Snapped Front exhaust head stud.
Thread Starter
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Stage II
Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: Scotland
Snapped Front exhaust head stud.
Snapped front exhaust stud, had a mechanic/fabricator friend try welding nuts on and remove that way but eventually snapped further in. Because of the frame you cant get a straight line to drill and tap so Im wondering if anyone has had this problem and if it is possible to undo the bottom mount bolt and jack the engine up to get a straight line or if its a head off job. Thanks in advance
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 32,934
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From: Carlsbad, CA
You’d get more responses if you post in the appropriate sub forum. Try putting exhaust sub forum:
And post an introduction in the New Members forum.
And post an introduction in the New Members forum.
Last edited by TriGeezer; Apr 2, 2020 at 04:22 PM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 6,086
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From:
Hello and welcome.
Frustrating situation but it does happen.
Perhaps providing the year and exact model would help others to provide a suggestion.
From a distance and based only on picture the situation does not look terrible.
It looks like welding a washer and then welding a nut to washer would get it out ONCE the piece had cooled to room temperature.
What was condition of the other stud?
Frustrating situation but it does happen.
Perhaps providing the year and exact model would help others to provide a suggestion.
From a distance and based only on picture the situation does not look terrible.
It looks like welding a washer and then welding a nut to washer would get it out ONCE the piece had cooled to room temperature.
What was condition of the other stud?
Thread Starter
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Stage II
Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: Scotland
Sorry new to using the forum. Its a 2012 fxdwg 96ci. The picture above was take before this evenings efforts, welding a washer and then nut wasnt enough even with heat first so Im told that drilling and tapping is the only other option?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 5,286
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From: Idaho Panhandle
Mine broke in September. There is a special drill just for this issue. I was lucky to find someone with one. Check your mechanics locally for one and see if you can rent it. It took over three hours with the right tools to finally get it out. Impossible in the frame without this tool.
Otherwise, you have to move the engine so you can get to it. That was my plan if I could not find the tool. That would have been a three day job.
Its not a unique problem, but mechanics under 50 rarely have done this. Talk to older experienced mechanics who, not matter what happens, have already seen and solved worse.
Otherwise, you have to move the engine so you can get to it. That was my plan if I could not find the tool. That would have been a three day job.
Its not a unique problem, but mechanics under 50 rarely have done this. Talk to older experienced mechanics who, not matter what happens, have already seen and solved worse.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2009
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From: Niagara, Ontario, Canada
Looks like you have a couple good posts above, also, do a search on the forums for this repair, you're not the first to have done it. By the way, drop in to the welcome area and introduce yourself, good luck on the fix, you'll have it done in no time.
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Joined: Feb 2007
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From:
If a welded washer and nut did not resolve then stud is really stuck or rust welded to cylinder head..
I would take it to a professional as a drill out requires a special tool in order to maintain alignment.
Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 539
Likes: 284
From: Coldstream B.C. CA.
A botched attempt to remove that broken stud/bolt will likely mean tearing your bike apart and maybe even a new cyl head. From what I can see in your pic, the only option I see is to drill and attempt the use of an easy out. BUT it's imperative to get it center drilled straight and through the entire broken bolt as that will help collapse the od. of the bolt and aid in loosening it's grip a little. If you don't have experience in doing this exercise I recommend taking it to someone who has done it before because if you break an hss drill bit or the easy out in that drill hole, you're screwed. The other thing I'll caution you on is to make sure the center hole that gets drilled is dead center of this broken bolt. The reason being is that IF you still cannot coax the broken bolt out,you will still have the option of drilling the whole works out (oversise) and installing a helicoil (thread repair) to the original specs .I've done more of them than I can remember and they are a terrific invention. So rule # 1- do not get in a hurry and do expect this task to take more time than what you've been hoping for. In order to work on this problem,you absolutely need to have clear access to the task at hand,so I hate to say it, but you will probably stand your best chance (maybe only chance) at success by removing that head so you can carefully and methodically do the precision work necessary and to prevent collateral damage. Sorry for not being more optimistic but I don't want to set you up with false hopes of a quick fix. Good luck mate!