Touring Models Road King, Road King Custom, Road King Classic, Road Glide, Street Glide, Electra Glide, Electra Glide Classic, and Electra Glide Ultra Classic bikes.
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Rounded starter bolt

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Sep 6, 2017 | 09:42 PM
  #1  
wis1's Avatar
wis1
Thread Starter
|
Cruiser
10 Year Member
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 221
Likes: 45
From: wisconsin
Default Rounded starter bolt

Replacing starter clutch on an 09 Streetglide , back bolt rounded out (hardest to get at ) . Tried liquid wrench /tapping it , can't get on it with a pliers , outside of bolt is round , center takes a 1/4 hex . Ideas ?
 
Reply
Old Sep 6, 2017 | 10:20 PM
  #2  
Veekness's Avatar
Veekness
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 4,377
Likes: 647
From: Santa Clarita
Default

Absolutely. First, I doubt that penetrating fluid is gonna solve your problem. Finesse and/or brute force is likely gonna be your answer.


One way is to cut a slot in the head of the bolt, and use a large, wide bladed screwdriver to get that puppy outta there. You can use a Dremel tool with a cut-off blade for this...IF you have enough room to maneuver in there. Likely you won't...so you can consider using the flexible head that you can get for your Dremel, might give you the ability to get that done. Once you've cut your slot, just lay the blade of the screwdriver in there and twist. You might have to use a snipe on the shaft of the tool, or maybe a 3/8" screwdriver socket. An impact tool...hand, air, or electric...might work excellently for this...or will cause you more problems. Quien sabe?


Another method would be to drill a hole into the bolt head, and drive an EZ Out in there and back it out...the risk is that you might over-torque that puppy, and the EZ Out will snap out.


Or, you could get a Torx socket, slightly larger than the hex hole, drive that sucker in there like you meant it, and back that bolt outta there. Again, an impact tool, especially a hand impact, might work very well.


The last method is another time honored way...get you a twelve point socket, drive it OVER the head, and back the bolt out.


The last two methods are destructive to the tool, and might require that if you pull one of them out of your set, you'll have to replace it. Oh well. There but for the grace of God go I...and my tools. It happens.


Now, if you're going 'I don't have any of them tools and I don't want to spend money on things I'll never use again, and there's no guarantee any of them will work...pony up some cash and trot that thing down to your local shop. They'll be successful, guaranteed. Trust me in this.
 
Reply
Old Sep 7, 2017 | 03:20 AM
  #3  
NELS's Avatar
NELS
Road Warrior
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,344
Likes: 173
From: Watertown, CT
Default

Just had the same problem on a friends low rider on the easier to get at bolt. Tried jamming the torque into the center to no avail. Ended getting a chisel to on side of a flat and indenting it enough that the hex socket didn't slip. Also found that gorilla tape is thick enough to cover the chrome with to keep from ruining it while banging around with a hammer and chisel.
 
Reply
Old Sep 7, 2017 | 03:40 AM
  #4  
markwolula's Avatar
markwolula
Tourer
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 373
Likes: 90
From: australia
Default

As above member mentioned ,,,, Over sized torx socket on an extention to get in there ..... Same thing has happened to me on a 2009 e/glide... And it was the mounting bolt on the left , which has the lest room for access ... worked like a charm ...
 
Attached Thumbnails Rounded starter bolt-remove-stripped-hex-bolt-with-larger-torx-bit.png  
Reply
Old Sep 7, 2017 | 07:41 AM
  #5  
wis1's Avatar
wis1
Thread Starter
|
Cruiser
10 Year Member
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 221
Likes: 45
From: wisconsin
Default

Thanks for the help ! I'll try the socket idea as I tried various torx /metic alllens etc. hoping one of them would grab it .
 
Reply
Old Sep 7, 2017 | 07:57 AM
  #6  
RGlideryder's Avatar
RGlideryder
Advanced
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 67
Likes: 13
From: Western North Carolina
Default

Veekness..........oldschool mechanic, thought we were all gone. I know we're a dying breed. You're a genius by many standards.
 
Reply
Old Sep 7, 2017 | 08:04 AM
  #7  
lionsm13's Avatar
lionsm13
Seasoned HDF Member
15 Year Member
Community Builder
Liked
Loved
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 56,052
Likes: 88,322
From: Western South Dakota
Default

An Impact Driver with the right size bit such as this may work too.
That is what they are designed for.


 
Reply
Old Sep 7, 2017 | 08:11 AM
  #8  
Veekness's Avatar
Veekness
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 4,377
Likes: 647
From: Santa Clarita
Default

Originally Posted by RGlideryder
Veekness..........oldschool mechanic, thought we were all gone. I know we're a dying breed. You're a genius by many standards.
​​​​​​​Yep! Learned at the hands of those who were even older school...and weren't politically correct or sensitive to my feelings! Which, of course you know where of I speak, no doubt an old school wrench your own self!
 
Reply
HD Forum Stories

The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders

story-0

7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

 Verdad Gallardo
story-2

8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-3

10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

 Verdad Gallardo
story-5

Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Sep 7, 2017 | 08:18 AM
  #9  
RGlideryder's Avatar
RGlideryder
Advanced
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 67
Likes: 13
From: Western North Carolina
Default

Yep, grew up in the back of Dad's shops in the late 60's and 70's. If I wanted to ride something, Dad made me fix it first. Worked on a lot of old machinery, learned the hard way, pushing it back to shop sucked. Valuable education that can't be taught today. Loved everyday of it though.......
 
Reply
Old Sep 7, 2017 | 08:50 AM
  #10  
Veekness's Avatar
Veekness
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 4,377
Likes: 647
From: Santa Clarita
Default

Same way for me! You learned to sink or swim quickly...today's breed expects participation trophies for merely asking a question on the World Wide Web!
 
Reply



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:40 PM.

story-0
7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson built its reputation on nostalgia, but every so often, the company took a hard left turn into the future.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-20 11:18:19


VIEW MORE
story-1
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-29 16:50:35


VIEW MORE
story-2
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: Not every Harley gets it right, but these are the ones that genuinely earned their reputation.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-15 14:23:21


VIEW MORE
story-3
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-01 20:01:09


VIEW MORE
story-4
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

Slideshow: Killer Custom's "Jail Breaker" build focuses more on stance and visual aggression than mechanical overhaul.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-18 19:20:32


VIEW MORE
story-5
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-07 16:15:30


VIEW MORE
story-6
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's new RMCR concept revives the café racer formula with modern hardware-and it may be exactly the reset the company needs.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-04 12:23:37


VIEW MORE
story-7
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-02-24 18:19:44


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There is no shortage of great motorcycles to buy, but we would avoid these ten.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-02-19 14:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-13 18:33:17


VIEW MORE