Stripped Fork Mount Bolts
Thread Starter
|
Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 525
Likes: 0
From: Utah
Stripped Fork Mount Bolts
The wimpy allen bolts on the fork clamp on my Deluxe came semi-stripped from the factory (or dealer) and I completed the stripping when I installed my new wheel. Anyone have a fool proof way of extracting these so I can install some new ones???? Much appreciated.
Road Master
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 983
Likes: 4
From: Fredericksburg, Va
If your near a harbor freight go get some left handed drill bits....havent had much luck on the extractor kits. If you cant find the left handed bits just drill it carefully about an 1/8" then get a appropriate torx head socket and hammer the crap out of it (you may break the torx head but unlikely) until it wedges in, then with a whole lotta pressure SLOWLY turn it out by hand with a ratchet. Until I got my torque wrench I was in the same boat as you are with stripped bolts.
Thread Starter
|
Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 525
Likes: 0
From: Utah
I'll have to give that a try - I do have all sizes of torque wrench but this bugger has a rounded allen head. I was hoping the extractor kits have evolved since the old days but guess not.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 5,615
Likes: 9
From: Escondido, CA
Reverse twist drill bits will sometimes catch the bolt and unscrew it but the extractor bits have always worked best. You just need to use the appropriate size for the bolt you're trying to remove.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 5,615
Likes: 9
From: Escondido, CA
Trending Topics
Thread Starter
|
Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 525
Likes: 0
From: Utah
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
6 Weirdest Harley-Davidsons Ever Sold to the Public
Verdad Gallardo
7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window
Verdad Gallardo
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Verdad Gallardo
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
May our Moderator Rest in Peace
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 11,386
Likes: 35
From: Rochester, NY
You can get comparable tools at the local Sears store, generally at a decent savings over what the Snap-On guys want for nearly anything.
Personally I would avoid any kind of tool like a set of extractors from Harbor Freight. They are good for a lot of things, but IMHO that's not one of them.
If the bolts are Allen headed you might be able to get away with hammering a Torx bit into the hole and using it to get the offending bolts out. Otherwise its drill and use the extractor.
Fortunately with Allen head bolts you have a ready made starter that will make drilling them easier. Just be sure your drilling as straight as possible into the bolt or you might accidentally go through the side into the tree.
PS if they really are stripped I have a bad feeling that its not the steel bolts that are actually stripped, but the aluminum or cast steel tree itself.
In thta case you have a bigger problem and that's either re-threading the tree for a larger size bolt, or getting a helicoil kit to fix the holes as they are. If I were in your shoes I would drill out the holes and re-thread them for the next larger size and replace the bolts with grade 5 or 8 stainless steel hex head bolts.
Personally I would avoid any kind of tool like a set of extractors from Harbor Freight. They are good for a lot of things, but IMHO that's not one of them.
If the bolts are Allen headed you might be able to get away with hammering a Torx bit into the hole and using it to get the offending bolts out. Otherwise its drill and use the extractor.
Fortunately with Allen head bolts you have a ready made starter that will make drilling them easier. Just be sure your drilling as straight as possible into the bolt or you might accidentally go through the side into the tree.
PS if they really are stripped I have a bad feeling that its not the steel bolts that are actually stripped, but the aluminum or cast steel tree itself.
In thta case you have a bigger problem and that's either re-threading the tree for a larger size bolt, or getting a helicoil kit to fix the holes as they are. If I were in your shoes I would drill out the holes and re-thread them for the next larger size and replace the bolts with grade 5 or 8 stainless steel hex head bolts.
Last edited by In Memoriam Citoriplus; Dec 7, 2009 at 07:40 AM.
Thread Starter
|
Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 525
Likes: 0
From: Utah
Thanks - Snap-on are good but super spendy. Fortunately, it's just the allen head - I was able to get them torque'd back on but right at the finish I felt the allen spin without turning the bolt.