| Author | Message | ||
     Saltydog |
So, here is the story....took Uly in for a 5k service and had to do the trailer of shame because nobody was around to follow me 55 miles to the dealer and give a ride home. Few days later trailered it home and I was happy...until I went to ride it. Went to ride it and it would not start at first, then it started and backfired and sputtered and died...I am sad. Hmm, I now have a thumper I am thinking. So its a holiday weekend and dealer is closed til Tues, how hard could changing the plugs be...hahaha, I soon learn. First thing that gets me is the torx head screws, these things strip faster then a single mother with rent due, I am not happy. Then I pull the rear plug wire loose from the coil...uh oh. have to remove air box to get it back on, here comes the pain. I meet my nemesis...lower half of the airbox screws. Four little screws what could go wrong, I put the bit in and turn, stipping out my bit and the first screw..I am puzzled. Three hours later, two broken e-z outs, a broken drill bit, and a broke screw still half in the hole I have them all out and the air box comes off, I feel success. After that we throw some new Champion plugs in, whichs goes easy with the right extension and pivot. Re-assemble (ditch torx screws and use bolts from hardware store. Once we are back together turn key hit start and POOF....idles perfect. I WIN!!! So, what did I learn? I learned that whomever put red thread lock on torx screws at the factory is going to get a swift kick in the balls from me. Summary- Changing plugs easy, thread lock on air box not fun. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
Strip faster than a single mother with rent due. Good one. | ||
| Lorazepam |
Thanks, You make me look forward to that simple task. Guess I will use my impact tool on them. | ||
| Gamdh |
Had a similar experiance after my first service...but don't recall any problems with the airbox screws? I know I didn't strip any and just don't remember seeing locktite on them.. it was a while back. http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/142838/184959.html | ||
| Chadhargis |
I was going to take my airbox off to have a look around when I was installing the race kit. I tried to turn those same screws and couldn't budge them. I'm not looking forward to plugs.  | ||
| 44mag2 |
Same problem. I used a Dremel to cut slots in the stripped torx screws and used a big regular screwdriver to remove. I replaced with no loctite. However, it was not the airbox screws, it was on the left hand guard assembly. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
Use an impact tool that you hit with a hammer. They'll remove most anything. They are cheap also. | ||
| Stevenknapp |
The torx screws strip easily with poor fitting tools. I'd suggest picking up some good Torx tools. It's amazing the difference it makes. Best $9 I've spent on tools in a long time. http://www.wihatools.com/indexes/indxtorx.htm | ||
| Ulendo |
I'll second that steven - poor tools, or trying to use SAE tools in metric hardware will cause you a lot of grief every time...dont assume 'cause its 'American made' that the hardware is all SAE! Saltydog - when you say 'put the bit in' are you referring to a multi driver ( the kind where you exchange bits?) its generally 'bad ju-ju' to use those on any vehicle hardware: leave them for the home handy man types, and invest in a set of high quality screwdrivers for maintenance. if you 'must have' a multi set for on the trail, get a good quality bicycle folding set that includes hex's, screwdrivers, and the flat type wrenches( that look like a hex shaped hole punched in a piece of metal) note the GOOD quality part - cheap tools are false economy, and will end up costing time & money when they strip fasteners, and break parts. re: all the comments on red-loctite, after 15,000km in 4 months, a lot of it on dirt roads, all I can say is THANK YOU Buell for the loctite! every bike I've ridden with has had something fall off from vibration working fasteners loose....I make a point of putting never-seez on things that are meant to come loose (eg: axles), and loctite on things I want to stay attached ( eg, axle pinch bolts) | ||
| Chrisb |
Sometimes you need to suck it up and step onto the "truck". Making tool purchase decisions based on the wallet factor is not long term cost effective. You start adding trips to the hardware store to get new bolts and your time, GAS, frustration, the fact that crap never ever breaks when stores are open. Wait until you learn the Torx lesson with brake rotors. | ||
| Jeffs900s |
I'll second (or third) what others said about quality Torx bits. For some reason, with Torx it seems particularly important to have good ones, the cheap ones tend to be really really bad. | ||
| Jerseyguy |
"The torx screws strip easily with poor fitting tools." It seems that most Torx sets come with a #T-25 and a #T-30 bit when the Buell shoulder screws require a #T-27. Its an easy mistake to make as the #T-25 kinda' works. The #T-25 will however "Strip faster than a single mother with rent due." | ||
| Stevenknapp |
The odd thing is my Craftsman torx really aren't that impressive. I've not "stepped into the truck" yet for Torx, but $9 for this T-handle has paid off big time. Big leverage for breaking the loctite free, T-side for spinning it out. http://www.wihatools.com/364soft.htm But even their screwdriver bits fit well. | ||
| Jlnance |
 - Did I mention how much I have come to hate torx screws and loctite? As Jersybuy mentioned, Buell makes liberal use of T27 torx bolts. Thats an uncommon size, and as a T25 almost fits, that causes a lot of stripped bolts. I tried Sears, Northern Tools, Burke Bros, and Advance Auto. None of them stock a T27 attachement for a socket wrench. They all sell a kit of assorted torx sockets. I bought the kit and immediatly shattered the T27 taking off the fender. I found a T27 screwdriver at Sears for $4.98. I keep it under my seat now. The screwdriver actually works pretty well. Some wiser people showed me how to use it on loctited bolts: 1 - Put the driver in the torx head and hit it with a hammer a few times. This starts braking the loctite free. 2 - Put a large adjustable wrench on the driver handle and use the wrench to turn the driver. This finishes braking the loctite loose. Life if much better if you do those two things. (Message edited by jlnance on September 07, 2006) | ||
| Stevenknapp |
T27 3/8" drive socket with replaceable T27 insert - $4. http://www.wihatools.com/763serie.htm I wonder how much the hammer hit is to break the loctite loose and how much is to get it to seat in the bolt. I noticed that the better torx tools seem to sit deeper in the bolt than the others I have, and hence don't have the same cam out issues. |
