Hey guys, I just changed the lower gasket on the inner rocker cover, and when I put the outside cover back on, one of the bolts wouldn't tighten down. Stripped for sure! and yes, i was using a torque wrench, so no it wasn't me that did it, lol. It's an '06 xl1200R. So the question it, what now? the other three are tight, but i don't want this thing to start leaking going down the road...

 

Try chasing the threads first with a tap and see if they dress up

 

i'll try that, but it's pretty sloppy, so i'm not holding my breath. Room to size up i wonder?

 

Possibly

 

Flat bottom tap maybe shorter bolt as well

 

Helicoil time. Sorry you ruined the threads. I despise having to helicoil something and it is always in my mind. Drives me crazy. Good reminder to be careful and use a torque wrench.

 

Like i said, i was using a torque wrench....

 

The threads mostlikely got galled on the way out as a result of galvanic corrossion [very common between non-ferrous aluminum base materials and the ferrous steel fasteners threaded into such material; it's the white powder substance seen surrounding the steel threads where they enter the aluminum]...unavoidable in most instances. But you can sometimes give the head of the fastener a good rap with a small hammer, which helps to break any bond between male and female threads and compresses what's in there, creating space between the threads to allow easier removal. Similar to how you break lose a frozen lugnut on your cage that hasn't been removed in years, you simply grab a deep socket that's smaller than the lugnut size but larger than the stud diameter, place it in contact with the lugnut face, and give it a good whack. 'Works every time.

=8^)

 

I do this without even thinking about it. I remember as a kid watching dad do it when he wrenched on everything from the mower to the cars and so on. I thought everyone did it. The old man never had a problem on anything doing it and neither have I.

 

Is wacking it a technical term? Original impact wrench lol love talking to old mechanics and trades people for ideas on how things used to b. even watching an older carpenter resquare a framing square. And we vcall ourselves intelligent in our throw away society.