Date: 28-03-24  Time: 19:14 pm

Author Topic: Stuck exhaust studs...  (Read 1232 times)

Grahamm

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Stuck exhaust studs...
« on: 25 May 2019, 08:29:15 pm »
I've posted this on the FB group, but I thought I'd ask here too...

I'm having major hassles at the moment as I needed to replace the gasket at the bottom of the cat pipe on my FZ6 (2006) and decided I might as well replace the header bolts and studs since they were getting seriously manky.

Unfortunately, despite liberal spraying with Plusgas, tapping with a hammer and wedging two nuts together, I still can't get them to budge.

I went to B&Q and got myself a blow torch and some freeze spray, I've used more Plusgas, I've used the blow torch, I've used the freeze spray, but even with two nuts wedged together, the stud won't shift and I just end up unscrewing both nuts at the same time!

(And, yes, I cleaned the Plusgas off the stud before I put the nuts on!)

I've used a wire brush on a Dremel to clear as much rust off the base of the studs as I can and sprayed on more Plusgas, maybe they'll shift tomorrow...

Question: How long should I apply heat from the blowtorch? I've tried 30 seconds and then a minute, but I'm not sure how much effect it's having.
Anyone got any recommendations for how long I should use the torch without worrying about melting parts?

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Re: Stuck exhaust studs...
« Reply #1 on: 25 May 2019, 10:00:38 pm »
"kin hell ! what a game,you have GOT to get it red hot and then depending on how much you can get hold of mole grips or stilsons on the studs/nuts,I really would have thought they would have moved with welding 2 nuts on the stud though.
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Re: Stuck exhaust studs...
« Reply #2 on: 26 May 2019, 07:12:26 am »
Any chance of welding a nut as close to the head as possible, or failing that, a stud extractor should get it out, but you need to give the stud a decent whack with a hammer before attempting removal.
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robbo

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Re: Stuck exhaust studs...
« Reply #3 on: 26 May 2019, 07:25:10 am »
Halfords do the Lazer Extractor which covers stud sizes 6-12mm, £21.99. Neilsen do the same thing for £14.75, but only mail order. Good luck.
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steve 10562cc

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Re: Stuck exhaust studs...
« Reply #4 on: 26 May 2019, 08:30:33 am »
Got the same problem with my FZ1 snapped a stud level with the bottom of the nut. MY eldest is a plant fitter and used to getting seized studs and bolts out we tried for 4 hours yesterday to shift the little foccer it's still solid. Used plus gas , heat, broke a stud extractor, hit it with small hammer, big hammer, heated it then freeze spray. One last try tomorrow after another days soaking in Plus Gas then the little b*****d getting drilled out and the hole taped. Does any know if the t**ts at Yamaha used lock tight when they fitted the studs.   

Grahamm

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Re: Stuck exhaust studs...
« Reply #5 on: 26 May 2019, 11:17:01 am »
The studs are still all there and unbroken, they just won't shift (and I really don't want to apply too much force in case I *do* snap one...!)

I'm going to try a bit more "percussive persuasion" with the hammer in a little while...

Grahamm

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Re: Stuck exhaust studs...
« Reply #6 on: 26 May 2019, 06:16:24 pm »
FFS! I have been heating and freezing and Plusgassing and bashing these damn things for several hours now and they still won't move!

I really don't want to have to fork out a couple of hundred quid for a welding kit (and then have to learn how to use it and then probably never use it again), but it's either that or leave the old studs in and put the pipes back on with the stainless nuts, except that's not going to actually resolve the issue.

I'm giving up for today... :(

steve 10562cc

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Re: Stuck exhaust studs...
« Reply #7 on: 26 May 2019, 09:05:17 pm »
I had undone the original nuts since I owned the bike 3 years ago bar the one that has just sheered off (seized solid)  twice a year spring and autumn copper greased and put back on never had any problem with them. So just a thread cleaner down the good studs going to carry on with the copper grease twice a year (5 minute job) and fit stain less nuts. As for the sheered stud been soaking in plus gas all day managed to fit a cup round where the stud is screwed into so it can soak in a reservoir of plus gas keep topping it up, lads ordered sum different stud removers (good old amazon prime) we're going to give them a try but if that fails drill the stud out and re tap the thread. Good luck with yours Grahamm.   

Grahamm

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Re: Stuck exhaust studs...
« Reply #8 on: 26 May 2019, 09:33:06 pm »
I was using the old exhaust nuts to try to remove the studs, but I started to round a couple of them off (no worries as I've already got stainless replacements)

So I've ordered some steel M8 nuts from Toolsafe and I'm going to pick them up tomorrow and maybe have a go with a breaker bar (hopefully it will only break the rust adhesion and not anything else...!!)

steve 10562cc

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Re: Stuck exhaust studs...
« Reply #9 on: 27 May 2019, 08:31:39 pm »
The little b****ds out sorry the stud I mean, cut it off flush and drilled it out and re tapped the thread even after 4 days soaking in plus gas, heat to red hot three different sets of stud remover it was solid. so bit the bullet and drilled it out still didn't want to give up had to use a tap to clear the threads it's been a pig after an hour it was done and new stud in. Several pints of the amber nectar  are now being consumed 

Grahamm

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Re: Stuck exhaust studs...
« Reply #10 on: 27 May 2019, 08:49:45 pm »
I got fed up and decided to leave the damn things in, then just Plusgas them after every ride, so eventually they might actually start to loosen.

Now there's another issue, but I'll put that in another thread...