The Good, the bad and the ugly of motorcycle maintenance

Getting my 2009 R1200R ready for the season. I'll start with the good, changed the engine and trans oil, checked the brake pads and disks, replaced the cracked headlight lens. The bad I stripped the final drive fill plug can't get it out. Good thing I didn't drain it. The ugly was when I pulled the rear wheel to access the fill plug I found 2 of the wheel bolts just a bit more than finger tight. I have not had the wheel off before as this is a new to me bike. Torqued everything to spec and now I have to figure out how to get that plug out without damaging anything else. Saturday will be brake fluid change, valves, plugs and TB sync. Any suggestions on the fill plug?

Getting my 2009 R1200R ready for the season. I'll start with the good, changed the engine and trans oil, checked the brake pads and disks, replaced the cracked headlight lens. The bad I stripped the final drive fill plug can't get it out. Good thing I didn't drain it. The ugly was when I pulled the rear wheel to access the fill plug I found 2 of the wheel bolts just a bit more than finger tight. I have not had the wheel off before as this is a new to me bike. Torqued everything to spec and now I have to figure out how to get that plug out without damaging anything else. Saturday will be brake fluid change, valves, plugs and TB sync. Any suggestions on the fill plug?

Evening ltljohn

Why not just fill it through the wheel speed sensor hole?

Scary but sounds like you need to drill it. Then...

Pat

Getting my 2009 R1200R ready for the season. I'll start with the good, changed the engine and trans oil, checked the brake pads and disks, replaced the cracked headlight lens. The bad I stripped the final drive fill plug can't get it out. Good thing I didn't drain it. The ugly was when I pulled the rear wheel to access the fill plug I found 2 of the wheel bolts just a bit more than finger tight. I have not had the wheel off before as this is a new to me bike. Torqued everything to spec and now I have to figure out how to get that plug out without damaging anything else. Saturday will be brake fluid change, valves, plugs and TB sync. Any suggestions on the fill plug?

 

Evening ltljohn

 

Why not just fill it through the wheel speed sensor hole?

Did not know I could do that, I will check that out. Once again DR has a solution

Scary but sounds like you need to drill it. Then...

 

Pat

No drilling it is a torx. I tried an easy out but could not budge it.

No drilling it is a torx. I tried an easy out but could not budge it.

Evening ltljohn

As a rule if they are frozen tight enough to strip then they are way too tight for an easy out to break free.

Are you sure it is a torx, I have seen some that were a hex (allen)

I assumed it was a torx as everything else seem to be. The bit I used fit tight and I stripped it using a small 3/8 ratchet. It is just a stripped hole now. If I can easily fill it through the speed sensor hole it is something that can wait. I have a new plug on the way so I will see what it is.

Probably misunderstanding but Torx or Hex doesn't really matter If stripped.

The drill and easy out method

Pat

As DR says, easy outs aren't usually the answer. Mostly they're a joke. Depending on the dimensions of your plug, and what kind of tools you have available, a couple of ideas that I've had better luck with: starting from the center hole, cut 2 slots in the plug into either side (180 degrees apart), like you're preparing for a flat blade screwdriver. Either use a really big a55 screwdriver, or a similar steel flat bar. Put that in there, and turn it with a crescent wrench. Another method, that needs more space, is to drill 2 holes, one on either side of the original hex/torx hole. Then use a pin spanner. It's really easy with this method to drill too close to the edge, and bugger up your threads in the body. So study the replacement plug, and decide how much space you have to work with.

Also be careful not to cut/drill through the plug, and put shavings inside. It's a tricky business.

I'd also give it a shot of liquid wrench, diesel oil, or some similarly light oil. Let the oil sit there for a few days.

This one is easy...time for a new bike. I traded my 09 for a 2016. You will not believe the difference.

I agree. Time to buy a new bike. But, if that doesn't work out try:

Freeze Spray

You'll need some kind of stripped bolt-head tool or grinding a slot as suggested above. Then apply heat, perhaps with a hair blower, to expand the housing (and plug) then spray the plug to rapidly cool it.

