Exhaust stud removal
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Grand HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,663
Likes: 713
From: DFW
Exhaust stud removal
(97 WG) Snapped an exhaust stud on the front cylinder, the right when facing the engine.
As I don't have any welding equipment, and since there is enough meat left, I'm thinking I can use JB Weld with the nut.
If no go on the above, any suggestions?
Last resort is to pull the head and go to a shop and get it pulled.
As I don't have any welding equipment, and since there is enough meat left, I'm thinking I can use JB Weld with the nut.
If no go on the above, any suggestions?
Last resort is to pull the head and go to a shop and get it pulled.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,496
Likes: 30,782
From: Pennsylvania
1. JB Weld is not going to do it.
2. Soak it with PB Blaster for a couple of days, put some heat from a heat gun on it, then apply PB Blaster.
3. Tap the end with a hammer to free up the threads, tap not pound.
4. After a couple of days of putting on the PB Blaster with heat and tapping, try a pair of vice grips on what is left of the treads and see if you can work it loose.
5. If not best to take the head off and have a machine shop remove it and put new studs in so the head is not damaged.
NOTE:
The above information, while credible, is worth what you paid for it and should not be considered gospel.
Do due diligence, research and have a H-D Field Service Manual before working on your bike.
You will probably have many opinions and suggestions presented; make sure you research the person providing the helpful information as there are some who provide good information that is useful and some who speak out of other orifices with gibberish. You will figure out this quickly.
2. Soak it with PB Blaster for a couple of days, put some heat from a heat gun on it, then apply PB Blaster.
3. Tap the end with a hammer to free up the threads, tap not pound.
4. After a couple of days of putting on the PB Blaster with heat and tapping, try a pair of vice grips on what is left of the treads and see if you can work it loose.
5. If not best to take the head off and have a machine shop remove it and put new studs in so the head is not damaged.
NOTE:
The above information, while credible, is worth what you paid for it and should not be considered gospel.
Do due diligence, research and have a H-D Field Service Manual before working on your bike.
You will probably have many opinions and suggestions presented; make sure you research the person providing the helpful information as there are some who provide good information that is useful and some who speak out of other orifices with gibberish. You will figure out this quickly.
Last edited by CoolBreeze3646; Mar 3, 2024 at 09:51 PM.
Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2023
Posts: 190
Likes: 409
From: Scotland UK
Ive had this happen to me before with the original factory studs that were stuck in there like cement. Honestly if they dont come loose after a little heat and a twist with a set of vice grips, just save your time and money and take the head to the machineshop to have it properly removed. You dont want to damage anything or risk breaking any fins if a spanner slips off a nut.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 12,233
Likes: 4,943
From: England
I have seen so many post of folk trying easy outs and stud extractors and they had the good grace to admit on here they snapped so clearly don't go that route.
For a DIYer I have seen a jig that fits over the good stud and lines up to drill out the old and a tap to clean out what's left of the stud.
As that possibly requires the head to come off I guess a good machine shop might just as well take care of it for you.
For a DIYer I have seen a jig that fits over the good stud and lines up to drill out the old and a tap to clean out what's left of the stud.
As that possibly requires the head to come off I guess a good machine shop might just as well take care of it for you.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,725
Likes: 3,070
From: Brighton, MI
Posted by CoolBreeze3646:
1. JB Weld is not going to do it.
2. Soak it with PB Blaster for a couple of days, put some heat from a heat gun on it, then apply PB Blaster.
3. Tap the end with a hammer to free up the threads, tap not pound.
4. After a couple of days of putting on the PB Blaster with heat and tapping, try a pair of vice grips on what is left of the treads and see if you can work it loose.
5. If not best to take the head off and have a machine shop remove it and put new studs in so the head is not damaged.
NOTE:
The above information, while credible, is worth what you paid for it and should not be considered gospel.
Do due diligence, research and have a H-D Field Service Manual before working on your bike.
You will probably have many opinions and suggestions presented; make sure you research the person providing the helpful information as there are some who provide good information that is useful and some who speak out of other orifices with gibberish. You will figure out this quickly.
The only thing I would add is (thinking out loud) and considering what I would do in this situation:
Take your time. Rushing usually leads to shooting self in the foot.
Lots (many) of the heat and penetrating oil cycles with the mild tapping as mentioned in previous post by Coolbreeze.
Also consider threading a nut or two on the broken stud (or a longer coupler nut). It will kind of protect the remainder of that stud threads while you do the hammer tapping sessions. With the nut(s) in place do the shock/taps routine as mentioned by CoolBreeze. Just don't bottom the nut against the head when tapping. Leave a slight gap between nut and head so you know your sending your tapping energy down the stud and not against the head.
