SuzukiSavage.com - Side Cover Screw

WoodLark

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Side Cover Screw
03/10/10 at 13:11:24

I am doing some mods to my S40 and needed to get the left side cover off. I was unable to get the screw to loosen no matter what I did. I tried several different screwdrivers, used an impact tool, ground a new slot in the screw head, all to no avail. finally drilled the head off the screw. That allowed me to get the cover off, but now I have the little bit of the screw still stuck threaded into the weldnut. The isn't enough protruding to grab on to.

What are my options? Should I just drill out and retap the hole? If so, what size drill and tap would everyone recommend?

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serenity3743 Serious Thumper Offline Striving to better, oft we mar what's well Posts: 778 Black Mountain, NC Gender:	Re: Side Cover Screw Reply #1 - 03/10/10 at 13:21:46 Have you tried penetrating oil to free the threads up a little? If not, do that and then use a Dremel cutting wheel to cut a slot in the ragged end of the screw. It should then back out with just a regular screwdriver. If you end up drilling and tapping, find a workable size bolt first (4, 5, or 6 mm) and tap it to fit. HTH
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MMRanch

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Re: Side Cover Screw
Reply #2 - 03/10/10 at 17:50:30

The screw is made out of steel , The housing is made of Alumium. If you heat the Alumium it will swell to a larger hole and the steel woin't swell as much. Also if it has locktight in it the heat will make the locktight turn loose. Put some tork on it as you heat it, it should slowly start to move as the locktight softens.

I would use a pencil torch. Also rember heat goes up. so lay the bike on the other side the keep the heat from going into the crankcase , you know with the heated area as high as posible in comparison to the rest of the bike.

A lot easier that drilling and retapping. Good luck !

Let us know how it comes out .

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jef.savage Serious Thumper Offline ridin' n slidin' Posts: 638 Boston, MA Gender:	Re: Side Cover Screw Reply #3 - 03/10/10 at 19:53:57 You can get a screw extractor that goes into the screw after you drill a smaller hole through the middle. It's left hand threaded so it tightens as the screw loosens. In combination with the other ideas here it should save the hole. Sears sells them as well as most hardware stores.
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MMRanch Serious Thumper Offline Evil flourishes if Good Men do Nothing. Posts: 5857 LYNCHBURG TN Gender:	Re: Side Cover Screw Reply #4 - 03/10/10 at 23:31:40 Hay I was just thinking ..... if you lay the bike on its side gas may leak out .... then you come in with a torch ????? Not good........ take the tank off .......... but the heat will make the locktight loosen up .
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diamond jim Serious Thumper Offline Posts: 1425 North Alabama Gender:	Re: Side Cover Screw Reply #5 - 03/11/10 at 00:14:17 MMRanch wrote on 03/10/10 at 23:31:40: Hay I was just thinking ..... if you lay the bike on its side gas may leak out .... then you come in with a torch ????? Not good........
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WoodLark

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Re: Side Cover Screw
Reply #6 - 03/11/10 at 04:32:15

MMRanch wrote on 03/10/10 at 23:31:40:

Hay

I was just thinking .....

if you lay the bike on its side gas may leak out .... then you come in with a torch ?????

Not good........ take the tank off .......... but the heat will make the locktight loosen up .

Actually, the tank (and carburetor) are already off. If I can find the screw extractor, I may try a combination of that and heat.

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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: Side Cover Screw Reply #7 - 03/11/10 at 09:23:18 Wintergreen oil is one FIne penetrating oil. If you can lay the bike over some, it should oooze on down real well.
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Digger Serious Thumper 2005 No Login Offline Ya gotta be tough to ride singles! Posts: 1604 Colorado Springs, CO Gender:	Re: Side Cover Screw Reply #8 - 03/12/10 at 21:44:44 If you have to resort to drilling, I suggest using a left-handed drill bit. You might just get lucky!
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Re: Side Cover Screw
Reply #9 - 03/12/10 at 21:59:40

justin_o_guy2 wrote on 03/11/10 at 09:23:18:

Wintergreen oil is one FIne penetrating oil. If you can lay the bike over some, it should oooze on down real well.

I keep meaning to write that down,... I never remember when I'm out...
So, here I go, doing it again,.. no pencil... Huh

I really am gonna' get some.... Wink

Also,... use rubbing alcohol for pulling and installing grips... works great...
Good for back pain too!... Huh

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miker Junior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 53 Texas, USA Gender:	Re: Side Cover Screw Reply #10 - 03/13/10 at 06:28:11 justin_o_guy2 wrote on 03/11/10 at 09:23:18: Wintergreen oil is one FIne penetrating oil. If you can lay the bike over some, it should oooze on down real well. I never knew that. I have used it to locate air leaks on pnumatic control systems, but not as a penetrating oil. Since I learned something today, this day was not wasted!
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fascar228 YaBB Newbies Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 34 Islamabad Gender:	Re: Side Cover Screw Reply #11 - 03/15/10 at 23:19:23 woodlark, The way we do it here is to weld a bolt with electric drill to the protruding part of the screw and once cooled use a wrench to unscrew.
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fascar228 YaBB Newbies Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 34 Islamabad Gender:	Re: Side Cover Screw Reply #12 - 03/15/10 at 23:20:33 OOPPPS not an electric drill BUT an ELECTRIC WELDER!!!!
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Re: Side Cover Screw
Reply #13 - 03/15/10 at 23:26:46

What Fate? ur side cover screw would not come off, mine just loosened and the whole side cover flew off. The rider behind me saw it but by the time we went to retrieve it cars had trampled it. Had to get it dented and painted. It was a nightmare to match the colour (The cranberry red/pink/maroon...whatever). It really hurt as it a brand new bike with 645miles now. Sad

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WoodLark YaBB Newbies Offline Earth is the insane asylum of the universe! Posts: 34 South Carolina, USA Gender:	Re: Side Cover Screw Reply #14 - 03/16/10 at 05:23:26 I lucked out. I started drilling out the center of the bolt (with a right-handed bit). After the bit had gone in a short way, it bound up and turned the screw. It went on through and out the other side (luckily it wasn't a blind hole).
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