The dreaded droped screw!

[offcamber]

You know its happened to all of us probably many of times....your trying to get a bolt or nut to thread on in a tight space and aahhhhh you drop it into some bottomless pit where you can't hope to get it with out pulling the engine out....


Yeppp happen today swapping in longer brake lines....trying to get that little 8mm? screw that supports the brake line on the right side of the bike....down it went.. :'(..not idea where. I hope its not going to cause a problem wherever it landed. Guess I'll have to hit the hardware store for a replacement

 

[JRE]

Try one of those telescoping rods with the magnet on the end. I've rescued a few with one of those puppies.

 

[ejy712]

Try one of those telescoping rods with the magnet on the end. I've rescued a few with one of those puppies.

::026:: Dropped a small metal part into a KLR 650 engine while adjusting the valves. Couldn't believe it when it came back up on the magnet. Great relief....

 

[True Grip]

Been there too. I've got one lost but it's not in the engine so shouldn't be any trouble. It's not as stressful as when I was a helicopter mechanic and those turbine engines. I've used the magnet with success but you've got to be able to touch it or get real close.

 

[arjayes]

You know its happened to all of us probably many of times....your trying to get a bolt or nut to thread on in a tight space and aahhhhh you drop it into some bottomless pit where you can't hope to get it with out pulling the engine out....


Yeppp happen today swapping in longer brake lines....trying to get that little 8mm? screw that supports the brake line on the right side of the bike....down it went.. :'(..not idea where. I hope its not going to cause a problem wherever it landed. Guess I'll have to hit the hardware store for a replacement

Did the same thing with the same screw. Ended up finding it inside the fairing somewhere - can't remember where. I thought that brake line swap was a complete bitch. Contorting my big meat hooks down in there to finesse those screws - not my idea of a fun afternoon. Then bleeding the lines. Yuk. Glad I did it though - the risers have been a great improvement.

 

[toadady]

Lost a panel bolt wiring the gps. Found it under the ecu a month and 1000 miles later

 

[offcamber]

Tried the magnet...no luck. I cant even see any where. I'll look again tomorrow. I still need to bleed the lines.

 

[Don in Lodi]

Doing those lines became oh so much easier when I had the forks off for their rebuild. ::008::

 

[Harry Dresden PI]

Magnets do not work well on most stainless steel (SS) ..... (unless they are work hardened)

I think some of the S10 screws are SS?

 

[offcamber]

Magnets do not work well on most stainless steel (SS) ..... (unless they are work hardened)

I think some of the S10 screws are SS?

The bolt in questions is not SS....


I didn't find the job that difficult as its been stated the key is to use a flare nut wrench. Just getting that darn bolt back in is a PIA...

 

[Dirt_Dad]

Been there, done that. Few things are worse than starting a job, then spending extra time chasing a lost bolt, or any other "simple" step in the process that takes a huge amount of time when it should have been less than a minute in the original task list. I feel your pain...way too often.

 

[Bappo]

I have one or two down in that black hole behind the radiator. One little slip around that left side shelf on the body work and gone. forever.

 

[oilfield_trash]

I lost the nut off the back side of the exhaust hanger today. I knew I was in trouble when I never heard it hit pavement. I ended up finding it sitting inside the rear subframe rail all the way at the front. I think physics may have gone void for a minute or there's an evil gremlin under my seat.

 

[Lutsie]

Dropped an aluminum washer into the spark plug seat of my cbr. It was small enough to fall into the chamber. Got it out with a mirror, flashlight and a foot long retractable claw, looks like a jewellers claw.

 

[offcamber]

I wish I could at least see where it went....its like it fell through vortex in the space time continuum and no resides somewhere across the universe.....

I replaced it and moved on but it will always bug me..... :-[

 

[Koinz]

Worst thing is working with tiny little carburetor parts. Like the little spring that holds the needle valve. One minute you think you have it and then boing goes the spring. Next thing you know you're on your knees in the garage for half an hour looking for it. Sheesh.

I have dropped a camshaft cap bolt on my vstrom dl1k straight into the engine too. Luckily I was able to retrieve it with a long magnet. I thought I was going to have to pull the motor apart.

Hope you find your lost bolt. It's kind of right of passage when you work on your bike(s).

 

[arjayes]

Worst thing is working with tiny little carburetor parts. Like the little spring that holds the needle valve. One minute you think you have it and then boing goes the spring. Next thing you know you're on your knees in the garage for half an hour looking for it. Sheesh.

I have dropped a camshaft cap bolt on my vstrom dl1k straight into the engine too. Luckily I was able to retrieve it with a long magnet. I thought I was going to have to pull the motor apart.

Hope you find your lost bolt. It's kind of right rite of passage when you work on your bike(s).

Hate to be a schoolmarm, but had to fix that one.

 

[offcamber]

I learned from many good mechanics, whenever you ware working on an open engine always cover the holes so you don't drop anything down into them :lamp:. At least if you drop something it isn't going to end up in the engine. I'd rather lose a part and have to replace it than try and figure out how to get it our of the engine.
The learning curve can be a bitch sometimes....