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I Screwed Up. Suggestions?

Paul_F

RK Ryder
Pun intended.

So this morning I decided that it was time to take the tupperware off the R1100RT to bleed the brakes and get the bike ready to do a scheduled maintenance (other fluids were changed last November) for spring riding, (if the snow ever melts).

I removed the right side fairing, using my usually tools. No problem. When I got to the left side, I remembered reading earlier this week that someone uses a power screwdriver (with the correct allan bit) to speed up the task. Thought I'd try that. First bolt that I attempted was the lower, rear bolt, nearest the rear wheel. The battery operated screwdriver managed to strip the head of that bolt. :banghead

How to remove that bolt? What are your suggestions? My best thought would be to use long nose vice grips to unlock the bolt from behind the fairing; think that I might be able to reach it. :dunno

If you have better suggestions, please share before my mistake becomes worse. :dance
 
Dremel tool with the fine cutting wheel & cut a slot across it.

or if you have reverse drills, drill it out, it will bind and the screw will spin out
 
A Stripped Allen can be tough to get out. those screw extractors may work but you may find the the existing hole in the head is too shallow to get a good bite, some grinding may be needed on the extractor to hit the edges of the hole you have to modify it to fit this bolt head. You could also drill the bolt to make the hole deeper so the extractor bites better. A left hand drill bit would be my first choice as a means to attempt it but getting one will require ordering as they may not be common in local hardware stores.

Since you stripped the head we know the bolt is tight, you mentioned you may be able to grab it from behind, if you can break it loose, then the tough part is done. You could try dressing the end of your Allen on a grinder leaving slight burr on the end, drive it into the Allen and see if you can spin it out.

The dremel option carries the most risks of damaging the tupperware. Since I can't see what the head looks like and if it is proud enough to make a cut has to be considered.
I normally use those fiberglass reinforced cutting wheels and save units that are smaller for jobs where I can't fit a big wheel in a tight location, two hands guiding the tool is necessary or it will jump.

good luck,
 
Just a heads-up: if you do anything back on the threads, you'll probably narf them up a little, so be prepared to buy a replacement nutclip too.

And now you know: Never use a power tool for the initial loosening or final tightening (except maybe for loosening the rear wheel lug nuts). Yes the assembly line does, but they have computer-controlled robots with clutches on the tools.
 
Yes they're spreadable, but not when mounted in place. If you can remove enough of the screw's head, you might be able to spread it enough then.
 
I have also had luck using Torx bit of same general size, may have to tap in...but it works.

Have seen a lot of aftermarket stainless screws gall/sieze in clips and threaded wells of 1100's.:banghead
 
:dance Success! :dance

The bolt wouldn't budge with small long nose vice grips on the inside of the panel. I liked the idea of a slot to screwdriver it out but fearing that I'd have trouble keeping the dremel from drifting over to the plastic, I opted instead to use tiny triangular files to create my slot. Covered the plastic area around the bolt with photographer's gaffer tape. Seemed to take forever but even with my slot, I couldn't get the bolt to move.

Hence in desperation, I drilled a small hole through the bolt followed by a larger drill bit which took the head off. Removed the left panel and then used small vice grips to turn the remaining part of the bolt into the bike (since it was the shortest distance). The clip was damaged but when I got the R1100 back in 2009, I thought clips might be things that disappeared on occasion as they did with my K, so I immediately picked up a few extras. This is the first time that I had need to replace a clip on the 1100.

I really didn't mind damaging a clip; I was more concerned with the plastic (which I didn't damage.)

Next time I take the plastic off, I'll do it using the same tools that I've been using since 2009.

Thanks to all with your suggestions. :thumb
 
Just don't let ANY anti-seize get in the wrenching area of the fastener or on your driver wrench end. Degrease w solvent or gas etc if it happens.
 
It would be a bit more helpful if you would share why.
I have found that having anything that resembles an antiseize (such as oil, grease, paint etc) on a Phillips driver will greatly enhance the tendency to cam out/strip out. I would assume a shallow hex key or similar would do the same. This is the sort of thing where the user gets only one chance - better make it a good one. Those fairing screws have a super shallow hex socket in them which makes them potentially marginal in a corrosive application.

Of course grit helps too according to others though I have not used it.
 
If I have an "iffy" head on a fastener - hex, Allen, Torx, or Phillips - a small dab of valve grinding compound often helps things grip. I haven't hand lapped valves in 25 years but still have a bit of grinding compound among the stuff on the shelf.
 
I have found that having anything that resembles an antiseize (such as oil, grease, paint etc) on a Phillips driver will greatly enhance the tendency to cam out/strip out. I would assume a shallow hex key or similar would do the same. This is the sort of thing where the user gets only one chance - better make it a good one. Those fairing screws have a super shallow hex socket in them which makes them potentially marginal in a corrosive application.

Of course grit helps too according to others though I have not used it.

Good points, thanks.
 
The not widely recognized effect of paint as an anti-seize is left over from aircraft experience, where say a wing tank cover is held with a lot of painted #8-32 structural screws that haven't been out of their holes for many years. What a mess when the Phillips screwdriver cams out and there is no easy access to the back side for nut plate replacement. :violin It becomes one of those cases where there's a lot of work generated if the first try misses.
 
Have seen a lot of aftermarket stainless screws gall/sieze in clips and threaded wells of 1100's.:banghead

They also tend to cross-thread because they have squared-off tips rather than the slightly tapered tips found on the OEM parts, and so are harder to get started fairly. Not a big deal on the ones that go into the spring nuts, which can be replaced, but a real stinker in the blind holes on the tank.
 
They also tend to cross-thread because they have squared-off tips rather than the slightly tapered tips found on the OEM parts, and so are harder to get started fairly. Not a big deal on the ones that go into the spring nuts, which can be replaced, but a real stinker in the blind holes on the tank.
The screw tip can be made conical by holding a corresponding metric nut tightly in a vise grip and guiding the screw rotation with an appropriate tool/key. This allows you to address a grinding wheel to get the desired cone end. Polish the end and thread entries then with the wire wheel. Those blind tank threads are especially critical and need a conical screw end.
 
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