[verybadmonkey]

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Hello everyone,

The screws to the front master cylinder won't come loose. Has anybody else encountered this, and is there a trick I can do to work them? They are getting to the point of stripped from all my trying.

 

[GLester]

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Try placing your screwdriver on the screw and tapping on top of the screwdriver gently with a mallet or small hammer. :baffled:

Gene:waving::11red::11red::11red::cooler:

 

[Tonys96]

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GLester wrote:

Try placing your screwdriver on the screw and tapping on top of the screwdriver gently with a mallet or small hammer. :baffled:

Gene:waving::11red::11red::11red::cooler:

Good first attempt if you haven't already buggered the heads.

Get a longer screwdriver 12-16 inch shaft, they're hard to come by, but provide better leverage, the shaft will wind up storing torque. Gives you more room to get your shoulder into it while turning as well.

If you've managed to strip out the heads, you'll need to be more agressive and may wind up with either hours in the machine shop or replacing the M/C.

Try to use a little penetrating oil,

Place a towel on the fairing below the M/C and spray the oil on the screw heads, put a screwdriver in the screw and tap lightlty with a mallet, repeat a few times. may need to let sit overnight. Try the screws again.

[align=center]Caution[/align]
You may need to use an impact driver if this doesn't work, this tool has interchangeable bits and operates by striking firmly with a hammer. If the screwheads are buggered, this may be your best bet as it drives the bit into the head with each blow. The M/C is fairly fragile, so it may be damaged, remember to place a towel on the bike under the M/C in case of brake fluid leakage.

If you need to go further, you have a few choices, remember first of all safety and combustability.

[align=center]Danger[/align]
A little heat goes a long way, propane torch applied judicially may help the screws come out, but will cause damage that will need to be repaired, partswill need to be replaced. Don't burn you bike to the ground. Brake fluid is flamable as is the penetrating oil you probably used, the brake lines and M/C diaphragm are made ot of rubber and will be damaged, the fairing is plastic and may melt or burn as well.

 

[SilverDave]

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/forums/images/emoticons/sad.gif I have never done this on a M/C screw.. but it is possible to gently carve a "slot" for a BIG flat tipped screwdriver ..... with a dremel saw blade(about 1/2 inch  .. These tiny little saw blades cost about $8.00   but that is less than the cost of an entirely new M/C... the blade may carve up the lid, a bit.. but a lid is also cheaper than the entire MC    .......as above.. a large flat tipped screwdriver allows you to put your back into it, and "stores" the torque a bit   ... last time I did this, I also had to tap on the end of the screwdriver to shape the slot a bit..... There are also tougher penetrating oils than  WD-40.. I use "Mexcal' .. but ../forums/images/emoticons/sad.gif it does dissolve plastic a bit.. so use a shop towel... Good Luck !!/forums/images/emoticons/emoticonsxtra/goofygrin.gif

 

[jsmith24]

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Sears and other places are also now selling bits that fit into cordless screw drivers, drills, and those screwdrivers with interchangeable bits....these new bits are designed to remove screws with buggered heads with little or no force (hammers, etc.). These may be a better alternative to hammering and cutting.

Here's a link or two:

Screw-Out

X-Out

Harbor Freight also has an alternative, but seems different than the first two:

Harbor Freight

Just my two cents...

Jack

 

[wildman]

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I just fixed the neighbors last week by using an "easy out" Just be real careful to drill the pilot hole straight in. Then gently tap the "easy out" into the hole to seat it. His screw was amazingly rusty. Told him it would help to check the fluids more often. :goofygrin:

 

[exavid]

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A little valve grinding compound on the blade of the screwdriver goes a long way to make the driver grip the screw. In a pinch a touch of paste made from scouring powder will help too. If they are just about stripped and nothing else will do a tap with an impact driver might do the trick.

 

[yellowwing]

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If you really bugger the heads up, use a small drill bit to drill the heads off, then when you lift the cover off there will be a stump for you to get a vicegrips onto. Worked loadsa times for me over the years.

 

[BRowan]

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yellowwing wrote:

If you really bugger the heads up, use a small drill bit to drill the heads off, then when you lift the cover off there will be a stump for you to get a vicegrips onto. Worked loadsa times for me over the years.

I've done this as well, as a last resort. It does work.

 

[jackjohn]

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As the reservoir is plastic and probably brittle after 20 odd years, you may want to open one of the bleeder valves and empty it before doing too much banging. Brake fluid is hell on paint, even a little bit.