Redbike Posted May 12, 2016 Share Posted May 12, 2016 Hi The form in head of one side cowl screw, what is mounted in the metal holder below the plastic cowl is now off. It is so tight mounted, was not possible to open with my new tool, either:( I have already purchased a new screw for our Dealer. Do you have any advise, how to open and replace this screw and not to damage the painting of the side cowl? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Terry Posted May 12, 2016 Member Contributer Share Posted May 12, 2016 I had a problem with chewed out philips head screws in the airbox of my ST1100. I used an impact driver and hammer, and made sure to use the correct fitting driver bit. The combination of the hammer hit and turn freed up all my damaged screws. If this doesn't work the next option is to drill off the screw head; you should be able to do this without damaging the plastic cowl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer JZH Posted May 13, 2016 Member Contributer Share Posted May 13, 2016 I understand that the screw head is now deformed and cannot be turned with a screwdriver. To get the screw out, the best option is probably to drill it out. An impact wrench works on solidly mounted stuck fasteners, but when the screw is stuck in a steel fairing bracket, I don't think the impact wrench will be very effective. Before drilling, check to see if there is any way to remove other fairing parts to allow you to get a wrench onto the mounting bolt for the fairing bracket. If you can do that, you can remove the fairing and it will be a lot easier to work on the stuck fastener when it's not on the bike. The best drill bits to use are "left-handed" drill bits, if you can find them, because the act of drilling in the opposite direction can loosen the screw such that you don't even have to drill it all the way out. That said, I've drilled dozens of stuck fasteners with normal drill bits, and it works fine. If you drill the head of the stuck fastener off, you can then remove the fairing and you may be left with enough of the bolt to grip it with a vise grip. Or, you can then buy a new bracket to go with your new fairing bolt! Good luck. (Btw, was this a cross-head screw? If so, to avoid stripped heads in the future, get a "JIS" screwdriver for your bike; Phillips drivers tend to slip and Pozi-drive drivers are not an exact fit.) Ciao, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redbike Posted May 14, 2016 Author Share Posted May 14, 2016 thanks It is an original Honda Imbus head bolt. I went to the dealer and bought a pair of new. But the holder on the frame is only a sheetmetal Z shape and if I push or hammer it hard, it is bending to the frame. I looked the shape of the new bolt, its neck under the head is rather big 8 or 10mm. So I need a bigger drilling tool. I have to drill it, since the inner form is so rounded, I can not apply torque trough it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redbike Posted June 9, 2016 Author Share Posted June 9, 2016 Finally I drilled the side cowl screw head after checked the dia of a new screw. It went OK. Then I could easily unscrew the thread from the cowl holder with a clamping tool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer JZH Posted June 10, 2016 Member Contributer Share Posted June 10, 2016 Glad you got it out. I use aluminium anti-seize compound on fairing bolts these days--especially the lower ones. Ciao, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redbike Posted June 12, 2016 Author Share Posted June 12, 2016 Ok, but how could you prove the friction will be enough not to loose the bolt later? 2Nm is not to much, what I found in the repair manual. The required safe torque should be adjusted if we use some compound. But on the other side the bolt's clamp load will increase, and how far it is from Alu, the thread can be plastic overloaded. I work in the car industry with these kind of fixations, and I would say these bolts of the cowls are not too robust design. My bike is 10 years old, and these Alu bolts, rubber bushings and plastic pins are getting old a bit:( However my bike in mainly in the garage and have to work on the bolts max. once in a year. I wonder, how the rear plastic fairing and fixation can withstand the vibration from the v4 engine and exhaust, what is massive feeling on the seat and the pedals, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer JZH Posted June 14, 2016 Member Contributer Share Posted June 14, 2016 Experience! I don't recall having lost any fairing fasteners I've anti-seized, but even if one occasionally has fallen out without me remembering, it's not anything like a common occurrence. As you know, having one seize is not fun. OEM cowl bolts do not bear upon the plastic (they have 3-5mm "shoulders"), so torque should not affect the cowl pieces at all. Btw, there are no aluminium alloy fairing bolts at all on a stock bike. Has a previous owner replaced the OEM bolts with aftermarket bolts? Ciao, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Mohawk Posted June 14, 2016 Member Contributer Share Posted June 14, 2016 I replaced all the fairing & panel screws/bolts with alloy & titanium ones, less corrosion & simpler. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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