Any access to air tools (air chisel with a blunt end to use for careful vibrating of the broken stud)?
Do you know anyone with a 110 volt mig?
When frustrated, apply penetrating oil and walk away. Plan to fight another day.
1. JB Weld is not going to do it.
2. Soak it with PB Blaster for a couple of days, put some heat from a heat gun on it, then apply PB Blaster.
3. Tap the end with a hammer to free up the threads, tap not pound.
4. After a couple of days of putting on the PB Blaster with heat and tapping, try a pair of vice grips on what is left of the treads and see if you can work it loose.
5. If not best to take the head off and have a machine shop remove it and put new studs in so the head is not damaged.
NOTE:
The above information, while credible, is worth what you paid for it and should not be considered gospel.
Do due diligence, research and have a H-D Field Service Manual before working on your bike.
You will probably have many opinions and suggestions presented; make sure you research the person providing the helpful information as there are some who provide good information that is useful and some who speak out of other orifices with gibberish. You will figure out this quickly.
The only thing I would add is (thinking out loud) and considering what I would do in this situation:
Take your time. Rushing usually leads to shooting self in the foot.
Lots (many) of the heat and penetrating oil cycles with the mild tapping as mentioned in previous post by Coolbreeze.
Also consider threading a nut or two on the broken stud (or a longer coupler nut). It will kind of protect the remainder of that stud threads while you do the hammer tapping sessions. With the nut(s) in place do the shock/taps routine as mentioned by CoolBreeze. Just don't bottom the nut against the head when tapping. Leave a slight gap between nut and head so you know your sending your tapping energy down the stud and not against the head.
Any access to air tools (air chisel with a blunt end to use for careful vibrating of the broken stud)?
Do you know anyone with a 110 volt mig?
When frustrated, apply penetrating oil and walk away. Plan to fight another day.
Last edited by Yankee Dog; Mar 4, 2024 at 04:14 AM.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 2,392
Likes: 2,628
From: Milwaukee, WI
With the above tips See if you local auto store has a stud extractor tool, sometime they rent them but shouldn’t be more then 30 bucks.
of course that’s 30 bucks towards the machine shop,,,
of course that’s 30 bucks towards the machine shop,,,
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Tourer
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 412
Likes: 281
From:
Take the head off & have it fixed. there's enough stud left to weld a nut on to get it out. If that doesn't work then it needs to be cut out. There's a guy here with an EDM that charges $100 to cut it out. A machine shop could cut it out for about 1/2 of that.
The hole is deeper than the stud so you can drill a hole right through the middle & fill it up with penetrating oil & let it soak.
All depends on what your options are where you live.
The hole is deeper than the stud so you can drill a hole right through the middle & fill it up with penetrating oil & let it soak.
All depends on what your options are where you live.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 6,081
Likes: 1,127
From:
ATF cheap automatic transmission fluid works really well at loosening stuff and does not damage paint.
I would soak the the stud in ATF.
Then heat stud with a torch. Trying to break bond.
Let it cool and repeat ATF a few times.
Then ATF overnight.
Then heat stud with a torch. Trying to break bond.
Let it cool and repeat ATF a few times.
There appears to be enough bolt for a possible double nut. Might have to grind down nut to half thickness.
Heat the head area near stud so the threaded part might perhaps expand.
Then use a small wrench to wiggle bolt back and forth.
If it wiggles then keep spraying..because it should start to thread out.
It does not look to be the worst at this time.
If your are impatient then just take bike to a mechanic as it does not look bad at this time.
I would soak the the stud in ATF.
Then heat stud with a torch. Trying to break bond.
Let it cool and repeat ATF a few times.
Then ATF overnight.
Then heat stud with a torch. Trying to break bond.
Let it cool and repeat ATF a few times.
There appears to be enough bolt for a possible double nut. Might have to grind down nut to half thickness.
Heat the head area near stud so the threaded part might perhaps expand.
Then use a small wrench to wiggle bolt back and forth.
If it wiggles then keep spraying..because it should start to thread out.
It does not look to be the worst at this time.
If your are impatient then just take bike to a mechanic as it does not look bad at this time.
Last edited by im; Mar 4, 2024 at 12:56 PM.
Thread Starter
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Grand HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,663
Likes: 713
From: DFW
Was going to as 1 came out when I removed the exhaust. The others were in there pretty tight, so I left them.