get the front wheel off as I have a vibration when I lean in either direction most noticeable when I am coasting say through a  turn, to me it feels like a bearing but after reading I see it can be any number of things so thats my next project, get the front wheel off and see if it is balanced, bent at all, worn strangely, or if I do in fact have a bad bearing, something loose, etc..
I also have some rattling but I am 99% sure it is in the headlight after adding a visor the thing shakes pretty badly at times and I have found if I reach up there and lay my hand across it when I hear it I think it muffles it although it is hard to say with the wind going and traffic not to mention the distraction of driving while doing this, lol but I think it is just in the headlight, the wheel vibration bugs me cause I dont want a wheel problem when I get to Laconia in a week or two.
I am hoping to make it through that and then I am pulling the engine to deal with a valve cover gasket and anything else I find I can do while it is out.
Anyway thanks again, love this bike.
I just installed some replica 1959 tail lights as rear turn signals by the way, looks really cool, every single time I take the bike out I get compliments everywhere I go, people just love this bike.
Lump

[chief]

Been there... taught me the true value of a TORQUE WRENCH!! 

[lumper]

Local dealer has to order it, takes a week to come in and costs 3.25 each.
SO I have one on the way and will wait until I have it in my hand before I pull the pipe and take the old one out.

Thanks for all the answers, again   lol
Lump

[lumper]

Well I have quite a bit sticking out still, so I should be able to grab it with a pair of channel locks and unscrew it?

I wonder if my local Kawi shop can order me a new one?
I was planing on going there tomorrow.

I have vance and hines pipes, I removed them to paint them and a few times to get them out of the way for various things I have done to the bike.

The other day when I was pulling the rear fender they had to go again.

Its usually no problem, 4 bolts for each pipe, 2 at the cylinder and 2 at the side mount by the passenger foot peg and they pop right off.
For some reason, and I never do this, I must have overtightened them and before I had a second to think, hmm this should be tight already, it snapped.

Thanks for the info, that sounds great as long as I can get a new one.

Thanks
Lump

[Troll]

I always liked the welding on a nut solution, but in this case, it might be out of the question. Cutting a slot might  work, but the access is restricted. I guess it all boils down to how much thread he has sticking out.  Looks like they are 8mm, so there should be some beef there to work with.

[griz01]

That is a stud that screws into a blind hole in the cylinder head.Ther are several options to use.
1. If there is any part sticking above the head, cut a slot in it, use an impact driver and hope it comes loose. Impact driver is a must, you need the shock. If that fails;
2. still have some stud sticking up, slip a nut over the stud, a tight of a fit as possible is best, weld nut into place through the hole in the nut, back out stud with a wrench;
3. if no stud stick up or 1 & 2 have failed drill a small hole and some some kind of extractor, I like the newer power extractors over the older styled so called "Easy Outs"
4. as a last resort, drill and retap the head. the steel in the stud is harder than the Alum head, so be very careful not to damage the head

troll- guess you type faster

[Troll]

They are threaded in. Did you snap it off flush with the head?...Better question might be why did you remove it in the first place. The manual says to remove the muffler, at the prechamber, not the system at the heads. If you snapped it off flush with the surface, that is going to be a problem best left to an expert. If you have some sticking out, you can heat the stud with a propane torch, let it cool a little and unscrew it with perhaps a pair of small vice grips. either way, the head pipes will have to come off. Steel studs into aluminum heads are always a tricky situation.

[lumper]

Hi all,
I was tightening my exhaust after taking it off to work on the rear wheel and I over tightened and snapped off the front cylinder top nut/bolt.

I dont see anything in my manual about it or whether I can pop it through like a stud on a disc brake on a car, or not.
Anyone know how to replace these?
Do I have to drill it out and use a nut and bolt?
Any help would be great, I would like to fix it before it starts leaking a lot.
Any info would be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance.
Lump