CB125S stuck clutch cover bolt

[nrcb125]

I've got a '73 CB125S and I managed to burn up the clutch in it. Not a big deal, I've already ordered and received all the replacement parts (springs, plates, gasket, oil seal, etc.). I was able to get all but one of the clutch cover bolts out using either an impact driver or vice grips on the bolt head. The problem is one bolt on the clutch cover is stuck and it's in a place I can't get anything down in there (see picture). An impact driver has done nothing, penetrating oil has done nothing, and even needle nose vise grips won't fit around the bolt head because of its location. I've tried everything short of drilling out the bolt.

I'd like to avoid drilling it if I can, but if that's the only way I guess I'll have to. Any ideas how to get it out?

 

[mark13018]

Get a bigger hammer . Sometimes using the manual impact driver works better or vice versa... If still no avail, I have had to revert to the old dremel and make it a slotted head instead of a phillips and then put the big flat head on there and grab the handle of the driver if you have to with some regular vice grips and give it hell... PB Blaster should be the only penetrating oil anyone ever uses, soak it frequently and give yourself a break and try again later instead of wearing yourself out all at once.

 

[AlphaDogChoppers]

Persistence with the impact driver. 20 blows with the impact drive may not loosen it, but 21 blows might.

There are some tricks to using an impact driver, too. Whaling away at it with a huge hammer, and trying to see how hard you can hit may do nothing but strip out the head. You need the right hammer, too. A 4 lb drilling hammer is the best. It's not about how hard you can hit the impact driver, it's how many times you hit it. Don't bludgeon the tool, rather you want to give it many sharp blows. Every blow of the impact driver sends a shock wave down the fastener that helps to break loose the corrosion that has it welded into the hole.

If the head of the screw gets damaged, use a large diameter punch to flatten the head back inward, then put the impact bit in the screw, and hammer it into the head to re-form it.

Just keep trying, and eventually, it should come loose.

 

[AlphaDogChoppers]

My favorite hammer for the impact driver is actually a 2 lb drilling hammer. It's size and swing is well matched to the job. Drilling hammers are the correct hammer for striking metal tools such as an impact driver or cold chisel. Every toolbox should have a 2 lb drilling hammer in it. Once you use the correct hammer for this job, it will become your favorite hammer.

http://www.waresdirect.com/products/Commercial-Products/Pony/Drilling-Hammers193424?trackURL=nextag

 

[dualitymike]

I usually just get them out with a bolt extractor. Then get a replacement bolt. If you're picky about having the correct bolt, most are still available from Honda.

 

[nrcb125]

Thanks for the help guys!

I usually just get them out with a bolt extractor. Then get a replacement bolt. If you're picky about having the correct bolt, most are still available from Honda.

I'm replacing as many bolts as I can with hex-head bolts. No more of this BS in the future! ;D

 

[buckaroo]

All you have to do is use a drill bit the same size as the bolt/screw, it should be 6mm, when the drill goes through the screw head the head will fall off leaving the threaded part still intact. Then when you remove the engine cover there will be enough threaded screw exposed to unscrew with vice grips. The trick is to only remove the head of the screw. It really is quite easy to do, I have done it many times.

 

[AlphaDogChoppers]

That method works fine, but in this case, it may be a little difficult to get a vicegrip in there, even after the cover is off.

 

[mark13018]

Not to mention, amateur with vice grips using heavy force... I can see damaged gasket mating surface now...

 

[nrcb125]

Not to mention, amateur with vice grips using heavy force... I can see damaged gasket mating surface now...

No worries about that! Also... who are you calling amateur huh?

Well guys, I got it off! I wound up having to shave down the bolt head to just a little bigger than a 3/8" socket. I then proceeded to bash the shit out of the socket with a hammer onto the bolt. Got it stuck good enough I could turn the bolt out. Who cares about standard sizes right?

Admittedly not the most delicate way of doing it, but it worked!