Shifting from 1st to 2nd has been spongy after 25k on my '03 VFR. Last week I got stuck between gears and had trouble finding first after rocking the bike. I hoped that replacing the stock clutch with a Barnet performance pack would fix the problem. That was a good decision and I can tell the difference immediately. However, I made the mistake of doing maintenance outside late in the day and got hit with a thunderstorm. In a rush to button up the bike I sheared the head off the spring bolt. DO NOT tighten it past the stop! It popped with less than a 1/8th turn--stupid me.
[image: post-6241-0-07969100-1440460636.jpg]
The smart fix would have been to JB weld a smaller bolt onto the stripped bolt and back it out 15 hours later. I was in a rush to make a group ride the next day (mistake #1, 2, & 3) and drilled out the bolt to work a Ryobi spiral screw extractor into it--no luck. Then I tried the JB weld method--no luck. Then I tried using a left hand bit to back out the old bolt in reverse. No luck either.
My solution was to cut 1cm off a new bolt and thread it on top of the old bolt (now a plug). I have about 1.5cm of thread instead of the stock 2.5cm for the spring bolt. Underneath is a plug half the size of the original bolt. If I want stock I'd have to remove the clutch center and drill it out from the back side. And I do not have the tools to unstake the center lock nut.
[image: post-6241-0-79279000-1440460852.jpg]
For peace of mind, has anyone else used a fix like this (shortened bolt on top of sheared bolt)? I was concerned the sheared bolt might back out and get thrown into the gearbox. However, it looks like the clutch outer will keep the bolt from slipping through its threads in the clutch center--thus preventing any damage. Would you ride like this?
Possibly good points but this fix appears to be very low risk. The bolt is encased by by two cups (lifter plate and outer clutch) with metal lips. And the clutch cover also--essentially a clamshell, in a clamshell, with a clamshell. There is maybe a ~2mm gap that something could pass through. If either the new shortened bolt, or the old plug, was to come loose there would be nowhere for it to escape. I need proof otherwise because I don't see the benefit in taking it to the dealer for a $200 repair on a $2 bolt.
The bottom line is very clear cut, the spring bolt & connecting parts are designed for expected loading with some leeway, if you feel less strength just one bolt is acceptable risk then all is fine. I would personally have that type of repair in the back of my mind while riding which would effect my confidence so I would fix properly with correct length bolts that have correct length of thread engaged locking them in place.
The bottom line is very clear cut, the spring bolt & connecting parts are designed for expected loading with some leeway, if you feel less strength just one bolt is acceptable risk then all is fine. I would personally have that type of repair in the back of my mind while riding which would effect my confidence so I would fix properly with correct length bolts that have correct length of thread engaged locking them in place.
This. I don't think what you've done is inherently unsafe, but if it were me it would always be on my mind while riding so I would fix it properly.
Doubtful is the cluch pack will "Asplode" on you while riding with that one bad bolt. If anything would be of concern, it would be any collateral damage a loose bolt head will cause in the surrounding areas..... In the least, you might dent up, crack or hole the clutch casing if the bolt head somehow gets jammed between it and the clutch pack end and maybe cause you to lose some oil.... not so nice a picture either.....
If it were me, i would have not ridden the bike till it is p[properly repaired.
Fix it right the 1st time! Used to be a slogan inside the Honda dealerships. Has never failed me yet. All ways cheaper in the long run and you don't have to worry. I would stay awake at night wondering what was going on in there.
I had the same problem last summer when changing my plates and was able to get the bolt out with an extractor. Use the smallest size you can find since with such low torque it does not take much to get it backing out. If necessary lightly heat the hole the bolt is in to get to expand a bit. Mine backed right out cleanly.
Just curious, did you use a torque wrench when putting those bolts in?
I've never used a torque wrench on a clutch spring retainer, they get snug not tight. There is a reason the bolts on parts of the bike are certain sizes. With an internal moving spinning part, if it fails it cost you more than it would to fix it correctly. Hell it could cause you to crash. Short cuts on motorcycle maintenance are just a bad idea..
Spent $100 on tools (breaker bar, torque wrench, center holder) and parts to get the clutch back to OEM. And guess what, the jimmied half bolt held just fine after thousands of miles of aggressive riding.
Solution: pull the clutch center piece off, tap the bolt from the back, drill it out partially, then use a larger bit to slowly unscrew it--righty tighty from behind = left loosey. The fix took 10 minutes. Pulling everything apart, dropping a hex key into the oil sump, fishing it out, struggling with the center nut, running to the hardware store, then putting it all back together took six hours. Time to sell the VFR and get a BMW S1000R. I am done working on this beast.
NOTE: The staked center nut is 22mm on the inside but takes a 30mm socket to remove. Nowhere in the manual does it state this.
I snapped the head off of one of my bolts pulled everything out again and the bolt came right out with just my fingers there wasn't any pressure on the threads once the head came off. A week later new bolts and i was back on the road. No i wouldn't ride it will put more stress on the rest off your bolts and they could snap off when shifting gears or worse when your sitting at a red light it could snap off a bolt or two engage your clutch and launch you into the intersection
Time to sell the VFR and get a BMW S1000R. I am done working on this beast.
NOTE: The staked center nut is 22mm on the inside but takes a 30mm socket to remove. Nowhere in the manual does it state this.
So... you're blaming your incompetence on the brand of the bike? Lmao!
The owners manual states that you should only have a competent mechanic work on your bike... the workshop manual assumes that you are one... nuts are identified by the thread size they are manufactured to fit, not by the size of the tool used to install them.
I can understand your frustration, as can anyone else who works on their own stuff - we all learn as we go. Just please don't misplace the blame...
LOL, good show. Glad you shared the story though. Are you sure it wasn't an elaborate ruse to convince your CFO that a BMW would be a good investment? :wink:
I have a set of left hand (reverse) taps for this purpose that were bought just after a similar situation. Saved me quite a bit of time on a few occasions. They were not cheap, since I ended up buying them piecewise with matching left handed drill bits since I was unable to purchase a kit. However, if I compare the cost vs the lost time (at $20/hour) or the cost of having a dealer fix these problems, then even at ~$120 I would say that they have paid for themselves. For others considering this, remember that you don't need a full set - just pick a few (S/M/L) that you can find matching grade 8 or metric 10.9 left hand bolts to match.
CDI 502LDFNSS CDI Torque 3/8-Inch Drive Dial Torque Wrench. After similar incidents, this for me was the end all of broken or stressed bolts (and one vfr owner). 0 to 50 pounds in 1 pound increments at +\- 3% accuracy. It is made by Snapon, comes with a certificate of calibration and is built for a lifetime of use. The price has gone up about $50.00 on Amazon (I paid $155.00) but it is still found for $150.00 at other sites. Torque values are given in shop manuals for a reason, and ignoring them rears it's ugly head pretty quick.
[image: post-24160-0-52800500-1458443042.jpg]
End of thread · 21 posts recoveredWayback Machine snapshot 11 Sep 2017