Maybe forked myself on this one ...

[thewiz]

In doing a seal replacement on my G, I discovered that both fork drain screws were seized up and couldn't be removed, so once the fork legs were off I doused 'em with Blaster, waited a few hours and hit 'em with the impact driver. One loosened perfectly but the other . well, uhhh ... not so much. I realize I should/could drill it out but don't know if that is the best way ... so what do you all think? Anyone dealt with thiis one before?

[IMG][/IMG]

[DGXSER]

I've not dealt with fork drain, don't knwo what is behind it or how it seats.

I will offer this after dealing with an extremely stuck mixture screw, if you go to drilling, use a left handed drill bit of a size smaller than the minor thread diameter and NOT a screw extractor. Also, try heating the area with a torch as well as hitting it with blaster a few more times and soaking it good in between heating. Again, not sure how it seats, but drilling is always an option.

[bikerphil]

I would just drill it out and re-tap it if it was me. JMHO. There is nothing behind that hole to foul up when the fork is disassembled. If you do, don't forget to clean out the metal shavings. It should be a simple fix with the correct drill and tap. HTH

[trbig]

I've had good luck cutting carefully across the head with a dremmel cutting wheel and making a standard screwdriver head out of it.. then use that impact with the common screwdriver head. I've had to do it a bunch of times with those T-30 torx screws under the shift cover. As stated, some heat around the area would be a good idea right before the impact also. Replace those screws with stainless for the next time. If you don't plan on a next time.. the next owner in 20 years will thank you..

Tod

[thewiz]

Thx, everyone ...

I appreciate the replies. I really wouldn't HAVE to do anything cuz it doesn't leak ... could change the fork oil by pullin' the fork off ... but I just hate like hell to leave it that way. But practicality may cause me to do so .... dunno yet ...

Good idea about the dremmel fix too, ... thx Tod. I might go there first ... that's a 3mm screw though ... pretty damn skinny !!

[planedick]

Done

Sure glad you got that fixed. Got me fixed with lunch too. Thanks.....

[thewiz]

My pleasure .

and thanks everyone for the ideas ... we sawed a little slot in the screw, heated it, a whack with the impact driver and it was a done deal .... now I can get on with this project. Yeah !!

[petejw]

hey wiz,

If the dremel idea doesnt work,
and if u hav a welder, u can weld the inside of a nut to the
screw head, the heat from the welder will help with loosening the screw and the use of a spanner on the nut will give u more force and a better grip than using a screw driver.

[Ivan]

I don't think the welding trick woudl work well in this situation. The screw is small, and the forks are shinny. The ground would have to go somewhere and they tend to spark and pit in the process of welding. Either destroying the finish, or the threads on the studs. For a larger bolt, this trick works fairly well most times though.

One thing that may help is to take the screw driver and tap it in place with a hammer. Our Japanese friends don't use Phillips head screws. They use JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard) which does not fit a phillips screw driver well at all. Pozidrive is even worse. By tapping the screwdriver into the screw, you are forming the screw to fit the driver. Then gently wiggle it out and put some valve lapping compound on the screwdriver and twist. Carbide grit provides extra bite and a good fit will usually get it out, or foul the whole mess up worse than before. If that happens, cuss. A lot.

[thewiz]

Sorry about this ..

I dragged the fork up to Planedick's man cave and 5 minutes later it was done ... slotted it, heated it and whacked it with the driver. All better now ... thx again Dick.

I'm sure that the JIS is/was part of the issue ... I looked at all 4 sets of forks I have and ALL of 'em are a little buggered up on the drain screw ...