Cam tensioner bolt

[XSokieSPECIAL]

independent-cycle has noticed the interest.

That was the only ones listed on ebay that I could find.

[CA]

Benefits..

What is the benefit of the different tensioner? I am about to take my tensioner off because it is leaking quite a bit. Wander if it would be worth it.

Also what if you don't have a centerstand? I only have the sidestand...do i need to lean it up against the house even if I have the valve cover off?

[Ivan]

Check here

When I didn't have a centerstand, I used a couple cheap set of small jack stands to lift the rear wheel off the ground, and level the bike. I think the set was $16 at O'reilleys

[XSrunner]

hi guy's i tried using the freeze in a can FAR it's called here. it freezes to -45deg C it worked well on every other bolt i've used it on and then hit it with a impact driver guess what it snapped (30yrs of rust on the bolt) now i'll try the left hand drill bit idea thanks for the help and offer on the venture cam chain tensioner MXMIKE but i only have paypal as payment being on the other side of the world doesn't help much either.. I have the bike on the centre stand and i lined it up in the C mark before i started..life was never mean't to be easy

[petejw]

that sux,
you might be able to remove the tensioner
and grab hold of the broken bolt with some vice grips?

[mxmikie]

hi guy's i tried using the freeze in a can FAR it's called here. it freezes to -45deg C it worked well on every other bolt i've used it on and then hit it with a impact driver guess what it snapped (30yrs of rust on the bolt) now i'll try the left hand drill bit idea thanks for the help and offer on the venture cam chain tensioner MXMIKE but i only have paypal as payment being on the other side of the world doesn't help much either.. I have the bike on the centre stand and i lined it up in the C mark before i started..life was never mean't to be easy

paypal/snail mail it dont matter if you want it send me your address and i will get in the mail

[XSokieSPECIAL]

hi guy's i tried using the freeze in a can FAR it's called here. it freezes to -45deg C it worked well on every other bolt i've used it on and then hit it with a impact driver guess what it snapped (30yrs of rust on the bolt) now i'll try the left hand drill bit idea thanks for the help and offer on the venture cam chain tensioner MXMIKE but i only have paypal as payment being on the other side of the world doesn't help much either.. I have the bike on the centre stand and i lined it up in the C mark before i started..life was never mean't to be easy

XSrunner,

I would suggest that when you remove the tensioner to drill and blast on what remains of the bolt, fashon something you can bolt on there with the good bolt that'll hold the shoe that the adjuster pushes on tight against the chain.

I'm thinking a piece of wire clothes hanger woud be the easiest.

Also, before you try to remove that other piece, get a small propane torch and get that area good and hot and then let it cool several times.

Since the engine is aluminum and the bolt is steel they will expand and contract at different rates and the repeated heating and cooling should help bust it loose.

Good luck

Snap up that tensioner Mikie is offering. It's well worth it!

[Ivan]

I think the Austrailians didn't have the Venture, so look for a VMax tensioner, same engine same tensioner. You'd have to look at parts numbers, since I am not sure if they changed it after 1993 or so.

[Larrym]

Punch it!!

XSrunner,

SuhhhNAPP!!! BTDT

Before you start drilling on what remains of the bolt be sure to use a good center punch to make a depression in the center of the bolt. Start out with a light tap and then look to see if the mark is in the center. If it's a little off then you can angle the punch one way or the other and tap it some more, checking it as you go. When you've got it as close to the center as you can then give it a couple good whacks to really put that "dimple" just where you want it to be.

When you start drilling (with your left hand drill bit...) go EASY and use some form of lubricant as a cutting fluid. Given the size of the bolt body it's likely that the drill bit is kinda small and if you put any real pressure on it then it tends to bend. Bending these bits leads to it breaking off, leaving the broken bit right in the center of the bolt, and then you'd be in far worse shape.

On really small broken bolts I prefer to use a hand powered drill. The bits are so thin that when they got a good "bite", they would snap off when I used an electric drill. Unfortunately using a hand powered drill where you're at would be hard cause the front wheel is in the way. Looks like the electric drill is the way to go: just treat those bits as if they were made of glass.

I tend to start out with the small bit and then work up to the largest one which doesn't cut into the outside threads. More often than not by that time the remains of the bolt come twisting out unexpectedly during the process.

Personally, I haven't had much luck using those "bolt extractors" which one twists into the hole. Maybe I've been using the cheap versions or just don't do it right. I haven't had one single instance where they worked right for me. Plenty of times where they've broken off and made things worse....


BTW, on your side of the equator I think that the Coriolis may be working in your favor when drilling out broken bolts.

[Ivan]

If indeed it has broken to the point you have to drill it, I would suggest getting an oxyacetylene torch and heating the bolt red hot as quickly as possible and keeping the aluminum around it as cool as possible. Once the bolt gets red hot, just walk away until it gets back to room temperature. When steel is heated to red hot then cooled, it will actually shrink just a bit all in all. This usually makes it so the left hand drill will grab and the bolt will spin out. If it doesn't work, I have heard that multiple heat and cool cycles can be effective, but have never had to go this far.

After that, follow Larry's excellent advice, and you should be home free. If you don't have the skills with a torch, you might let a pro hit that bolt with the heat though, it would be easy to blow a huge hole in the case where there isn't supposed to be one.