Stuck/Stripped Clutch bolt

Axel

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Oh please someone save me. Attempting to replace the bendix gear on my 80 xs650 and the bolts are stuck. Any suggestions, besides something explosive, to loosen them up? I dont know who was possessed someone at yamaha to use phillips to begin with...
Attached is a pictures of the problem... yes... I was stupid with one bolt, but was mad and the extractor took what was left of the phillips head off the bolt.

http://i371.photobucket.com/albums/oo154/h4x3l/2010-09-18174551.jpg

By the way... I've been a stalker on these forums off and on for a few months. You guys are a great help. You have helped me figure out so many things that someone has done to this poor bike.

Its an 80 with 16000 miles on it. Its a little beat up, been slowly bringing it back to its old glory.
 
Use a Dremel and cut across the head so a flat head screw-driver will fit. If this does not work use a sharp flat chisel and slowly work it out. Good luck. Tony C.
 
One of the reasons to have an impact screw driver and the proper sized bits. Bummer, and I've been there.

Just thinkin'...if all else fails I'd take the other bolts out and then grind ( or drill ) the head off of that bad one, remove the clutch and then see if I'd be able to grab the remaining threads and back it out.
 
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you need a snapon #3 phillips with a 12mm wrench to put on it... i'll come right off.
 
I just dont know if its worth the money to buy a decent impact set...

Guess one incident like this and it would be.... I used a #3 (look at the bolt at 6'oclock) and the tines on the bolt started bending. The one at 10'oclock was easier to get to so I figured I'd press on that one first. End result is as shown :(

I'll try the dremel and chisel approach on the bad one and see how it goes. All of them appear to be in so tight I cant work them off. I guess try and borrow an impact from a friend on the others and see how it goes.

I am absolutely using the hex bolt mod to put the blasted thing back together. Hopefully replacing three of the springs will alleviate the slipping at 65 if I apply throttle. If not... at least it will be easier to take back off.
 
I just dont know if its worth the money to buy a decent impact set...

Guess one incident like this and it would be.... I used a #3 (look at the bolt at 6'oclock) and the tines on the bolt started bending. The one at 10'oclock was easier to get to so I figured I'd press on that one first. End result is as shown :(

I'll try the dremel and chisel approach on the bad one and see how it goes. All of them appear to be in so tight I cant work them off. I guess try and borrow an impact from a friend on the others and see how it goes.

I am absolutely using the hex bolt mod to put the blasted thing back together. Hopefully replacing three of the springs will alleviate the slipping at 65 if I apply throttle. If not... at least it will be easier to take back off.

Harbor Freight has them on sale for 5 bucks, reg price is 7.99. It will be well worth it to not strip the living shit out of phillips head bolts like you did lol.
 
Harbor Freight has them on sale for 5 bucks, reg price is 7.99.

My HF impact driver is becoming my favorite tool. And my neighbor's favorite tool since he borrows it about once a week. Absolutely necessary tool. HF has two sizes 1/2" and 1/4". The 1/2" has a Phillips bit that will fit the smallest screws you'll encounter on the XS and you can step it down to use your 3/8" sockets.
 
I agree... my impact driver is one of the best tools I own. I used it to get my clutch bolts out. No stripping whatsoever.
 
Soak the bolts (cap screws) overnight with PB Blaster first. Try vibration next, striking blows with a hammer and a piece of wood block.

Then I agree with Tony, use a sharp chisel to make counter clockwise blows on the head of the cap screw till it breaks loose.

If they are that tight, they may have been overtightened by a PO. Don't be surprised if you snap some off.

That problem can be resolved by pulling the basket apart, removing it from the shaft and (MIG or stick) welding an old screwdriver bit (ground off flat) to the end of the cap screw protruding out the back of the basket. Then, lock onto the screwdriver bit with Vise Grips and carefully thread the broken screw on through the back of the basket and out.

If you can't get it, take it to a machine shop before you bugger things up too bad. But I think you'll be all right. I did it, you can too.

