When I got my SS, the stand bracket had obviously fallen off at sometime and the bolts were lost..... ...........the two that were in there were bl**dy great hex head, rusty steel and too long.........and of course, loose. I obtained a couple of M10 (I think they were M10) button head stainless bolts and ran them in, washer and spring washer under the head......looked peferctly OK, but I was a bit wary when I gave them a good tighten up, as I felt the allen bit start to turn in the socket head. Still.....looked fine when done and it has never seemed to come loose at any time. However today, I just thought I would check them for tightness......and the 6mm allen bit rounded the socket head completely........managed to knock a 1/4" bit in and that rounded too.......... .......so the bolts are pretty tight IMO.................I reckon a Torx bit would break if I knocked that in. Of course I can remove them if I drill the heads off and use a mole grip of the stub of thread left.................. ............or did I like t*t, use Loctite as well? AL
Why would you use Loctite and a spring washer together? Chase the heads round with a centre punch to free them.
I know it's going to annoy you AL as it would me (the fact that heads are now rounded) but unless you have a pressing reason to remove them (removing crankcase side is easier for one) then best leave 'em alone - they usually come loose on their own in the end and then you can pounce on them!
Just beginning to wonder (panic)........did I do that in a moment of aberration?..................that's all..................
Yep dead right.......you have me sussed..........I won't be able to rest now I know they are stuck......... .............but I think I will give them a quick polish and try to ignore them after............. In the meantime, I shall sharpen my 10mm drill bit (after all, stainless can be a right g*t to drill) just in case they get to me......but at least I know the stand won't fall off in the meantime. AL
I had some bolts do that. I had an old Allen key welded it in place then used a big pair of stillys on the protruding Allen key to get them out
Al, you had me worried for a moment. From your thread title I thought you were going to admit to something about yourself on the forum that had been kept secret for many years.
Have you tried some heat from a heat gun or similar before trying to undo it? If there is loctite on the thread then the heat should soften it.
Nah....it can stay in there until the stand has to come off.........and then it will be drill the head off job......with a bit of luck, I didn't Loctite it and I will be able to undo the stub with my fingers. (I don't know why I think I would have used Loctite....but sometimes I do stupid things..............like buy a Ducati) AL
Its OK Steve................if I really want it out, I can get it out.........I have the tools, including the one that may have put them in with Loctite and a cut spring washer. AL
Or you could go for the HMS Victory look, two pack fill the heads rub em down and make em look like clout nails .:biggrin:
They would then look like most bolts on a five year old Ducati after they had been maintained by owners that shouldn't be allowed near a spanner, let alone a bike. AL
And they're off! Can't understand how stainless cheese is so soft when pressure is applied to the allen bits, but how it turns into a diamond the moment you pick up the electric drill....... Had to drill both button heads off, removed the sidestand and undid the stubs with my fingers just about........ Replaced with proper cap socket head allen bolts now (although I would like to know the OEM bolt length.......these were / are 30mm long).......and drilled and lockwired together. AL
304 Stainless Steel, which is what most of the stainless bolts people buy for their bikes is, has a shear strength lower than virtually any other steel, iron or aluminium alloy so the corners of the hex shear off easily but it's very hard so it won't cut with a drill. It's a basically the metallic equivalent of glass which is why you shouldn't use it for anything structural!
I keep telling people that A2 is not that good.................but saying that, generally all my bolts are A2 and they haven't sheared yet......... A4 is better, but not much better. AL
