Why the hell (extreme restraint when choosing the word) is my Harley fighting me with every attempt to sort problems, even the simplest problems goes pear shaped! I really am pissed!!

I have clutch slip, not really a problem unless you want to ride your bike over 65mph (sarcastic self remark). Simple, adjusted the cable with some improvement. Got a Harley SVM and decided to follow the instructions to adjust the clutch on the clutch itself. Now the fun.. The screws on the covering plate are seized, so I try heating to no effect, followed by using an impact driver. Managed to loosen one screw the others will not budge, and to add to the issue the screw heads are now rounded so the likelyhood of ever moving has grown!

AND THEN ! Oil, a slight drip from the clutch cover. So now when i start the engine, you guessed it I have a nice river of oil!!!!

This is just one of the really annoying little pissy events which is begining to get me very grumpy !Q!

So why the f%*k does this damn bike keep fighting me every single time i try to do something! am I the only one? do i need to learn some zen stress management techniques when all I want to do is ride my damn bleedin bike!

Next steps a big petrol fueled fire with a bright orange Harley stuck on the top...

When you calm the f**k down, get a f**king drill and drill the head off the G*% damn screws and the cover should come right off. Then grab the motherf**cking threaded part with some vice grips and remove them. Go to the sumb**ching Harley shop and get some new screws. You're going to have to get that cover off eventually, might as well be for the clutch adjustment, sorry the f**king clutch.

ORIGINAL: johntheone

Why the hell (extreme restraint when choosing the word) is my Harley fighting me with every attempt to sort problems, even the simplest problems goes pear shaped! I really am pissed!!

That type of frustration with a '80 FLT 20 yrs ago led me to build my own from the ground up. The result having given me 14 yrs of fun riding, easy maint. and few if any problems, none major and none I couldn't solve in my shop. I highly recommend it and the cost is equal to or less than a new Harley.
You become the warranty service and don't need no stealer.
Here it is!
http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk205/mwaggoner_01/marksbike-1.jpghttp://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk205/mwaggoner_01/marksbike2-1.jpg

One of the heads has the remains of a hardened torx, the drill just dances off! Drilling the derby screws out means taking the complete case off, all i wanted to do was adjust and ride - why is this such a difficult task!

whats the problem?..its "normal"...dont believe me?...go ask harley

Its the bikes way of saying you should have done it before it got to the point of sliping..like women they have sublte ways of making you wish you hadnt forgot soemthing in the past. :) Have you tried heating the bolt withhte torx stuck in it and trying to tap it lose with a hammer and metal chisel. If that dont work go to your local engineers supiles and by what are called hard drills which are used to drill out broken tengineering taps.

Cheers to all.

Just to set the scene, i bought the bike a couple of weeks back - real steal. Just needs a few things sorting, the clutch being one area. Just struggling to maintain my temper as one thing after another just goes wrong. It's like a comedy show..

One thing wrenching WILL teach you - patience.

I know - easy for me to say but trust me, I know exactly where you're at. Been thereMANY times and all you can do is get away from it for a few minutes and then get back to what you already know has to be done, when you're calm.

[sm=bangbang.gif]

ORIGINAL: johntheone

One of the heads has the remains of a hardened torx, the drill just dances off! Drilling the derby screws out means taking the complete case off, all i wanted to do was adjust and ride - why is this such a difficult task!

Because whoever put the cover on last overtorqued those little screws, the primary is cast aluminum and will distort when too much pressure is applied. Bangin on the primary is a good way to crack it. If at all possible, get hold of the head(s) with a pair of visegrips. Has worked for me in the past.
When you get them out and ready to screw it back together, a dab of blue locktite and proper torque (actually a good time to use an in/lb torque wrench) will assure the problem doesn't repeat itself.
I wish you luck!

The heads are sunk behind the derby plate making it impossible to get hold of, your probably right either the case or the derby plate is likely to be warped. Not sure how to remove the screws..

The Bike hates you and wants a new home.

You should give it to me.

I will hug it and love it and give it a good home. :D

Watch, next time you go to work on it everything will go like clock work and all will be forgiven.

Normally, you try the opposite way in order to release the loctitie or whatever might be holding them on. Then when you break the torque, the loctite releases and allows you to back the screw out. WIsh I'd got to you before you stripped them out. Might still be able to do it. Don't know how badly stripped they are, but even after they have stripped out, sometimes you can get an allen key to work. Good luck with it.

It's a mess for sure. A last resort for me would be a Dremel tool with stone bit. Grind the F'n heads off, pull the cover off, then you could get a visegrip on the stub going straight in. A large screwdriver thru the teeth of the vgrip as a lever should get it. Don't just twist, pop it good. Those are just 1/4-20 screws, I don't understand what could be holding them, surely no one used red loctite or super glue on them. Hate the thought, but if all else fails, you're looking at replacing the primary cover. Wish I could be there to help!