Good luck.
 
my Hf impact driver sucked. I smacked it, and the collar flew off, the inner balss went flying. I took it back for another one, and it did the same thing. never got my rocker shafts out.
Yuo get what you pay for. I love HF, but Just get a quality driver. you'll be glad you did.
 
+1 on the impact driver. For the bolt that is really jacked up, get the rest out and if all else fails, drill the head of the screw off. Once the tension from the spring is relieved, it should unthread easily. Before you reassemble it, you may do this modification.

http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3408

Posted via Mobile
 
If you want the best, get a Vessel, specifically the Vessel 2500. I have the $5 HF unit and it doesn't hold a candle to my ancient Vessel. This was one of the 1st motorcycle specific tools I bought way back when I was like 13 or 14 years old. Back then it was only about $8 at the local hardware store. Vessel still makes and sells this tool but of course it cost substantially more now ($50+). The HF unit was worth it to get the bits which I now use mostly in the Vessel, lol.
 
Horse hockey. Plenty of pros use Harbor Freight tools. Pros are too busy scraping their knuckles to look down their noses at tool brands.

Now my hammer on the other hand, I always insist on my Blue Grass fiberglass handle model from 1964. The model 151 with the vinyl grip, not the 152 leather. It's my "go to" hammer. lol Y'alls hammers are sheeit.


ewww. Malaysia.
http://www.techno.com.my/products/general/vessel.htm
 
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my whole bike is made using HF tools. I'm just saying the impact drivers are crap.
I'm thinking of youtubing a spoof of a bike biuld ala american chopper, but instead of the snap-on bike, do a Harbor frieght bike.
 
Ended up buying http://www.harborfreight.com/impact-screwdriver-set-with-case-37530.html

I couldnt find http://www.harborfreight.com/7-piece-reversible-impact-driver-set-93481.html at my local store.

Worked great, used a hardened flat-head to impact the bored out screw. Thank you for the help, I didnt realize that would easily break how tight they were on. Now I feel bad for stripping one of the original screws.

MikesXS took a good idea and sells it on his site now "premade" for the hex bolt mod for the clutch. http://www.mikesxs.net/parts/img250/39-6504.jpg

I know the love/hate with MikesXS, hes been pretty good to me. Other than the clutch handle I had to go back to the original because he sent me 3 replacements and they all stripped my clutch cables. He did send me a free clutch cable also.... When it ate that one I gave up... I'll find out how well these bolt mods work, I dont have all the equipment to do it myself yet.
 
The one you bought is the one I have, the 1/2" one. The one your store didn't have in stock was the 1/4" one. So you did good. $4.99. Crazy.

Angus I don't know what happened to your HF driver. Maybe your hammer is too good for it :)
 
I bought a run of the mil wooden 4lb sledge. One whack is all it took. Hopefully 650central will have new springs, mikes is out of stock. Guess I'll wait on the hex bolt mod and just replace the bendix for now.

I wana ride it this weekend if everything goes well. Still have to decide on 180 or 185 main jet.... I get better performance but the exhaust smell doesn't sit right... even with good burn on the spark plugs.
 
My ancient 3/8 hand impact wrench must be over 30 years old now, bought at the local independant auto parts store (remember those?) Bought it when all the imports used philips head cover screws. Ah the good ole days trying to remove 10 PO buggered up phillips screws to get ANY side cover loose? That boy is still one of my most cherished tools. Yeah phillips head on those clutch bolts is rather lame.
 
Anything that you have to impact for it to operate is a cherished tool.... theres a joke there somewhere. :D

Glad I missed those years, if I didnt say it well enough before. Thank you guys for the help, I was thinking those stupid things would never come off.
 
mine were a serious pain. the heads were visibly rusted, and even with soaking in pb blaster and using impact, I only got one of the six to come loose. for the rest I dremeled a groove in one side of the screw head and cracked them loose with a flat-blade screwdriver and a hammer.
 
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