Stripped torx screw

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Mar 11, 2011 | 06:34 PM

az_steve

Thread Starter

Tourer

Joined: Jun 2010

Posts: 255

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Stripped torx screw

So I was removing my backrest and the bottom two screws holding the sissy bar to the side plates are stripped. One by me and the other was already stripped. I noticed it after I screwed up the first one. Anyways, I think that these two must have been put in with Loctite.

I have Grabbit for my drill and tried it but it did not work. I have now read online that heat is better for freeing up Loctite. Does anyone know how long I should heat up the screws? I have a small hand torch I can use, I just do not want to screw up the chrome on the side plates and sissy bar.

Thanks

Mar 11, 2011 | 07:04 PM

Sgt_Jim

Stellar HDF Member

Joined: Feb 2011

Posts: 3,048

Likes: 3

From: Central Jersey

I suggest either trying a hairdryer, or go to a hardware store and for like $25 or something get a heat gun and try it on low setting..

Mar 11, 2011 | 07:26 PM

spydyr

Road Captain

Joined: Mar 2010

Posts: 705

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From: southern IL

I suggest a dremel tool with the grinding wheel attached. Slice a groove right through the middle, then remove with a screwdriver. Easy peasy. Done it a million times.

Mar 11, 2011 | 07:39 PM

Rakthi

Road Warrior

Joined: May 2009

Posts: 1,493

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From: Belgium

An impact driver might help or you can also hold a soldering iron against the bolt. Those Torx are a pain to get out.

Mar 11, 2011 | 09:24 PM

brettnbama

Ultimate HDF Member

Joined: Sep 2008

Posts: 5,131

Likes: 3

From: Woodstock, GA

Quote:

Originally Posted by spydyr

I suggest a dremel tool with the grinding wheel attached. Slice a groove right through the middle, then remove with a screwdriver. Easy peasy. Done it a million times.

+1....this is a good way to do it

Mar 11, 2011 | 10:34 PM

murd

Road Warrior

Joined: Jul 2008

Posts: 1,277

Likes: 1

From: Haney, British Columbia

oh boy.. you got me started. My torx on my Derby cover were stripped. I managed to use a screw extractor to get them out, but not without breaking one inside the last screw. Last night I managed to pick the broken bit out and tomorrow I'll apply some heat on the last one and try to take it out with the next size up extractor by hand. I used my drill in reverse and the torque was too violent and snapped the tip off. It's been a pain, I got a lot of great tips and support from our HDF friends.

Great suggestion on holding the soldering iron and applying heat. Good luck, I hope it works for me too.

Mar 11, 2011 | 11:03 PM

lo-rider

Elite HDF Member

Joined: Apr 2010

Posts: 4,990

Likes: 9

From: Marina del Rey

Using cheap or wrong-sized/style bits can cause these problems. And failure to apply elementary logic and technique causes the rest.

Loctite didn't cause this problem. Unless a permanent grade was mistakenly used.

The day before disassembly, you could have squirted a little Aerokroil around the threads. The following day, an impact driver w/ the proper bit would have started the screws w/o trouble. Once you bugger the driver recess, you've made the job an order of magnitude tougher.

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Mar 12, 2011 | 11:37 AM

Northside

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Joined: Mar 2007

Posts: 1,396

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From:

Quote:

Originally Posted by lo-rider

This is good advice. Aerokroil is the best penetrating oil I have ever used and extracting broken bolts was part of how i made my living for a long time. Everyone who works on a motorcycle should have a hand held impact driver. They break things loose without damaging the sockets in the fasteners.

Now one last trick that works 99% of the time. If a torx or socket head (Allen) is rounded out by someone else, remember you have an impact driver so it wasn't you, take a ball bearing and hold into the socket on the fastener. Then hit the ball bearing sharply with a hammer while wearing safety glasses. Hit it seveal times until the torx bit or Allen socket fits snugly into the fastener. If you did it right you might have to tap the socket into the fasteners socket because you've swaged metal back int the fastener's socket. Whack it severaltimes with the impact driver then pull it out and throw it as far as you can and get a new fastener.