So I was removing the rear fender bolts that hold the detachable sissybar docking housing on my rear render to put on the longer bolts with my saddlebag housing for my leather pro saddle bags. I got the rear ones off with a little muscle but the front one were so damn tough that i stripped the allen bolt, its because of the yellow lock tite that is on them I did it to both sides. After reading some threads i drilled the mushroom head of one bolt and pulled the sissybar docking housing (if thats what its called i am a boot to this) and the damn bolt still won't budge. I don't really want to take it to the dealership to have them pull it out and charge me a arm and a leg. Any advice?

 

Did it break off flush, or is some bolt sticking out after you pulled that docking piece? If you could get a vice grip on some sticking out, then heat it real good (I have one of those heaters that's like a hair dryer on steroids, supposed to get to 800 degrees - don't use around plastic) before trying to loosen it. Any of it sticking out the back side where you could get to it? If it's flush and none sticking out the back you could try an easy out - after getting it hot. Loctite is supposed to soften around 300 degrees. That yellow on Harley bolts is pretty strong stuff. A bolt like that, I'd just use blue loctite on.

I've watched a way better welder than me mig weld a rod on the end of a broken bolt a few times, and the heat frees up loctite or rust; they turned right out with a vicegrip on the rod. A really good welder can do it without messing up the paint, but it's always taking a chance.

 

yea the bolt is sticking out 1 inch out side of the fender so i can get vice grips on it i will try to heat it up. I read the the yellow lock tite is supposed to with stand up to 500 degrees ( why the **** do they put it on a bolt not dealing with the engine i do not know).

 

I had the exact same issue. Wasted money on a set of screw extractors and tried drilling it out with zero luck. So after hours of messing with this and to the point of giving up and taking it to the shop I decided to try a Hail Mary. Grabbed it with the vice grips and it came right out. Was almost so easy it pissed me off after wasting all that time trying to drill it out.

 

They do make drill bits that cuts (drills) in a ccw direction (reverse) and lots of times as your drilling it in reverse the heat generated by dilling will loosen the remainder of the bolt and spin it out. Years ago as a mechanic i've used this process with many good results but nothing is gauranteed exept for the price of a $6.00 bit. Good luck.

 

Can you just remove the fender strut to get more of the stud exposed? Then you could apply some heat and get a grip with some good sized vice grips.

 

Many times I've had this happen in different instances and have had luck drilling out the bolt with a small enough bit not to damage the threads, then just get a tap and the tap will follow the threads and take out any leftover material. Is that an option?

 

Don't use a heat gun. You will f up your paint. Use a good soldering iron to apply direct heat to the bolt.

 

heat will definitely help, i use torches and other heat methods to help break nuts and bolts loose when needed. when heat isnt the safest to use you can also use penetrating oil (spray) or you can use a freeze method (penetrating oil spray or like substance that instantly freezes seized and rusted bolts)

 

+1 on the soldering iron. My bolts were almost as bad as yours when I removed them to put my leatherpro bags on. I think I got lucky for the fact they were removed by the dealer in June. He put my removable sissybar on when I bought the bike, but they were still tough to come out. I used blue locktite to put the new bolts on that came with the bag kit.