All interesting stuff. I'm really glad to know about other options to employ before the easyout...I didn't know it could go so wrong and I'm glad I'm reading about it rather than experiencing it
Just to save face a little here...I don't believe it was my heavy hand that did the bolt busting! If it had just happened to me the one time I would've laughed at myself and clocked it as an overtorquing...But after it happened to a friend's XS who was working in my shop, I thought it odd and asked to compare his bolts with mine...Both sets were pretty warped and thin...As if they were all quite sickly. We went out and got new bolts and had no problem torquring them up to the 6ft-lbs.
I will give you that most of these bikes have been to the dance a few times. I believe the sump bolts are designed to break before tearing threads out of the crankcase. (they have a non standard Yamaha bolt part number) So a overzealous PO tightener may have left them "hanging by a thread"
