[scastro901]

I have an 06 gixxer k6 and I stripped the shit out of these bolts trying to get them off:

They're only supposed to be torqued to 7 ft-lb per the service manual. But with their thread lock and the fact that they haven't been touched since mfg of this motorcycle they're practically welded in there.

They have a 4mm hex head which is tiny and didn't stand a chance with the force to get these off. I rounded the hole and the hex grip is gone.

Now I dremeled a nice slit to fit a flathead screw driver, but these fuckers won't budge. The flathead is stripping the slit and I can't get any leverage. They're mangled now and I think it's time for a screw extraction.

So 3 questions:

1) Does anyone have the size spec of these screw threads (width, length & thread)? Specifically the width so I know what size extractor bit to use.

2) Do you agree that it's time for a screw extract? What product is best and where to buy? EZ out? Home Depot? Auto store?

3) Extra opinions on this matter

:comp FUUUUUUUUUCK! :comp

 

[Veefer97]

Get a chisel and hammer. Hit screw so it will start to back off. Remove with screwdriver. EZ out will just break in there even if you do manage to get the hole drilled straight

 

[RayOSV]

Or try an impact screw driver that you hit with a mallet. I've had good luck with one of those.

 

[BrotherGrim]

I myself prefer the extractor method. Use a left hand twist bit and many times it will come out when the pressure is lessened by the hole. If not, I use a set of snap-on extractors that I bought as a set with the left handed bits. I can't tell if the threaded portion passes all the way through the back of the mount from the picture, but it would be much easier if it does. Use cutting fluid and take your time to get the hole drilled straight through and you should have no problems. I also recommend chasing the threads with a tap when you do get it out.

 

[Scratch33]

To remove the master cylinder assembly from the frame, all you'll need to do really is get those mushroom bolt heads off (unless the frame itself is threaded, which I doubt). You're halfway there since they're mangled already.

Getting the remainder of the threaded bolts out of the master cylinder assembly afterwards might then be done a little easier on a work table. Dose them liberally with PJ Blaster and leave them overnight, then warm them up a bit with a heat gun. There may be enough of a stub left on the bolts after the heads are off to get a purchase on them with a vise wrench.

 

[scastro901]

Those mushroom bolts are what this thread is about.

I didn't want to remove the brake hose and the rearset because then I have to deal with messy brake fluid and recharging the line. I guess if I got the whole rearset off it would be easier to work with on a work bench and with vices. But again, I'm trying to prevent disassembly of the braking circuit.

In anycase, I'm afraid to to use a screw extractor cause they say if it breaks off in there, you're fucked. And when I tell you guys this screw is practically cemented in there, I shit you not. With the thread lock on it, it probably needs over 15 lb-ft of torque to remove which is absurd for the size of that screw.

Has anyone else had problems with these 2 specific screws on the gixxer? I'm wondering how anyone would've gotten them off without incident (even a mega professional) - what could've been done?

I guess the problem was just assuming they would come off - so I didn't take any precautions before just trying to loosen them with a 4mm hex. Going forward, what precautions should you take before trying to loosen a small hex screw that has heavy thread lock on it?

 

[scastro901]

Oh oh...I see what you're saying Scratch33. If the mushroom heads come off, the master cylinder will dislodge from the rearset and I can finish the rest of the job on a workbench. I don't know why I misread that. In anycase, see above - I'd like to avoid brake circuit disassembly.

What I'm doing here is swapping out the rearsets (stock for Vortex). I thought I could get away with removing those 2 bolts, swapping the stock rearset for the Vortex one, then reattaching that master cylinder without disrupting the fluid circuit.

But I know I know...beggers can't be choosers - lay it on me.

 

[enos]

Get a chisel and hammer. Hit screw so it will start to back off. Remove with screwdriver.

+1

that's a fat head, plenty of meat for a chisel. Maybe dremel a slot for the chisel if you can't get it to grab. bang along the outside of the head for max torque.


you can also shape the head so you can grab it with vice grips.
Penetrating oil can help too if you can get it to the threads. Hitting screws with a hammer can help dislodge them. So can temperature extremes.

 

[serpentracer]

if you are going to own a motorcycle at least go buy one of these,
How to Use a Hand Impact Driver | eHow.com

you'll never strip another stuck screw or bolt again. no matter what bit it takes.

 

[Veefer97]

+1

that's a fat head, plenty of meat for a chisel. Maybe dremel a slot for the chisel if you can't get it to grab. bang along the outside of the head for max torque.


you can also shape the head so you can grab it with vice grips.
Penetrating oil can help too if you can get it to the threads. Hitting screws with a hammer can help dislodge them. So can temperature extremes.

Hopeless to give tried and true advice here. This method has worked for me countless times. You will need new bolts but by this time the bolts are wasted anyway

 

[Saml01]

Get a miniature butane torch and carefully heat the head. Thread locker will loose its hold when heat is applied.

I also vote easy out, chisel might be to much I think.

 

[enos]

Hopeless to give tried and true advice here. This method has worked for me countless times. You will need new bolts but by this time the bolts are wasted anyway

Same here. I'm glad my dad showed me the way of the chisel way back when.

 

[scastro901]

I knocked it out of the park with using a chisel as a screwdriver. When I put the chisel in the dremeled slit, it had plenty of leverage. It still took getting red in the face for the screw to loosen.

Nevertheless, here's the end result:

It took so much torque I damaged my chisel as you can see.

What the fuck is Suzuki doing putting red thread lock on these bolts??? Christ.

+1 on the impact driver suggestion for this to never happen again. I knew I was being an amateur somehow. I'll look into getting one ASAP. +2 on the chisel suggestions - I was thinking of getting an extra wide flat head screw driver (if they made them) and they do...it's called a chisel!!! :dblthumb

I measured the bolt and it's 20mm x 5mm for anyone who cares. And the head, before it was ass raped, was a 4mm hex.

Thanks to all - you guys really helped! I'm totally relieved! Time to finish that rearset job. I'll post pics when I'm done.

Miller time! :beer

 

[enos]

congrats on getting it off

That's one way to use the chisel. FYI what we were saying was to put the chisel off-center such that it will dig into the screw and whack it with a hammer. Since it's off center it will put a torque on the bolt and turn it. You can get almost anything off this way.

 

[YZFHEFF]

The chisel got fucked up because it's a woodworking chisel. A cold chisel would be correct for this application.

p.s. What a goofy word "chisel".

 

[serpentracer]

+1 on the impact driver suggestion for this to never happen again. I knew I was being an amateur somehow. I'll look into getting one ASAP.

it has saved my dirtbike and R6 and stuff on my truck a few times.
I even took it to work to remove some 100 year old brass screws holding windows in a plane hanger.
we were grinding them off but using this was so much faster.

 

[Skaz915]

well they obviously are thread locked in there like you said...did you use the thread lock disolver...(not sure of technical name) I believe it is silver. If you didn't try that then that will most likely do the trick. If you did...You use a broken screw extractor or drill it out then re-tap it...

 

[Saml01]

Red thread lock needs heat to properly remove.

 

[enos]

that one looks like yellow to me

 

[scastro901]

It's like an orange. I read about it on other forums. It's from Suzuki (not loctite) so it's probably not loctite red now that I think about it.

Nevertheless it felt like loctite WELD.

Back to impact drivers, what's their success rate? Do they damage the bolt even if they get it off? From what I saw on these bolts, I don't see how anything could've gotten it off and kept them in mint condition.

When I google impact drivers, there's plenty of info, but no real good illustrations of how they work - I'm not really understanding it. And some things say they're good for phillips head bolts but not so much on any other kind. Where are the facts?