broken exhaust studs

[tweetytek]

Lol.whatever.

[andybesy]

When I got mine done I discussed risk of them snapping with the mechanics I asked to quote.

First (the people I bought the bike from) simply said didn't want the job "we only want easy service jobs" but would take it on basis of quote of up to 8 hours labour, £576 plus parts.

The other acknowledged the risk and quoted a price range, low to high depending if they snapped and how many.

I asked if he would agree to do the job on a fixed price basis using the mid-point price, I thought that was fair and so did he, can't expect anyone to work for free but equally cant sign a blank check.

In the end all went fine, no snapped studs and came back with copper grease on. I still put gt85 in them every week or so to this day just became a habbit : )

[Deefer666]

 £576??????? FFS perhaps its time to up my hourly rate....and 8 hours??? I can change a engine & have the bike out of the door in 4!

[Buzz]

I removed the rad and dremelled the rusted nuts off (2 cuts on each in a wedge shape then a cold chisel to tap and turn).  Didn't even try soaking or turning them as the middle 4 were rusted solid.  Replaced with brass domed nuts with some copper slip, ready for when I could get some Motads. 

Fitted the new pipes on Sunday and they sound and look frickin' amazing!

[fazersharp]

I removed the rad and dremelled the rusted nuts off (2 cuts on each in a wedge shape then a cold chisel to tap and turn).  Didn't even try soaking or turning them as the middle 4 were rusted solid.  Replaced with brass domed nuts with some copper slip, ready for when I could get some Motads. 

I think that is the way to go after all we are not going to re use the old nuts are we.
I have ordered a tin of kroil have a google about it as it seems the best stuff but not readily available in this country and what I have brought will last me forever. My plan was although my pipes are good for now by the time i come to remove them I will have had months of applying a penetrating oil, my bike is 16 years old and has the OEM pipes although apart from its first 2 years of life has never been ridden in the wet.

If I was to use a dremel what fitting would i need and is there different types of dremel. I may just buy one on ebay for the job and sell it straight on

[Ebme Geek]

I did mine some time ago, used dremel 'cut off wheels'
I got a draper kit with a flexi drive that helped get to the more awkward ones
 
some pics here posts 11 & 13
http://foc-u.co.uk/index.php/topic,6858.msg67155.html#msg67155

[fazersharp]

That is perfect thanks for the link and the original post, I think I would rather spend £50 on all the dremel stuff needed than have to deal with snapped studs

[Jules-C]

I Dremelled 3 of my exhaust nuts of a couple of years ago. The ones that wouldn't respond to repeated plusgas treatments. Off course they were the hardest to get to ones on the centre two clamps. Did it without taking radiator off but ended up cutting through the last downpipe close to clamp to get access to the nut.  It's surprising how big a chunk you can slice off the side of the stud and the stainless dome nut still goes on and holds tight!

Use the cutting disks with fibre reinforcement in them, the ones without are about as strong as Pringles and shatter easily

[Wookee]

I did mine yesterday 42k's worth of seized nuts came off reasonably easily with heat and very gentle persuasion. I had put penetrating fluid on the previous day just to get something on them, I can't quite see the point of doing it for days as it either goes in or it doesn't. When I was heating the centre ones I did spray them again after the first couple of minutes of heat before re-applying. Once I got the first bit of 'give' in the nut I rocked it back and forth a few times before applying more pressure to undo it.


For the time being I've had to put the old nuts back on as the new ones I ordered aren't domed. Can anyone give me a link to the domed ones please?

[Jules-C]

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=130070198454&alt=web

Hope the link works or just do a search for m6 stainless dome nut in fleabay

[Wookee]

Cheers mate...ordered.   I take it they're deep enough to be tightened to the right torque?

[fazersharp]

  With what did you heat them - dear Wookee dear Wookee - with what did you heat them- dear Wookee with what 

[Jules-C]

Cheers mate...ordered.   I take it they're deep enough to be tightened to the right torque?

They should be I haven't heard of anyone that's had a problem using dome nuts.

They should make stainless studs and nuts standard on all bikes, probably add about £1.50 to the cost of manufacture

[limax2]

Cheers mate...ordered.   I take it they're deep enough to be tightened to the right torque?

 
As said they should be, but if you want to be sure you could screw one on a bolt thread and see how many turns to bottom out. Then as long as it takes less turns when fitting the exhaust all will be fine  .
P.S. Mine were fine.

[Wookee]

  With what did you heat them - dear Wookee dear Wookee - with what did you heat them- dear Wookee with what 

A camping gaz butane torch....more commonly known as a plumbers torch. They cost a few quid from any plumbers place and you only need a little can of gas. Listen to the radio when you do it and you heat it up for about one record length then spray some penetrating fluid on it and let it soak in while the DJ chats, then heat for another record length. It will be glowing by then and should come off with a bit of rocking back and forth. I used very little pressure.


You have to be a bit careful after spraying the fluid as it is flammable and will flare up. The other thing I used was three different spanners/sockets as I couldn't get a socket on all of the nuts. Check what spanner/socket fits BEFORE you heat each nut up. Otherwise you end up fiddling around with a red hot nut and that stings a bit

[savvy]

I don't know when they were fitted but my headers are fastened on with hex skt screws into the cyl head. No nuts at all and only need an allen key in the socket to undo them. They are h/tensile so should be ok and I remove every winter and copperslip them.
 Works for me so far.

[fazersharp]

A camping gaz butane torch....more commonly known as a plumbers torch.

yep ive got one of those but heat until glowing  thats a bit much isnt it

[Wookee]

A camping gaz butane torch....more commonly known as a plumbers torch.

yep ive got one of those but heat until glowing  thats a bit much isnt it

No idea if it was a bit much....it worked for me and no studs were broken. Maybe less would have worked and maybe not....