‘01 Road King

Hayden M6 chain tensioner install

I noticed from the jump that one of the flat head screws, holding the rear adjustment bracket, was gonna be challenging. It doesn’t have well defined “ridges” in the screw head. If not for the other screw, I wouldn’t have known for certain that it’s a T40. I also learned the factory used red Loctite on these.

Before any attempt at removing, I sprayed it with PB Blaster and heated it with a propane torch.

I tapped a T40 socket into place, but it wouldn’t let me put enough torque on it to move the screw

I then drilled it and tried a # 3 screw extractor, better grip, but same problem… can’t get enough force on it to budge. I eventually snapped the bit.

I’m considering sacrificing a ball end Allen socket… welding it into/onto the screw. All I have is a arc welder, it’s a tight space and I’m a shitty welder to boot.

Any other ideas are appreciated

 

My advice; at this point take it to a machine shop.

 

I'm not familiar with that bracket but it look like there is an air gap between the (aluminium?) case and the threaded end of the bolt? If so, maybe place a small but thick piece of steel (1/8 better 3/16) there and drill through the bolt. The steel would protect the case from the drill bit. Curious to see how this resolves😃

 

Get a small sharp chisel and tap it at an angle, don't hit any harder then light taps and it should loosen pretty easily or cut a slot into it with a cutoff wheel. Then use an impact screwdriver to remove it. A final option is drilling the head just enough to pop it off and then use vice grips to unthread the remaining screw.

 

Had to backup a second, is the newer adjuster mounted different than the older style? The old ones that was a countersunk hole with a taper head bolt. That one looks like a machined flat spot for regular hardware and washer. My advice at this point depends on which that is, bee different on how to go about it for each.

 

Its a tapped hole into the inner primary, I think.

I like the cut a slot idea… I think I’ll try that next! Thanks

it’s a countersunk hole with a tapered flat head screw.

 

Ok we been there on this one, two options and you need a dremel tool. First would involve pulling the chain and clutch shell, using a a small cutter wheel and grind a deep groove down through the bolt head and use a hand impact driver to shock it out, don't worry about scoring or hurting the step ramp if you get into it a little they are durable.

Second is 1/8" carbide burr bits, get a couple and get busy boring the broken easy out to size, this one is a straight head in attempt like drilling so the shell & chain don't need to come out, best if does but you can wrap and cover everything to keep the grit out. The heat generated during this will kill any loctite and with a steady hand you can core that bolt completely out and not trash the threads in the primary. Helicoil can fix that if it does oversize on you,

Lastly throw that f**king Hayden as far as you can please, was a piece of **** 40 years ago they haven't magically gotten any better since.

 

I can't offer anything other than moral support, and this pic...been there a number of times.

 

I would take a sharp, maybe new, "*****" punch and punch it midway between the center hole and the outer edge. Once you have a good indentation, angle the punch slightly and continue tapping with a hammer in a counter clockwise direction.
This is usually my first step in broken bolt removal.
If you are using a torch to neutralize the LocTite, don't heat the bolt to cherry red because it will cool too quickly and become brittle.

 

hmmm, why don’t you like the Hayden? I put one in my ‘97 when new because finding neutral was difficult. 106k trouble free miles. I bought an ‘01 last November and finding neutral is impossible until I kill the engine. I have also had it slip into neutral when downshifting, almost dropped the bike once.

I like this idea!

I can always button things back up with the stock adjuster