Fairing Bolt removal - 2 stuck

[thrasherfox]

Ok, left fairing.

Ok, lets start wth:

I am using the correct allen wrench

Lefty loosey righty tighty. so yes I am turning to the left

Yes I tried to tap on the head of the bolt to break iut loose

yes as an almost last resort I tried to tighten just a little to break it loose, didnt budge in that direction either



My middle left fairing bolt (near where frame sliders would go), and the lower rear fairing bolt (bottom as far back as you can go) are stuck

I have never had the left fairing off, never any damage to the bike. bolts are just fricken frozen

The middle fairing bolt I tried to undue to the point of pretty much stripping it out.

So then I drill a hole through the center of the bolt and I put in a screw extractor. After applying enough torque on this fricken bolt, the screw extractor snaps. Now I have a fairing bolt stuck in my fairing with a hardened metal piece of screw extractor stuck in the hole..

My only option left as I see it to try and prevent any damage to my fairing, is to drill the head of the bolt off so I can remove the fairing, then do whatever it takes to get the screw out.

Before I go to this next step, does anyone have any better ideas? Anyone else ever ran into this problem?

Is there some fairing bolt God that I must offer a sacrifice to in order to get this cursed bolt off?



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[Relsek]

Just beat it out, if you damage the fairing, just cover the damage with fake bullet holes. It's the easy way out.

 

[thrasherfox]

Sigh

 

[DR1300R]

Mine came from the factory that way. Two bolts were so tight that I had to do the same thing drill the bolts so I could remove the fairing then grabbed ahold with a pair of visegrips to remove the damaged bolts. Bummer but can be done. Good Luck, Trasher

 

[suzuki4life]

I wouldn't beat on the bike.

tape off the surrounding area and use a drill and try to drill the head off. If these are the bolts which tap directly into the frame and you beat on them and screw up the threads you'll be screwed from here on out. Take your time and drill the head off and then use vise grips to remove the rest from the frame. IF you do it right you'll need to replace a grommet and a fairing bolt(maybe $10) do it wrong and it'll cost you a new side panel.

 

[STUNNAH]

Never had it happen...But I agree with the taping and drilling...Only bullet holes in my bike are from the girls...

 

[thrasherfox]

Never had it happen...But I agree with the taping and drilling...Only bullet holes in my bike are from the girls...  

lol -

So Stunnah.. your bullet holes are real? lol

Yeah.. dangit.. I really hate to drill but it is looking like I have no choice..

I have never taken the left fairing off, I have had the bike for a year.. so it is either stock from the factory, or the last time I had it in the shop they did something.. But I am thinking it is that way from the factory..

oh well, looks like I will be drilling tomorrow...

 

[Revlis]

Just beat it out, if you damage the fairing, just cover the damage with fake bullet holes. It's the easy way out.

Oh damn, that's funny....

Thrash Brother, I would use a torch and just burn that bastard right out...  

OK OK, Umm...  Dayum, honestly I dunno.  I would say cut a slot and use and impact driver to break it loose, but not with that extractor in there huh?...

Hell Try WD40 and let it sit over night?  

Sorry Bro.  

 

[thrasherfox]

I went to my dealership. My mechanic told me to get a 4mm snapon.

So I went to the Snapon dealer and got a 4mm stubby snapon and I am going to try the screw with the stubby snapon.

I figure I will jam the stubby snapon into the hole as hard as I can and try to work it, if it slips out then I will have to pop the head off and slide it off.



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[thrasherfox]

Well three hours later, one bolt drilled out without any fairing damage.. didn't even touch the rubber bushing..

Started to drill the second bolt and almost made a mistake.. stopped for the night, figure I will finish it tomorrow..

Sometimes when I get real close to finishing something I get careless.. that is when it is time to stop, go doing something else and get back to it...

 

[MidnightBusainSD]

Good luck sounds like a mess but looks like you have no other choice major bummer

 

[epicrisis]

If it makes you feel better I had almost the same experience. The same two bolts *almost* got completly stripped trying to remove them. I have not tightly secured them this last time, and will be replacing them soon. Good luck with the last one!

 

[The Big Red One]

Don't EVER use a small allen wrench for anything that needs ANY kinda torqueing at all....a short allen gives you NO leverage and all you do is slip out of the hole and eventually strip your head. You need the right size allen on a socket base....you attach that with an extension to your rachet...then you can push against the socket as you turn...no slip no strip and I guarantee you'll get those pesky bolts out. Thats the same way the shop assembles them...that or t-handle allens. Don't even consider using the allen that comes in the toolkit

hope this helps guys....

 

[epicrisis]

TF - The same hour I responded to this post I had the same thing happen to me. I resolved it by using a dremel tool to cut a wide, narrow slot into the bolt, and then used a flathead screwdriver to remove the bolt. I initially tried using a socket with the same size allen head and an impact tool, but I just rounded out the screw more. The dremel took all of 15 seconds and worked perfectly!

 

[The Big Red One]

No no, impact bad! Those are too small for an impact...unless you use a small gun and turn it down....all you need is to start with a good bolt...then lean into the socket al little bit...start turning...you'll hear a little "pop" as the bolt comes loose...and its out. But you have to make sure the allen is centered and ALL the way into the head...then hold the allen socket with one hand...and lean straight in with the other as you twist.  if you can get it out with a slotted screwdriver which has wayy less torque capabilities than an allen head...that means it wasn't really that tight.
Just remember to try that first BEFORE you take any chances of stripping anything...allen heads are very good if your careful...but they strip easy...if your allen socket is worn a little and your bolt is kinda sloppy...don't try it...you need a good wrench on those small allen heads. Go buy a new allen socket...you need to keep tools like that in good shape or strips happen wayy easier.

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[MidnightBusainSD]

Sound like this would also be a good place to use some never seeze on them threads when you reinstall them

 

[UUBusa]

WD-40 from the back side on the lower bolt....the middle one, try to pull the fairing out enough to get to it from the back or between the frame and fairing....if ya do end up drilling the head of use a heat gun to warm up the frame some...try to keep the screw cool.  The first time I removed my fairings those same screws had a sqeek to them like they were going to freeze up...I put on some anti-seize to prevent it in the future and I just snug them.

Good Luck man..



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[epicrisis]

No no, impact bad! Those are too small for an impact...unless you use a small gun and turn it down....

The impact I was refering to was a hammer type... not the compressed air. Either way, it just made the issue worse. But the dremel did the trick perfectly.

TF -- Did you resolve this issue?

 

[clrwtrbusa]

I swear the guys that assemble these bikes tighten them like that on purpose. I had to chisel the 4 bolts off my front brake calipers to get them off. Then the local shop had to order the bolts. Damn shame when the shop does'nt even carry nuts and bolts for the bikes they sell

 

[thrasherfox]

I was able to drill off the head of the fairing bolt in the center.

I have not gone back to finish drilling the bottom bolt. When I was doing it the other night, I was tired, the location of it being on the ground, I slipped with my dremel and made a small mark on the fairing. nothing noticeable but I stopped and figured I will get back to it when I feel like it..

Not in a rush, it is almost drilled out. don't want to be drilling laying on my back when I am not in the right frame of mind...

I still have to get the fairing off then try to un screw the bolts using vice grips or something without screwing the threads up.

I guess if I have any complaints about the Busa, this thread seems to show a common problem with bolts being too tight. I mean I guess bolts being to tight are better than too loose, but this is crazy.