Help! Stuck starter bolt

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Jul 7, 2017 | 06:28 AM

blackxpress

Thread Starter

Road Master

Joined: Sep 2016

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From: Heart of Georgia

Help! Stuck starter bolt

Last night I was removing the inner and outer primary on my 2011 Road Glide Ultra when one of the starter bolts stripped out. It's nearly impossible to get to it with an ez out or anything like that. It's a 1/4 hex head bolt. I was thinking of trying to tap a torx bit in there but wonder if it might be possible to just remove the inner primary with the starter still attached. That way I could most likely get it out with vice grips. Can anybody think of a reason the inner primary would not come off with the starter still attached?

Jul 7, 2017 | 06:58 AM

MURPHCC1

Club Member

Joined: Apr 2013

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From: Cape Cod

Nope......just remove all the wires on the back of it and it should come out with the primary......
IF it's like the 07 set up!!

Jul 7, 2017 | 06:39 PM

big- mike

Road Warrior

Joined: Feb 2017

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From: farmington michigan

Yep that should work

Jul 7, 2017 | 07:33 PM

blackxpress

Thread Starter

Road Master

Joined: Sep 2016

Posts: 1,048

Likes: 492

From: Heart of Georgia

Actually it didn't work. Not enough clearance without removing the final drive. I ended up buying a sacrificial torx bit, beat it in there with a hammer and the bolt broke loose no problem.

Jul 7, 2017 | 07:45 PM

MURPHCC1

Club Member

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From: Cape Cod

Good to know.....sorry ya had to go through that.......thought it would go with out a hitch!

Jul 7, 2017 | 08:17 PM

blackxpress

Thread Starter

Road Master

Joined: Sep 2016

Posts: 1,048

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From: Heart of Georgia

Quote:

Originally Posted by MURPHCC1

Good to know.....sorry ya had to go through that.......thought it would go with out a hitch!

No biggie. All in all it was probably easier the way I did it. And, I learned a valuable lesson about working on my Harley. Next time I have to remove the primary it'll be a cake walk. The whole adventure began with a stripped out shift lever. Leave it to HD to make such a minor problem into a major ordeal.

Jul 7, 2017 | 09:25 PM

checkers

Ultimate HDF Member

Joined: Jan 2009

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From: East Tn Foot of The Dragon

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackxpress

Actually it didn't work. Not enough clearance without removing the final drive. I ended up buying a sacrificial torx bit, beat it in there with a hammer and the bolt broke loose no problem.

Rapping directly on stubborn bolts will allow them to loosen easier, before it's stripped. Works on all bolts like the primary cover etc.

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Apr 6, 2020 | 08:03 PM

Zerk

Banned

Joined: Jul 2009

Posts: 7,406

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From: Straight Jacket Memories and Sedative Highs

Accoring to the guy who started the thread, and some pics I have seen at parts counter, show they are hex, and not allen anymore. Though the ones I bought last fall were still allen. good practice to replace if starting to look funny, if you can.