Middle gear warning !

[Smash]

Yep motoman, I've done just all of that!! Even heating up the bolt and immediately putting the good vice grips on the flat parts, the vice grip will loose it's hold before the bolt spins.

Really is rather staggering how stuck this thing is.

Mmm ST... I miss my ST11.


Phil - THANK YOU. Very very good to know. I hope I don't have to go that far. It does however looking further seem like the XS has a different middle drive gear cover than the XJ. Different bolt orientation.



Next step is keeping the middle drive ON the bike and using an easy out. If that doesn't work, I imagine I will be drilling the bolt out entirely and tapping a larger hole.

From what I've read, a oil drain bolt in the right size is a suitable replacement. Have waited to replace the final drive fill bolt until I get this one out. That one is almost all the way stripped, but I did manage eventually to get it out without having to use such bolt destroying methods...

[fredintoon]

(Yes, I realize I accidentally filed down a bit of the housing while trying to file down the bolt so I could try out an open ended box wrench )

Hi Smash,
the "filing two flats" trick worked for me. Perhaps you could try again? Keep filing until the next size down wrench fits, that'll give you longer flats which will give the wrench a better grip.
BTW, once mine was out I brazed a hex nut atop it. Then I read the post that said, put a drain plug in there, it's got the same thread.

[Smash]

Thanks Fred!

I might give that a shot tomorrow before drilling!

[motoman]

Smash, Good vise grips won't slip off, least not off what you have ground there. The shock of hitting the vice-grips is what will pop it loose. Just went out in man-cave and popped mine loose to have a look-see. Only surface that makes contact is top of case and lip of plug. Drilling, last resort. Didn't know your ST went away. A good set of vise-grips meaning Vise-Grip or SK brand. A set with flat not rounded jaws guarentee will stay on those flat spots U ground, no matter how hard you hit the vise grips! Like you said, handier if I lived closer......would have that little bugger out of there in a nano-second....

[Smash]

Nevermind about the gear cover, wrong! looks like an exact match.

[Smash]

Smash, Good vise grips won't slip off, least not off what you have ground there. The shock of hitting the vice-grips is what will pop it loose. Just went out in man-cave and popped mine loose to have a look-see. Only surface that makes contact is top of case and lip of plug. Drilling, last resort. Didn't know your ST went away. A good set of vise-grips meaning Vise-Grip or SK brand. A set with flat not rounded jaws guarentee will stay on those flat spots U ground, no matter how hard you hit the vise grips! Like you said, handier if I lived closer......would have that little bugger out of there in a nano-second....

They're the vice-grips brand, I learned long ago you can cheap out on some tools and not others.

They are rounded, not flat jaws.

Correct only surface it contacts is the plug.

I tried the hammer first, then doing it by hand, both before and after I ground down the flat spots. No joke, the vise grips literally just shred the bolt, with both methods.


The ST11 started to nickle and dime me bad. It was a poorly cared for salvage bike with higher mileage when I bought it, I knew it wouldn't last as long no matter what good care I took. I more than got my money's worth. Wonderful machine. Hope to have another someday. Truth of the matter is even ST11s aren't cheap. Heck, you can almost buy a used ST13 for the same price.

[bikerphil]

Maybe try a pipe (monkey) wrench if it will fit in there. I've had good luck with them when vise grips wouldn't work. All XS-XJ1100 middle drives are the same.

[motoman]

It does however looking further seem like the XS has a different middle drive gear cover than the XJ. Different bolt orientation.


Same-same Smash.....

[Smash]

Nevermind about the gear cover, wrong! looks like an exact match.

Yep, I realized that too. Sorry!

[bikerphil]

The middle drive case for the 82 XJ11 is P/N 2H7-17501-00, same as all the earlier XS11's. The housing caps have the same P/N's too.

http://www.stadiumyamaha.com/pages/O...DLE_DRIVE_GEAR

[Smash]

Yes thank you Phil, I realized my mistake and they are the same a few posts back.

[SFerinTEXAS]

At the risk of sounding redundant I really believe a fractionally over size hex key pounded in would work. I was where you are with this when I tried it. I would change the drive (as I have a spare) before drilling and putting shavings in that gear box. Outta here. Going silent and good luck

[CaptonZap]

Hey Smash,
AAA Metric has the plugs, unplated, so don't worry about getting one through the mail. Seems like it was 3 bucks or so a while back. I Cad plated one, and used a spark plug gasket under it, and it worked perfect.
If you would like, I could come over and bring some persuaders, and maybe get it out. Iv'e found that three hands can help.
I've reshimmed two middle drives, so if you do end up having to cut the head off, it is not a great deal of effort to open it up and rinse it out. And if you're carefull, you don't even have to make a new gasket. And if the drive is out of the bike, it can be placed in a mill, and the head taken down to the gasket, and then the treaded portion comes out real easy. Let me know if you are interested. CZ

[3Phase]

Pipe Wrench

Smash, have you tried a small pipe wrench?

I had to use one when I first got my '80G. That middle drive plug was installed by Tarzan then left to sit for years and it would not come out. Use a cheater bar on the pipe wrench if you need more leverage, I did. That way it won't bust your knuckles when it breaks loose.

[Smash]

At the risk of sounding redundant I really believe a fractionally over size hex key pounded in would work. I was where you are with this when I tried it. I would change the drive (as I have a spare) before drilling and putting shavings in that gear box. Outta here. Going silent and good luck

Thanks, but have already tried a larger hex already!

Hey Smash,
AAA Metric has the plugs, unplated, so don't worry about getting one through the mail. Seems like it was 3 bucks or so a while back. I Cad plated one, and used a spark plug gasket under it, and it worked perfect.
If you would like, I could come over and bring some persuaders, and maybe get it out. Iv'e found that three hands can help.
I've reshimmed two middle drives, so if you do end up having to cut the head off, it is not a great deal of effort to open it up and rinse it out. And if you're carefull, you don't even have to make a new gasket. And if the drive is out of the bike, it can be placed in a mill, and the head taken down to the gasket, and then the treaded portion comes out real easy. Let me know if you are interested. CZ

Thanks for the reminder again about AAA metric. Got a friend with an impact screwdriver I'm gonna pick up tomorrow. If that don't work, it's easy out. If that don't work, then I'm drilling the confounded thing out. I imagine a new gasket would be required, what do you use to make a new one? If you wanna drop by you're more than welcome, just give me a call/text and give me a heads up on when so I don't start drilling before you get here. Gotta run to aurora in the morning for the impact screwdriver and gotta pull the carbs and airbox AGAIN. nine seven zero - 203-4200 Would appreciate the help.

Smash, have you tried a small pipe wrench?

I had to use one when I first got my '80G. That middle drive plug was installed by Tarzan then left to sit for years and it would not come out. Use a cheater bar on the pipe wrench if you need more leverage, I did. That way it won't bust your knuckles when it breaks loose.

I must sheepishly admit I don't own a pipe wrench....