| Author | Message | ||
     No_rice |
man do those things suck. decided since i had time today i would swap off my blue body work and put on my black set. most of the torx bolts come out fine. those damn ones on the front fender though really tick me off. they never come out, atleast for me. both of my bikes, the first time i tried to take the front fender off i was able to get one bolt out and the rest stripped. i had to drill the heads off of them on my white xb and then take a visegrip on what was left(it leaves aboult a 1/4 inch) and twist them out. what a pain. well now i have to do that to 3 of the ones on this bike. it takes forever because i have to keep a constant stream of water on them so i dont melt the fender. if the brackets weren't so flimsy i could pound the next size bigger in like i had to do on some of the better mounted bolts. it never fails, something always has to cause me problems and slow down a simple process. oh well, im done bitching for now i guess, lol | ||
| Isham |
 Looks like it would make a good cop bike. I like the colors. Cops on buells would be crazy. | ||
| Shred |
Duluth, Ga use to have 2 Buell tubers as police bikes. I think Buellish bought one at the city auction a few years ago. I've had to drill out a few bolts myself, I've been lucky on my bikes but a few other guys in our club (3%ers) had to drill and tap. You can buy hex bolts for some sizes, that's what we have done where we can. | ||
| No_rice |
i have replaced about half of the torx bolts in my old bike with a similar sized flat head screwdriver bolt. the seem to work good. atleast my odds of stripping the head out on that is WAY less than the torx head ones. my plan for today sometime is to drill them out if i can get the puny little drill i have here at the moment to last long enough. | ||
| Tpoppa |
Are you using the right sized torx bit? I believe it's a T27. T25 would almost fit, but would cause stripping. I have never stripped one. (Message edited by tpoppa on December 15, 2005) | ||
| No_rice |
yes its the right size, it strips because those particular bolts seize in the front fender mount. those, and one or two on the chin spoiler the first time i ever try to take them out, are basically the only ones i have had problems with atleast on both of my bikes they have. after i have gotten them loose for the first time then i don't seem to have a problem with them again. | ||
| Jcbikes |
The tool that you use on the torx head means a lot. If you use the allen wrench that comes with the bike, not good. I purchased a T27 that fits on a 3/8" socket wrench. This enables you to put downward force directly above the head of the bolt as you move the wrench. Never had a problem with this setup. The correct tool really helps! | ||
| Kootenay |
I'm not fond of Torx bolts either. They are finicky about size, and many of the sizes are pretty close (eg. T25 vs T27)--I don't know why they don't just standardize at a few driver sizes. Plus, the interlocking splines are too delicate and easily damaged. When I got my bike, brand new even if it was a 2-year-old leftover, from the dealer, some of the Torx-head bolts attaching the body plastic were already stripped. Does anyone know of a source of bolts--say, Allen head--which could replace the stock Buell body panel bolts? The shoulder would be a nice feature to keep, as well as the broad head... | ||
| Lastcyclone |
I buy them here. Top quality, good price when you get them by the box. <http://www.boltdepot.com/Default.aspx> I've changed most of mine to chrome. Holds up better and looks sharp. | ||
| Kootenay |
Hey thanks, Lastcyclone. But because I'm lazy, could you tell me what size you order? Thanks... | ||
| Diablobrian |
might try here too for other options http://www.tastynuts.com/site/frameset.htm | ||
| Madsx |
Love them tasty nuts!  | ||
| No_rice |
i have a whole snap-on set of torx. it is simply the fact that they get kind of seized in there and then you need to be able to aply more force to them then the little nubs on the head of the torx bolt can seem to handle. hell, they are in there so tight that even after i got the heads of them off i had to clamp the visegrip on there so hard i popped my knuckles and it still slipped a few times trying to work them back and forth to get them out. i cant believe my luck is so bad that i got the only two xb's that both have had the bolts seized in the front fender mounts | ||
| Superbee24 |
Front fender bolts on mine were not seized, they had red locktite on them. THey were hard to pull. | ||
| Bing |
Another trick to help pull screws or bolts like this is to use a dremmel type tool and cut a slot in the head then use an appropriate sized strait slot screwdriver. I've used this trick on several different applications. Sgt Bing | ||
| Pwnzor |
Torx rox! Never met a torx I didn't like. Of course I'm using pneumatic tools with the proper sized bits. As with any job it is important to use the right tool every time. If you're using steel bolts into aluminum or other metal, grease the shoulder and don't over torque. I think my torque wrench is my most valuable tool on the bench. Just 2 cents worth. | ||
| Bumblebee |
Torx work great... BUT...you gotta use the right tools, only high quality drivers need apply. Cheap-o Torx drivers will strip things out. | ||
| Opto |
No Rice, the torx screws holding on the front fender and the chin fairing were very tight on 2 new XB's that I worked on, and the loctite was there on them, felt like I was going to break something getting them out. Loctite softens with heat but so does plastic. I think a 3/8" drive ratchet with 6" extension and a bit holder is the way to go. There's so many torx screws on an XB I think it may be cheaper to tool up rather than swap for allen heads, and while you're at it a speed brace is pretty quick for removing the tank cover or chin fairing. | ||
| Crusty |
I'm lucky. The place I work at has copious quantities of Stainless allen socket heads, button heads and flat head cap screws. I realize that stainless is soft, but I really hate torx bolts. For applications that don't require high tensile strength, the stainless works just fine. and I can carry inexpensive but high quality Allen wrenches when I'm traveling. Good Torx bits/ wrenches are costly and bulky. No matter which type of drive you use, it's a good idea to be liberal with Anti-seize compound. |