If that doesn't work, then just buy a new bike. 8-)

Getting my 2009 R1200R ready for the season. I'll start with the good, changed the engine and trans oil, checked the brake pads and disks, replaced the cracked headlight lens. The bad I stripped the final drive fill plug can't get it out. Good thing I didn't drain it. The ugly was when I pulled the rear wheel to access the fill plug I found 2 of the wheel bolts just a bit more than finger tight. I have not had the wheel off before as this is a new to me bike. Torqued everything to spec and now I have to figure out how to get that plug out without damaging anything else. Saturday will be brake fluid change, valves, plugs and TB sync. Any suggestions on the fill plug?

 

Evening ltljohn

 

Why not just fill it through the wheel speed sensor hole?

Did not know I could do that, I will check that out. Once again DR has a solution

John, do like DR says, the 2005-2008 used the speed sensor to fill the rear drive, with no problems. 180 ML only.

 

No drilling it is a torx. I tried an easy out but could not budge it.

Morning ltljohn

Don't drill through it as you then have a hole into the final drive & are really committed to a resolution. Also drilling the plug can send metal debris into the final drive to end up in the bearings.

Buy a little cheap pin-point butane torch On-line or Harbor Freight (usually only a few dollars)

Then drill 1 or 2 holes in the outer flange of the drain plug. Drill in a location that you can get an angled punch into & DON'T drill all the way through the flange (it just needs to be deep enough to get a punch tip into).

Then heat inside the center hole of the plug with a pinpoint torch (this should break the plug free) -- you might have to heat it a couple of times until the plug will break free.

Then use an angled punch in one of the holes to drive the plug in the removal direction (they will usually come free & start to move with a little tapping on the punch)

This way if it doesn't work then you still have sealed plug & no gear oil leaks.

Do not drill & use an easy out--if that plug is tight then the easy out can either break off in the plug (then you REALLY have problems) or at the very least it will dig in & expand the plug making it even tighter in the hole (easy outs are a very mis-named tool they should be called big-problems). They work OK to remove loose broken bolts but bring on big problems in trying to remove tightly stuck bolts.

Oooh, I could use that freeze spray for something. Thanks for that link. (I've got a bearing on some equipment that has become one with the shaft).

Gotta be careful with that stuff tho. Isn't that how tweekers bust your bicycle lock? Freeze the lock as cold as it'll go, and smack it with a hammer so it shatters like glass.

I don't think -65 or so is cold enough for that but you never know. Tweekers are a crafty bunch when it comes to getting money (but not oral hygiene).

I've watched almost all of Chris Harris' videos (YouTube channel). He doesn't do camheads so it's not all directly related but he's a really good mechanic and makes easy work out of frozen bolts. He uses MAP gas torches and freeze spray a lot. I've picked up a lot of little pointers about shop practices and other stuff like that from him. If you're offended by, let say 'salty' language, you might not want to watch. Just FYI. Personally, I love it. He's like that ship's First Mate that won't take, eh, 'stuff', from anyone.

Freeze spray is fantastic stuff. I got used to using it when I troubleshot electronics for a paycheck. Easiest way ever to find an intermittent connection or an obscure power supply short. Neat trick, you can also use a can of spray duster and turn it upside down.

Thanks for all of the good advice, I will wait until I have the new plug in hand before I attempt anything.

Also buggered mine using a torx while it required a 6MM hex key. Before you drill, try a 6MM hex key lightly tapping it into the socket. If too loose to turn, try wrapping the key in paper and then tapping it in.

Luck.

I know that in some scenarios you get good results by welding a hex head bolt to the damaged bolt / plug, but I don't know about the metallurgy here.

Johnny J

The good news, my new fill plug arrived today. The bad news I am not getting then old one out. I will leave it to someone with better skills and more experience I will just end up breaking something expensive. I did manage to fill the final drive through the speed sensor hole though.

Sounds like a good plan to me. Ya gotta know what your limits are.

I for one, have had pretty good luck using extraction tools like the easy outs posted by TEWKS. If you follow the directions, I think you have a reasonable chance at success. If the crush washer is doing its job, I doubt penetrating oil will get by, but if you tap on the housing a little before attempting the extraction, the plug might loosen to within the capability of the extractor. Good luck. JJ