Stripped out fill bolt on shaft drive? Suggestions?

[Buzz Ricer]

I have had an issue on my ST, twice now with the fill bolt for the shaft drive gear oil. Didnt think I over tighted it the first time, made sure not to the second, but when I went to remove the bolt this time it was stripped out and could not be removed without heating it up a bit and tapping a torx key in there. Anyone else had this issue? Remedy? Sorry if this has been covered before. I did a search and didnt see anything. Thx.

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[Roge]

There will be some local engineering bunch that can put a Helicoil in, or you can buy the gear to do it yourself

 

[Kevhunts]

Assuming you just stripped the head of the bolt...

Just get a replacement plug, a quality fitting allen socket and be sure to torque to spec = no problems!

Final gear oil filler bolt:
23 Nm (2.3 m·kgf, 17 ft·lbf)

Final gear oil drain bolt:
23 Nm (2.3 m·kgf, 17 ft·lbf)

 

[offcamber]

So just to be clear its not the threads on the housing or bolt that's stripped its the allen socket itself...Why not just order a new one? If thats not available try an auto parts store they may have a tranny drain plug that might be the same size and thread.

To avoid it happening again....besides the obvious about over tightening it. try a small amount of Anit-sieze compound on the the threads.

 

[Buzz Ricer]

Yes, sorry for no being clear. Its the allen socket on the bolt thats stripped. Thanks for the advice will try the anti-sieze. As a side note, if you do strip out the fill bolt and have already dropped the gear oil you are not fubar. Just lay the bike down on the grass and fill through the drain plug you have to measure out your gear oil but works great otherwise. Love this bike!

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[behindbars]

Looks like there's just enough meat on the fill plug to get a pair of curved jaw vice grips on to. Just go slow and be careful not to damage the drive housing if you do this. I would clean the area around the plug and put some heavy tape on the surrounding area for protection in case the jaws slip.

Another method you can try is to file a groove vertically in the plug and use a flat blade screwdriver and mallet to tap the plug counter-clockwise. I've used this method many times with fairly good success.

Good luck-

Steve

 

[GrahamD]

Yes, sorry for no being clear. Its the allen socket on the bolt thats stripped. Thanks for the advice will try the anti-sieze. As a side note, if you do strip out the fill bolt and have already dropped the gear oil you are not fubar. Just lay the bike down on the grass and fill through the drain plug you have to measure out your gear oil but works great otherwise. Love this bike!

Good suggestion. You should also video yourself picking it up again. We need more of those. ;D

 

[Buzz Ricer]

Ummm sidestand out in first gear? Slight incline? Obviously there is some joke or video I missed here. Also.. thanks for the curved vise grips idea... I dont have any but I will look for some.. tried standard pair in the method described no luck.

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[tenerejack]

Send a close up pic of the damage 8)

 

[Buzz Ricer]

I work offshore. When I get off the boat in a few days I can take a picture of it.

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[Don in Lodi]

I wonder what's happening though. I've done mine a good half dozen times now, the allen key still fits tight and the plug spins freely once loosened. There are others here that may well have done theirs a couple dozen times now, nobody has fubar'd their plug that I've heard. Just to throw this out there; are you by chance using an SAE wrench mixed in with your metric ones? A couple thousandths might be all it takes...

 

[Buzz Ricer]

Its a metric t-handle set but a rather cheap one. I think you might be on to something though. The plug seems to be aluminum and/or a bit soft. That wrench head might be a hair too small and gets to spinning in there... going to stick to the keys in my tool roll and I wouldn't be at all surprised if that solves the problem.. thanks!

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[sparkyduc]

I have had to replace mine once because I rounded off the socket, I am using Craftsmen Allen heads with a 3/8 ratchet.

 

[sparkyduc]

I am going to put some anti seize on the threads on next change. Good idea!