Dropped bolt. Need advice.
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Tourer
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 445
Likes: 0
From: Boise, ID
Dropped bolt. Need advice.
So Sunday afternoon I installed my new Python Mambas on the FLHX. Everything went smoothly until I had to change out the mounting bracket located on the starter. As I was removing the bolts on the starter, the 1/4 inch allen head I was using fell out if the socket. I searched on every peice of the bike. Tipped it from one side to the other. Rolled it back and forth and for the life of me I cannot find where the darn thing fell. Well after examining every part of the bike I could only find one spot where it could have gone. If you are on the right hand side of the bike looking at the bolts mounting the starter, you can actually see where the belt enters the primary case. So I figures it had to fall into this hole. So I go to remove the primary cover and of course I stip out the 28t torx head on one of the bolts for the cover. So now I am sitting there with a stripped out bolt on the Primary cover and a possible metal bit in the belt drive. What the F(&^& am I gonna do?
I have an appiontment to have the bike tuned on Saturday with the new pipes on. I can ask them to pick up the bike and trailor it to the shop or I can ride it over as it is only about 4 miles from my house. So should I just have them pick it up and tell them about my problems or should I just ride it over tot he shop and hope everything is fine or should use an easy out and try to remove the stripped out bolt and open the primary in hopes of finding the bit and then just replace the bolt? I feel like an idiot loosing that bolt and I am gonna feel even mre stupid if it aint in there and I really have no idea where it is.
Thanks for listening to me babble on like an Idiot and thanks for any advice anyone may give. Ride safe.
Malac
I have an appiontment to have the bike tuned on Saturday with the new pipes on. I can ask them to pick up the bike and trailor it to the shop or I can ride it over as it is only about 4 miles from my house. So should I just have them pick it up and tell them about my problems or should I just ride it over tot he shop and hope everything is fine or should use an easy out and try to remove the stripped out bolt and open the primary in hopes of finding the bit and then just replace the bolt? I feel like an idiot loosing that bolt and I am gonna feel even mre stupid if it aint in there and I really have no idea where it is.
Thanks for listening to me babble on like an Idiot and thanks for any advice anyone may give. Ride safe.
Malac
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 4,271
Likes: 29
From: Green Country,Oklahoma
RE: Dropped bolt. Need advice.
Man sometimes those bolts seem to have disappeared off the face of the earth.I have found them 10 feet from where I thought they fell,may want to get a flashlight and a magnate and make sure it didn't land somewhere else than where you're thinking.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 28,552
Likes: 3,954
From: Vermont
RE: Dropped bolt. Need advice.
The belt actually does not enter the primary case. The primary is a closed unit with the chain only inside of it so there is no way that the bolt could have fallen into the primary. Not to bust your chops, but you stripped the bolt for nothing
The bolt could have fallen onto the belt near the pulleys. If that is the case you could fug up the belt and the pulley teeth should it get caught up. Have you tried putting the bike up on a jack and rotating the rear tire with the bike in gear to get things moving? Also the torx bolt shouldn't be a 28.
The bolt could have fallen onto the belt near the pulleys. If that is the case you could fug up the belt and the pulley teeth should it get caught up. Have you tried putting the bike up on a jack and rotating the rear tire with the bike in gear to get things moving? Also the torx bolt shouldn't be a 28.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,521
Likes: 15
From: Bremerton
RE: Dropped bolt. Need advice.
If I got this right you have 1 stripped out head on a bolt on the primary cover.If you have the other bolts off you should be able to drill the head off and remove the cover and simply remove the bolt (most of the time by hand).
Road Master
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,212
Likes: 1
From: Maryland
RE: Dropped bolt. Need advice.
When I stripped mine out, I used a chisel to cut a slot into the head of the bolt, then turned it out with a screwdriver. Scard the crap out of me, the bike was only a month old when I did this.[:@]
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 799
Likes: 0
From: Auburn, Indiana
RE: Dropped bolt. Need advice.
If you got a small mirror, us that and a flashlight to try and look down the hole, and do what fathose suggested, use a magnate to try and get in there and remove it, they dont cost much to buy if you dont have one. Cheaper than the allternative.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,241
Likes: 7
From: Daytona, Fla.
RE: Dropped bolt. Need advice.
You could use a manual. The belt doesn't enter the primary case, it runs behind it. If the bike is on a lift (& the wheel is off the floor) just put it in gear & rotate it enough to make sure the bolt isn't layin' on the belt. The bolt you dropped is probably under the starter (or on the other side of the garage). You might be able to get it out with a magnet, or just put another one in & ride it. The bouncing will drop it on the road & you can for get it.
Unless you drop a nut or bolt inside an opening you've made in the motor or transmission these things are pretty bullet proof. Remember you ride among debris every day. Gravel roads are just long stretches of debris. I'm not suggesting you don't make a serious effort at keepin' crap out of your bike, but these things ain't glass! They'll take a hell of a lot more punishment than most people imagine.
Unless you drop a nut or bolt inside an opening you've made in the motor or transmission these things are pretty bullet proof. Remember you ride among debris every day. Gravel roads are just long stretches of debris. I'm not suggesting you don't make a serious effort at keepin' crap out of your bike, but these things ain't glass! They'll take a hell of a lot more punishment than most people imagine.
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 4,271
Likes: 29
From: Green Country,Oklahoma
RE: Dropped bolt. Need advice.
ORIGINAL: mysticwolf
If you got a small mirror, us that and a flashlight to try and look down the hole, and do what fathose suggested, use a magnate to try and get in there and remove it, they dont cost much to buy if you dont have one. Cheaper than the allternative.
If you got a small mirror, us that and a flashlight to try and look down the hole, and do what fathose suggested, use a magnate to try and get in there and remove it, they dont cost much to buy if you dont have one. Cheaper than the allternative.