Thanks to all, a bottle of wine later and I think I have calmed down

So, I have decided to use a bit of all suggestions. Dremel out the old torx bit, try a high heat and start again.

Thanks for listening to the frustration

I would try an easy out, worked for me in the past but you need a good bit to get the torx out.

If you wrench on your bike...we've all been there one time or another. Funny thing is once you conquer this issue you'll forget about it and enjoy the ride...until something else comes up! ^&%$#

Later

If you can find a carbide tipped lef hand drill bit, it may get the job done. If not, the dremmel might be the answer.. Good luck.. A little heat shoudl dake care of the loctite and expand the metal a bit to loosen the grip on the bolt. Maybe a hairdrier on the primary rather than a torch on the bolt..

Cobalt driil bit will cut through just about anything, use a variable speed drill and go slow till you have a good start.

Take a small metal chisel, knock a dent into the bolt, then back out with a hammer.

Go to hardware store and use stainless allen heads as replacements.

Thanks very much for suggestions, given up trying and going to take to the local dealer.

Don't give up yet. :D

1. buy the new screws & new gasket & primary oil from your dealer. ( buy 2 extra screws)
2. drill the heads off (you need a hardened bit) and get the cover off
3. index the cover by putting a piece of tape at the top bolt hole so you can replace it in the same orientation as before as the cover will actually conform to the shape of the primary case.
4. use some vice grips to get the old screw studs out. If you see red loctite on the threads then heat or more red loctite will break the grip of the loctite.
5. When re-installing screws use some anti-sieze on the screws
6. change your primary oil while in there doing the clutch.
7. reassemble with the cover in the same orientation & torque to spec.

It sounds like someone used red loctite and torqued it down like a head bolt. Take the cover off centerpunch the rear of the screwa and drill them out. If you heat them a little first they may unscrew while you are drilling. Then adjust your clutch and primary chain as explained in the HD manual. Replace the cover and fill your primary with ATF to the bottom of the clutch basket. When you put the covers back in use new screws as yours are a little on the old side. Do not use any loc-tite on these or you will be repeating the above steps. If you have any questions PM me.

Patience is a virtue,sometimes we are allput to the test.I for one enjoy working on my bikes and no problem ever puts me over the edge.The reason is because of all the years invested.You stay at it and you will become a seasoned vet.Good Luck!

ORIGINAL: johntheone

Why the hell (extreme restraint when choosing the word) is my Harley fighting me with every attempt to sort problems, even the simplest problems goes pear shaped! I really am pissed!!

I have clutch slip, not really a problem unless you want to ride your bike over 65mph (sarcastic self remark). Simple, adjusted the cable with some improvement. Got a Harley SVM and decided to follow the instructions to adjust the clutch on the clutch itself. Now the fun.. The screws on the covering plate are seized, so I try heating to no effect, followed by using an impact driver. Managed to loosen one screw the others will not budge, and to add to the issue the screw heads are now rounded so the likelyhood of ever moving has grown!

AND THEN ! Oil, a slight drip from the clutch cover. So now when i start the engine, you guessed it I have a nice river of oil!!!!

This is just one of the really annoying little pissy events which is begining to get me very grumpy !Q!

So why the f%*k does this damn bike keep fighting me every single time i try to do something! am I the only one? do i need to learn some zen stress management techniques when all I want to do is ride my damn bleedin bike!
Next steps a big petrol fueled fire with a bright orange Harley stuck on the top...




I feel your pain, brother!! I have a 71 FLH I'm tryin to restore/rebuild for over 2 years now. Every part I havereplaced has to have the friggin holes redrilled, retapped, wallered out, elongated, added spacers, bigger flat washers, or just walloped with a BFH, etc, and watchin what little chrome I'm putting back on peel!!!! AAAARGH................But it is still better than ridin rice!!!!!

I should change the name of this thread to "who the f%*k".

The dealer managed to remove the derby cover, which had been bonded onto the side panel - the derby cover has a crack hence the leak. So you have to ask yourself, why would someone glue panels together when it would have been just as easy to get a replacement cover without a crack! One for the darwin awards!

Thanks to all, should be back on the road by Friday :)

Maybe they were selling the bike and didn't want it leaking. Any number of gasket sealers will bond like a glue. He obviously knew about the crack and fixed it the cheapo way. Glad you were able to rectify the situation.
Do you know what the dealer mech did to get it apart?

From what i understand the complete side case had to be removed, the screw heads were removed and the cover heated and forced from behind.

I worked in a tool n die shop for years.It looks like you need to get a bro that has a mig welding machine .Now take a old allen wrench and clean the allen and the screw head real good to get off all and any oil .Do a quick tack let cool turn .This is the last resort before taking the entire section off ,then you get like someone mention a hardened drill ,but you also need a precision drill table .Hope this helps

Try changing out a drive belt sometime.
You learn some new words there espeiacly if the old one is in sight.
I was cousting down a hill talking to this hot chick I know and tried to bump start it and broke a belt,
You even get to make up a few words