Removing stator bolts

[workonwood]

Just picked up a used side cover for my 79 gs1000. Any trick to remove the stator screws? TrI'd my impact driver and heat. HELP!

 

[Nessism]

Impact driver has always worked for me. They are put in with loctite.

 

[tom203]

You need to use the correct bit in your impact driver - japanese screw heads are different. You can try blunting the tip of the standard bit so it has a better fit. Many of those cover screws can be gripped by a quality small vice-grip to break them loose.

 

[Joe Garfield]

There are different kinds of impact driver, too I use my electric 18v impact 'driver' to un-do difficult fasteners and it works wonders.

 

[Dogma]

You need to use the correct bit in your impact driver - japanese screw heads are different. You can try blunting the tip of the standard bit so it has a better fit. Many of those cover screws can be gripped by a quality small vice-grip to break them loose.

The Japanese screw heads are also soft enough that hammer blows on the impact driver should reshape the socket to fit the Phillips bit.

I wouldn't expect heat to help. If the threads are stuck so hard that heat would be required, the head of the screw would just pop off. Like Ed (Nessism), the impact driver always worked for me, except in those cases where the screw was already stripped out beyond hope. Then it's time to make a new slot with a Dremel, or bite onto the head with some Vise-Grips, or cut the head off and remove the rest after.

If you do have to destroy the screw, or even if you don't, I highly recommend getting a stainless socket head replacement screw kit. They don't cost that much, and with anti-seize applied, you'll never have to fight this fight again. I got mine from Z1 Enterprises.

 

[MR.G]

Impact driver has always worked for me. They are put in with loctite.

What color of loctite do you use for reinstalling. The red permanent type or blue removable.

 

[Steve]

Yet another vote for the impact driver here. I use the #3 Phillips insert and it hasn't failed me yet.

I use Blue Loctite.

.

 

[Guest]

Just picked up a used side cover for my 79 gs1000. Any trick to remove the stator screws? TrI'd my impact driver and heat. HELP!

I learned a trick to this just a couple of months ago. I have an '81 GS850G with all factory screws still installed. An old-school mechanic told me to take a phillips head screwdriver (that fits the screw well) and give it a couple of good whacks with a hammer. That exact method would be hard on all of my plastic-handled screwdrivers, so I used a nail set and a ball peen hammer instead. It took probably 40-50 whacks instead of a couple, but it worked like a charm. When you DO go to remove them (after the whacks), make sure you use a screwdriver that fits the heads well. Otherwise, you'll just end up camming out of the screws.

Then, get yourself some NEW screws and put a small dab of anti-seize on them before you install them. They will never freeze on you again.

Another tip; soak the heads in Kroil for a day or so first. Kroil was made for this exact purpose and works quite well. It's made in Nashville, TN.

I'm not a fan of the impact driver method because it applies torque at the same time it applies the impact. You get the torque whether the screw is ready to come out or not and can lead to rounded out screws. Definite bummer.

 

[workonwood]

Allrighty.........Had to grind the heads off the stator and wire bracket screws, drill and use a easy-out. Even with my "T" handle from my tap they were hard to get out!! Just bought the bike bad the old side cover had a hole knocked in it from a lay-down. Polishing up the new one now!! Thanks Guys.

 

[JTGS850GL]

In the future, if you round out the screws, then you can use a Dremel tool (or hack saw blade) and cut a slot in the screw head. Then you can use a straight blade impact driver bit to get the screw out. Never had a time that I couldn't get it out once that was done.

 

[posplayr]

I learned a trick to this just a couple of months ago. I have an '81 GS850G with all factory screws still installed. An old-school mechanic told me to take a phillips head screwdriver (that fits the screw well) and give it a couple of good whacks with a hammer. That exact method would be hard on all of my plastic-handled screwdrivers, so I used a nail set and a ball peen hammer instead. It took probably 40-50 whacks instead of a couple, but it worked like a charm. When you DO go to remove them (after the whacks), make sure you use a screwdriver that fits the heads well. Otherwise, you'll just end up camming out of the screws.



Then, get yourself some NEW screws and put a small dab of anti-seize on them before you install them. They will never freeze on you again.

Another tip; soak the heads in Kroil for a day or so first. Kroil was made for this exact purpose and works quite well. It's made in Nashville, TN.

I'm not a fan of the impact driver method because it applies torque at the same time it applies the impact. You get the torque whether the screw is ready to come out or not and can lead to rounded out screws. Definite bummer.

I can almost always get a screw out using a socket wrench for a proper philips head screw. I tap the socket/extension with a hammer till it seats, then without removal insert the ratchet and twist the screw out. With both hands I have never had a screw head strip. Sometimes when using one hand it will slip and I reseat and apply more pressure.

 

[JTGS850GL]

I can almost always get a screw out using a socket wrench for a proper philips head screw. I tap the socket/extension with a hammer till it seats, then without removal insert the ratchet and twist the screw out. With both hands I have never had a screw head strip. Sometimes when using one hand it will slip and I reseat and apply more pressure.

Interesting. Never tried that. Maybe next time.

 

[Dogma]

Oh...stator screws, not stator cover screws. My brain's late to this thread.