Handyman Posted September 30, 2011 Share #1 Posted September 30, 2011 I would ask two questions up front before I took a job. #1- Have you ever worked on your bike? #2- How much can you bench press? I just replaced my front tire and the bolts holding the calipers were so tight that three only have part of the threads left and one is there(maybe) forever. I had to fish the rotor into the pads on one side and thats harder than it sounds. The crazy part about it is they only have to hold themselves in. Zero pressure on the bolts. I'm open for suggestions on how to get it out without breaking off the ear. It is soaking in penetrating oil but I don't give it much hope. Thanks Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venturous Randy Posted September 30, 2011 Share #2 Posted September 30, 2011 I am not sure what you mean by part of the threads left. Did the bolts seize up as you were removing them and strip the threads some as they were coming out? RandyA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC89Venture Posted September 30, 2011 Share #3 Posted September 30, 2011 Get a can of PB Blaster from your local Auto Zone, spray, let it sit overnight, spray, than rap the bolt with a hammer to shock it. Keep working it, eventually it will give. Had a rear caliper bolt that gave me fits. Oh yeah, don't use Harbor Freight sockets on something like this, they only compound the problem by not being hard enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Handyman Posted September 30, 2011 Author Share #4 Posted September 30, 2011 It felt like they were in so tight that they had started to strip the threads when they quit tightening them. It didn't look like it was seized. Then when I loosened them, some of the threads on the aluminum side came out with the bolts. I have already gone to vise grips with no luck. I'm not 100% sure I even want it out at this point. It's not a problem until I need pads or a new tire. Maybe if I save the front brakes and just use the rear, I can pass it on to the next fella. Sounds like a weiner,HUH. Thanks Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiCarl Posted September 30, 2011 Share #5 Posted September 30, 2011 I would ask two questions up front before I took a job. #1- Have you ever worked on your bike? #2- How much can you bench press? You can save your breath. They'd just lie to you. If your threads are pulled from the holes you should put an insert in. You need enough thread to torque them properly. If course if it's the bolts that are stripped you should just replace them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dingy Posted September 30, 2011 Share #6 Posted September 30, 2011 You can save your breath. They'd just lie to you. If your threads are pulled from the holes you should put an insert in. You need enough thread to torque them properly. If course if it's the bolts that are stripped you should just replace them. I doubt you are going to be so lucky to have the bolts stripped, steel bolts vs aluminum casting. Some times an air impact with a impact 6 point sockets will persuade a bolt out. The hammering action of the impact helps break corrosion. Sometimes it doesn't help though. Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flb_78 Posted September 30, 2011 Share #7 Posted September 30, 2011 Vise grips? Is the bolt stripped or is the head rounded? Stripped means the threads are boogered up, Rounded means there are no corners left on the head of the bolt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Handyman Posted September 30, 2011 Author Share #8 Posted September 30, 2011 It was an allen,now it's a roundallen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flb_78 Posted October 1, 2011 Share #9 Posted October 1, 2011 So the head is rounded out. That's MUCH BETTER than stripped threads. I have a set of Snap On Extractors that would make very short work of this problem. http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=all&item_ID=77413&group_ID=1262&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Handyman Posted October 1, 2011 Author Share #10 Posted October 1, 2011 I have a buddy that's a Snap On guru. I'll check with him tomorrow. Thank Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooter Bob Posted October 1, 2011 Share #11 Posted October 1, 2011 It was an allen,now it's a roundallen. SOOooo, it's not even the original bolt, if I followed your thread correctly, which is possible. Unless YamaMama changed bolts fromm 99 till 05, these should all be external hex heads. FYI when you but new ones, Scooter Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Handyman Posted October 1, 2011 Author Share #12 Posted October 1, 2011 The bracket is held on by 2 hex. The caliper is held on by 2 allen. I'm sure they are factory because they are very unique. They are only threaded down from the head about 1" and the rest slides into the calipers to let them float on the rotors. I think the problem is they were tightened down so tight, they galded to the aluminum caliper. The axle was so tight, I had to use a cheater bar to get it broken loose. The P.O. must have had nightmares about going down the highway with no front wheel and no brakes or something. Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooter Bob Posted October 1, 2011 Share #13 Posted October 1, 2011 Here's a pic of my 05, I got it new, so these are original. http://tapatalk.com/mu/a6b5023b-674c-3392.jpg Later, Scooter Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooter Bob Posted October 1, 2011 Share #14 Posted October 1, 2011 Wow, this internet, wireless, bluetooth, whatchamacallit stuff is crazy neat sometimes... I took that pic with my phone and wrote that quick post and hit send. By the time I hit send and walked ten feet and plugged the phone back in and hit refresh on the puter, it was here!!! Point being, either we've all found something that changed on the venture besides the color in the last 13 years, or someone has put something in there that doesn't belong, possibly something "close enough" to get by. Anybody else on here have Socket Head Cap Screws for the caliper guide pins??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flb_78 Posted October 1, 2011 Share #15 Posted October 1, 2011 My 99 has allen head bolts on the caliper guides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyR Posted October 1, 2011 Share #16 Posted October 1, 2011 You made me look. Allens on my 2000 Millenium RSV in front Hexs on my 2008 RSTD I'm near to needing to replace the front tire on my Millenium so hopefully won't encounter this problem. I didn't check the rear to see what was there, they have been off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooter Bob Posted October 1, 2011 Share #17 Posted October 1, 2011 I didn't check the rear to see what was there, they have been off. The rear is a solid mounted caliper, so I wouldn't expect any change there. :scratchchin:Wow, do I go for an old school look on my RSV and put allen bolts in the front caliper mounts, or put in a CD changer and loose half the room in my left saddlebag??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skydoc_17 Posted October 1, 2011 Share #18 Posted October 1, 2011 I ALWAYS use an Impact Driver when trying to remove metal Allen Heads or bolts from Aluminum Threads. When you install a Steel or Stainless Steel Fastener in an Aluminum thread you get electrolysis, an electromagnetic field surrounds the two metal parts and the softer material corrodes itself to the harder material. You can see an example of this action on many places thru out your motorcycle. The "White Dust" you see collecting on the Allen Head Cap Screws on the engine cases and any where else you have a metal fastener in a Aluminum thread. The white dust is actually "Aluminum Rust" or the oxidation of the Aluminum as it decomposes. I find a single wrap of Teflon plumber's ribbon tape helps with this issue. Especially if you want to remove the bolts in the future, like for caliper removal. Earl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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