uh-oh...stripped windshield bolt!

[burkazoid]

While in the process of removing the windshield this morning, I (somehow) managed to strip one of the four bolts securing the deflector in place. While unfastening this last bolt it seemed to keep getting tighter and tighter as it came off. As a result, it unscrewed about 1/16th of an inch and then froze; the last attempt to get it off the rest of the way is what stripped it. The allen wrench fit it so tightly that I was quite surprised it stripped it.

So, how do I get this thing out? Do I just hacksaw it off and drill it, or is there a better way? It's pretty much frozen; not going anywhere.

Also, any idea where I can order a replacement for this bolt?

[dogdoc]

Sounds like a mess for sure. You can either use a screw out on a variable speed drill with lots of downward pressure and slow speed or vise grips and slow mo it. if the allen head is not stripped out which is common sounds like your threads are stripped. Once out you might have to re tapp your screw hole and buy new screws(bikebandit,com), Good Luck

[cactusjack]

Ace Hardware is a good source for replacement fasteners. I buy metric stainless steel, they seem to hold up better than those chrome bolts and they will never rust. Plus, the OEM bolts are expensive.

Not sure which bolt you stripped. Is it one of the 4 bolts that mount the windshield assembly to the fork brackets, or is it one of the bolts that secures the chrome braces on the windscreen itself?

[burkazoid]

Doc, cactusjack,

Let me take a couple of quick pictures and post them online so you can see them better.

It's coming out crooked, which tells me I put the dang thing in there crooked.

I'll reply back as soon as I have the pics up.

Best,
B.

[burkazoid]

Well, I can't get a good picture of it. The camera won't focus properly for some reason.

cactus, to answer your question, it is one of the four bolts that fasten the entire windshield itself on to the fork brackets. In particular, from the perspective of sitting on the bike and facing forward, this is the top left bolt.

This is definitely not how I wanted to spend my Saturday. All I wanted was to wash the bike and that's it. LOL

I think I'm going to have to settle for the vice grips and then re-tapping the threads. Crud.

Follow-up: Vice-grips won't budge it, they just keep screwing up the head. I'm so mad right now I'd beat the SOB off with a hammer right now if I could get one in there.

[macmac]

Ouch. The first thing to do is mask it off around the area. These bolts have pretty rounded heads with a 6mm hex i think with out going to look at my bike. My take on the topic is you have crossed threaded the bolt AND stripped the allen. I hope I understand correctly.

That sucks.. If you have a dremel the next step is to cut a slot for a big flat blade screw driver, and one with a square shank you can put a wrench on.

No dremel and it becomes hack saw time and really hard to get done with the windshield in the way. Real tuff. But hey you needed a dremel tool any way right?

Ok so if that fails with the tape still on, cut the head of the bolt right off as flat and flush as you can muster. It is drill and tap time, so drill with a bit made for threading 88m by 1.25 pitch I think. Since the bolt is seized tight you can probably just leave it an drill to thread, rather than pull the crud.

The hard part there is if the rest of the dead bolt give it up and falls to bits. Then you will have to start another bolt and make it stay there, as I don't belive there is any helicoil in this size.

You have the option to use a longer bolt and add one form or another of nut on the inside, even if that is a temp fix just to ride. I hope any of this helps...

[cactusjack]

You could disassemble the windscreen to minimize the risk of damaging an expensive piece of lexan. That way, you'd only have the brackets to deal with.

[burkazoid]

You guys always bring me such good news LOL. No, seriously, I'm going to go the dremel route first; the bolt isn't that long, and it looks like it is teetering on it's last thread to stay in there. If there is too much danger scratching or banging anything valuable, I'll do as cactusjack advised and just disassemble the windshield.

[macmac]

Masking tape everything and anything... Maybe do it twice..slipping sucks.

Maybe since one set of threads or the other is stripped, you can spend a bit more time turning the bolt In as well as out and maybe, just maybe you can shove a smaller allen in from the back and pop it out some, say enough to grab it with the grips.

If you get really lucky, it will be the bolt only that is stripped.. Me:, I never get that lucky.

[skimo]

Here's my comment from previous thread

I had similar problem, all the bolts came out fine except for one. Had to fight it all the way out and stripped the allen head in the process, I was lucky because I got it out just enough to get the vise grips on the head. The threads on the bolt were fubar but the welded nut thread looked fine. Called my buddy and his wife, to see if they had a spare bolt since they had all kind of spare hardware from previous mods. Sure enough he had one and told me to come on over and he would fix the problem. He broke out the tap and die set to clean out the nut which is welded to the bracket. He too had a similar problem with a welded nut which was chrome over on his VN2000. He cleaned out the the threads on the nut and the new bolt went in and out by hand.

Basically the problem is the nut is welded to bracket then the whole thing is chromed. The nut threads should be cleaned after this process with a tap. If one is missed the chrome is harder than the soft stainless allen bolt. When the bolt is installed the chrome bur in the nut threads will galled the threads of the stainless bolt.

Here the thread

http://kawanow.proboards77.com/index...ay&thread=4147

[dkdixie]

Had the same problem with one of the lowers bolt. Was able to get it off with vise grips.
Turned out the welded nut was off center. Kaw replaced lower under warranty, which was a good thing since it was kind of scratched up.

[macmac]

skimo, I hope that is exactly what happens for burkazoid.

[dogdoc]

Like i thought you cross threaded the bolt maybe the last time you put it in and then this time it wouldn't back out. Hope you fix it.

[jimbo]

My windshield adjustment bolts ( just one) did the same thing when i first got the bike home. I just drilled it out (very carefully) and i used a craftsman spiral screw extractor. It was tough but it came out. I then ran a thread tap through it to clean up the threads. I bought the stainless steel replacement bolt at lowes. They surprisingly had a pretty good selection of stainless steel fasteners.

[Idaho]

Had one of my windshield bolts freeze up and stripped the allen head out. I used a drill bit larger than the bolt shaft and drilled straight down into the allen head until the screw head was easy to pop off. Did not have to worry about marring the windshield.