Subject: Front engine mounting bolts (seized)
Date: Mon, 17 Nov
1997 15:50:26 +1100
From: "nettleinghann" <jkn@dynamite.com.au>
If the bike has lived in a suburb within cooee of the sea you could have a major problem, the salt exacerbates the reaction between the steel and the alloy and they will sieze in very solidly.
First soak the whole bolt both from the outside ends and from the 'inside' where the bolt emerges in a slot in the botton of the timing chest, with WD 40 or similar. Leave overnight. Next morning get the longest bar you can find that will fit over the end of your socket (which I believe is 17mm) handle, (Not Ratchet) on the head of the bolt. If you only have the 'Free Grandfather Clock with Every Set' type of socket go and buy a single hex impact socket. If God had meant us to bust a gut every time we wanted to undo a bolt he wouldn't have given us levers so use as long a bar as neccessary to get it turning. Once it starts to rotate add more WD 40 and keep working it this way and that until it rotates reasonably freely. Then attempt to tap it out with your hammer and punch if you don't have a soft Hitometer, (plastic or hide hammer). If it is really locked then the only way may be to sacrifice the bolt, I have in the past had to lay the machine on it's side on a matress and beat the bastard out with a 4 pounder but that was an extreme case where the owner seemed to live at the bottom of the sea and left his machine outside at night.
When re-installing the bolt coat it liberally with Anti-seize and don't forget the washer. Personally I think that the standard MG sidestand is an abortion and don't bother with one on the PB. I have seen an assortment of others that are better and if you can get a left hand Cali framerail and stand you're laughing.
Subject: Re: Front engine mounting bolts. (using heat)
Date: Mon, 17 Nov
1997 06:06:03 GMT
From: bryanb@dove.net.au (Bryan Both)
Further to Pete's advice about bastard bolts:
Hendrik had just such a bolt apparently welded into his gearbox housing. No amount of snot or persuasion would shift it. Eventually I attacked it with my heat gun - you know, the type used for paint stripping etc. Took a good while - maybe 20 mins - but the housing eventually expanded enough to allow the bolt to be coaxed (read: 'hammered') out. And yes, the bolt was rooted.
Don't know what he did when re-fitting, but when I put my front bolt in, I first coated it with grease, then put a franger of heat-shrink tubing on it to keep road grunge off. Note however, that this was not a standard bolt, but a lump of all-thread. The stocker may be too tight a fit to allow this.
Subject: Re: Front engine mounting bolts
Date: Mon, 17 Nov
1997 20:15:47 +1100
From: "nettleinghann" <jkn@dynamite.com.au>
I always tend to overlook ' Lucifer's Hammer' but heat is a very good tool. A sensible solution to an agravating problem. It may not work but it's an exellent idea.