Has anyone else had problems undoing the 4 hugger bolts. Been tryin to undo mine to replace hugger and the bloody things aint moving .. Spent the last hour trying to get some penetrating spray in there but they're still "firm" .. Am kinda worried about rounding the bolts ... Am I missing something ? ... Cheers chaps n chapesses
Joined Oct 2010
2K Posts | 20+
The Fens.
Sounds like the bolts are corroded into the 'arm.You will have a heck of a job forcing any oil in there as they are button head bolts.You may have to destroy the old hugger and/or the bolts to remove them.
I had the same thing on a Ducati Multistrada,....fookin' bolts just would not shift.Got a bit worried they would shear off in the 'arm.I had to break the old hugger off,then chipped away the remnants around the bolts with a hammer and old screwdriver.A bit of heat with a blowtorch and the bolts shifted using a pair of grips.New carbon hugger went on with some shiny stainless bolts from ebay,.....and plenty of copperslip on the threads.
I had the same thing on a Ducati Multistrada,....fookin' bolts just would not shift.Got a bit worried they would shear off in the 'arm.I had to break the old hugger off,then chipped away the remnants around the bolts with a hammer and old screwdriver.A bit of heat with a blowtorch and the bolts shifted using a pair of grips.New carbon hugger went on with some shiny stainless bolts from ebay,.....and plenty of copperslip on the threads.
Cheers for the input chaps ... Was only swopping hugger for a different one so ideally wanna keep the original ... tho atm it looks like the new one is gonna be on fleabay by the end of the week ... possibly along with the rest of the bloody bike ... Fed up with crappy Italian workmanship !!! .. Might just have to revert back to Speed Triple ....
Well .. tried the wood chisel and gentle tapping ... minor success cos the bolt appeared to be turning .... then the fecker sheared off in swingarm .... !!!!! .... So am somewhat pissed off right now and am decidedly anti Italian ... Am gonna go make myself feel better by looking on Bike Trader .....
I've sometimes found that it's better to give the head of the bolt a good sharp dink. That's sometimes loosings the threads from each otherinside the hole and because it's straight down, it shouldn't shear the threads etc. Worth (no pun) a go.
Joined May 2011
155 Posts | 0+
South Yorkshire
It's not italian workmanship dude, common problem, you get a chemical reaction between ali and steel where the corrode slightly & fuse together, especially if water can get in (dead easy on vertical bolts) you need to break the corrosion, keep spraying it with WD-40 for a few days, use a socket type Allen key, insert it in the head of the bolt & **** it with a hammer like you're trying to knock the bolt into the thread then gently try undoing it, when you replace the bolts use plenty of copperslip to avoid a repeat of this next time you need the bugger off.
Joined May 2011
155 Posts | 0+
South Yorkshire
It'll come out dude, probably a 4mm thread, carefully center punch the middle of the bolt, start with a 2.5mm drill do not press on the drill light pressure and let the drill do the work otherwise you'll risk getting the drill hot and snapping it keep it lubricated with oil too, if you follow it with a 3mm then an thread extractor should shift it, steady hands & patience it'll come out, at very worst drill the bolt and the thread out and helicoil it, stainless thread in ali = no more problem.:thumbup
Am reckoning the standard one's gonna stay on for a bit, then when she goes in for service may just get the very nice man in the workshop to get the bolts out for me .. least that way if it goes **** up its down to them to sort it .... I'm as good with a drill as a fish with juggling balls ...
