Middle Gear Case Help

[MeatTooth]

Hi, Fist time poster and long time lurker. I have a 1980 xs that I'm trying to cafe, and it seems that the po tightened everything on this bike with the strength of a chimp. Anyway the middle gear case fill plug is stripped out so I was wondering if it was possible to fill the gear case through the vent. I'm not sure if anyone has tried this or not so if anyone has please feel free to share thanks.

[tarzan]

Welcome MeatTooth

Can you get a visegrip on there?
It looks like you should be able to get on it real easy.

Can you add your year and model of bike in your sig or avatar?It makes it easier for people to help when you have specific questions.Also, most guys put a location too.It lets people know if you are close.Its a good way to meet new xs'ives.

It looks like a cafe already.Keep us posted on the progress.
Rick

[MeatTooth]

I've tried vise grips and I've taken a butane torch and tried to heat it up to break it loose and it's not happening. I'm going to try an ez out tomorrow but I've never had much luck with those. If I know that I can fill it through the vent I'd be fine with that for now and fix it later on.

The number on the frame is a 3H5004801 and the number on the tranny is a 2H I'm not sure what happened with this bike because it has a kickstart shaft and I know that 80 models didn't have a kickstarer.

The build started in April and I was planning on investing a lot of time and money on the cafe build. But in May I was laid off and still haven't found work so everything is going very slow and cheap. I still have to fab an exhaust, rebuild the brakes, fab a few parts for the gas tank, build a seat and cowl, get the air filters sorted out, and get the carbs tuned up.

[jjwaller]

WELcome!!

You can definitely get either Vice-grips or Channel locks on
the plug. If the proper size allen key (Socket! NOT hex key!! Big difference!!!)
doesn't fit anymore, replace the part.
HTH

[jjwaller]

I've tried vise grips and I've taken a butane torch and tried to heat it up to break it loose and it's not happening. I'm going to try an ez out tomorrow but I've never had much luck with those. If I know that I can fill it through the vent I'd be fine with that for now and fix it later on.

The number on the frame is a 3H5004801 and the number on the tranny is a 2H I'm not sure what happened with this bike because it has a kickstart shaft and I know that 80 models didn't have a kickstarer.

The build started in April and I was planning on investing a lot of time and money on the cafe build. But in May I was laid off and still haven't found work so everything is going very slow and cheap. I still have to fab an exhaust, rebuild the brakes, fab a few parts for the gas tank, build a seat and cowl, get the air filters sorted out, and get the carbs tuned up.

Posted after you did.
Vice-Grip didn't work? Find that hard to believe.
Did it spin without moving the plug? Did you try (seriously now) really clamping down on the vice-grips so it really bites into the metal of the plug and then striking the VG's with something heavy?
I'm afraid an EZ-Out will just make things worse. Lots worse. If you have to use EZ out Then you will have to clean out the gearbox of all contaminates.
Not fun. The Plug has a raised lip, so should be able to be removed with vice-grips. EZ-outs are for sheered bolts or screws that are (more or less)
flush with the surface.
One other thing, When you said you used heat, You heated the case, (to make it expand around the threads) and not the PLUG?? (Which would make it tighter)

[MeatTooth]

When I tried the vise grips it just shaved metal off the sides of the plug. And I did heat the case not the plug. I was using a socket hex key when I was trying to remove it ,and the final drive plug was just as hard to get out.

[jjwaller]

When I tried the vise grips it just shaved metal off the sides of the plug. And I did heat the case not the plug. I was using a socket hex key when I was trying to remove it ,and the final drive plug was just as hard to get out.

BTDT Crank down harder on the vice-grips. Suggestion, get a pair of Needle-nose vice-grips, instead of full size grips. works much better!!! Much
more gripping surface. Works for me.
HTH

[Geezer]

Drill a dimple just inboard of the left side edge on top the filler cap. Put the end of a punch in that dimple and slant the top of the punch toward you so that when you hit it with a hammer at a 30 to 45 degree angle you will be applying force in the direction of rotation. A couple of whacks and it'll turn free.

Bike Bandit has these for 5 bucks and change a pop or you can have the one that is still usable that I took out of my bike a couple days ago when I put in 2 shiny new ones. If you order new ones be sure and order the washers too unlike what I did. So far it's not leaking with new plugs and old washers.

Geezer

[MeatTooth]

giving up tonight

Well the plug is about half the size then when I started tonight. the sides just keep shaving more and more off. I tried the needle nose as well and for a moment I thought I was going to get lucky ( they did seem to bite more) but they just ripped chunks off as well. I'm going to try the dimple and beat suggestion tomorrow. tonight I'm going to bed defeated.

[newc4]

I just did this last night. I heated the case with a propane torch, put the hex socket on an impact driver and hammered away. That wasn't working so I used a very long ratchet with the hex socket and banged on the head as I apply force.

This is probably after the fact as your hex looks rounded. If you got the set-up, tack weld a socket to the plug.

Good luck.

Darrell

[Bigge_al]

If you get the plug out I bought a oil plug to replace mine that allowed me to put a 6 sided wrench on it and it came with a washer.

[Ivan]

On my scoot, someone welded a 3/8 nut to the plug, so a 9/16 box end wrench pops it off.

Another trick that I have used to get plugs out of differentials is to heat the plug red hot with an acetylene torch, then let it cool fully. usually the metal will shrink enough to make it finger tight. Being in an aluminum case, it may not work so well. Be careful, cause too much heat will cause all kinds of trouble.

Also, use a GOOD hex wrench. Get a socket from Snap-on. They are the only ones I know that use a machined and tempered hex rather than a stamped hex, which isn't as hard and will round off. If the hex has any corner left to it at all, you can buy valve lapping compound at the parts store for cheap and put a glop of that on the plug, then shove the good hex socket in there. the grit from the compound will give it extra bite.

Last option, is to pull the middle drive, and ship it to me (or find a machinist friend) and I (or your friendly machinist) will use an endmill to machine it out, and then carefully work out the rest that is in the thread, and use a proper tap to spiff the threads back up, if need be.

If all above fails, I have three extra middle drives, one of which I would sell and ship for a reasonable price. It may take a couple days, as I am just starting to get around kinda somewhat ok now...

[trbig]

I wonder....

Do you think you could put a big blob of JB Weld on top of the plug, stick an allen wrench in there so it sits down in the stripped hole and let it set up.. then use the box end of a wrench on the end of the allen wrench for leverage? This is, of course, if you can't get a bolt tack welded to it.

I'd be afraid of getting that middle drive too hot and destroying the rear seal.


Tod

[foreda]

Dremel tool

Ok this is is stretching it, but what about using a Dremel tool to square it off so you could possibly use a box end wrench with a cheater pipe on it.

[bikerphil]

Hammer and cold chisel will work every time to rotate the plug.