Hi all, I need some help/advice please. Tried to fit the evotech header guard a week or so ago and you know the story - I read all the other threads on the site about this, and despite being REALLY careful, and using loads of release agent - all three studs are sheared, but there is some room left on all of them. I have tried the chuck like stud extractors, no good, the two sizes I got seem to fall right between the stud size on the bike so neither get a good grip. I have tried heat and mole grips, no good, and the grips seem to be making matters worse gradually. There isn’t enough thread on any of them to do the two nut method....and I don’t have any welding gear.....yet, and here’s the question(s):- Is it worth investing in a relatively cheap gasless MIG welder and trying to do this job myself, with zero welding experience (and also noting that I have screwed it up thus far), or should I just accept this job is going to get the best of me and call someone who can do the job onsite, or pick the bike up and take it away to work on? With the current situation I am not sure who could/would even do this, let alone when. Any opinions/suggestions/advice/tricks I haven’t tried yet would be appreciated. Cheers all. Ps don’t judge me for the state its in - I finally picked it up the day we locked down, and have only ridden it once, to bring it home!
You could try a really good pair of small molegrips. Just try and wiggle them to get it moving first, a little bit of localised heat would help also, maybe with a hot air gun. it’s worth try, failing that drill and screw extractor is a last resort.
Wouldn’t recommend this as your first welding job , I’d find someone to weld nuts on the studs .. there’s a high chance of success and it will save hours . The molegrips will probably just chew up what’s left of the studs .. might not do , but if you can avoid drilling and helicoils that’s a win
See if there are any mobile welders around, as stated before get three small nuts and wind them on and let him weld the centre, should come out then.
Cheers m@tt - this was my worry and I have just managed to find a local welder online who does travel. Fingers x’d he will be working and can do the job for r reasonable price. thanks for the honest opinion!
Cheers BigAl - I have a ready supply of nuts that are about 1mm bigger than the studs...will these do or shall I try and get some ones closer to the size of the stud?? There’s no threads to grip left.
As long as the nuts go right over and if possible sit flush with the head then your man can get a decent weld in the centre, if you arrange for him to come somehow flood the studs with releasing agent prior, all helps.
Nice one - will keep going at it with the plus gas also, gravity is against me but it don’t hurt to try. thanks again.
My guess is theyre OEM so whatever that material is...the nuts look like copper (coat?) which I think the OEM ones are - the sheared nuts and screws stick to a magnet, not much of a clue about metals...clearly!!
For those amongst us here, that have experienced this damn problem, we feel your pain...….. A similar problem happened to me with a 2010 model, with two studs not all three like yours. After a couple of calls, I promptly got the bike collected by a local garage, owned by the Bridewells no less (Of BSB fame). They did the job for me without too much hassle, drilling out the offending studs. So with luck your local welder, will also sort your issue out, so that you can withdraw the studs likewise. Good luck.
Update - found a welder who is working, he’s coming round in the week so hopefully I will have a solution! Last question - I found the nuts and gasket and stuff, and I think this is the replacement stud at item 4 in the diagram, can anyone confirm:
'tis the only stud there and three are specified and it's near the exhaust port. They're the ones you need , Sorry - feeling a bit facetious this evening
Whenever i get a new bike i give it a good checking over....oem mild steel exhaust studs are one of the first things to go...stainless all the way...
I know what you’re saying but as they’re not in the exhaust diagram (and the nuts and gasket are) I thought I had better check. Thanks for confirming tho!
Never needed to do this as whilst I do ride all year I take a lot of care and use acf50 etc, so don’t tend to get problems of this nature - I bought this bike in a bit of a hurry as it was the right mileage, right price/owners etc, and didn’t bank on the corrosion being this bad based on the condition of the rest of the bike - it’s mint everywhere else!! Based on the state of this one I may need to replace a few fittings - any suggestions for sources of supply?
