front brakes slow response

[JWF]

Hi all- I may keep that Lexx aftermarket muffler after all. The two aft drain bolts on the stock muffler are frozen, with the heads twisted off (I didn't do it, I swear!). I'm still struggling with the first one. With gallons of Liquid Wrench and 400 degrees of heat, I've tried a Craftsman "Screw Out", and what I call an "Easy Out". The tip of the Easy Out is now broken off in the pilot hole I drilled in the bolt. Before I broke off the tip of the Easy Out, I was about to drill both holes out to the next biggest bolt size. Now I can't drill out the Easy Out: it's too jagged to get the drill started, and I suspect it's too hard for the drill bit to get through. I tried driving the Easy Out into the muffler, but the inner end of the hole I drilled in the bolt is too small. Was 400 degrees not hot enough? I still have the second frozen bolt to experiment on... Any ideas appreciated. -JWF

[Horton Oliphant]

Those aren't drain bolts but rather where carbon is supposed to be removed by tapping on the muffler. Since almost no one has ever had anything come out of the holes, I wouldn't worry about them. I did the ritual cleaning and never had any thing come out. The machine screws decided to not come out and I decided to not tap on my muffler any more. Problem fixed! Alan Henderson A13 Iowa

On 5/21/2011 12:54 PM, JWF wrote: > > Hi all- I may keep that Lexx aftermarket muffler after all. The two > aft drain bolts on the stock muffler are frozen, with the heads > twisted off (I didn't do it, I swear!). I'm still struggling with the > first one. With gallons of Liquid Wrench and 400 degrees of heat, I've > tried a Craftsman "Screw Out", and what I call an "Easy Out". The tip > of the Easy Out is now broken off in the pilot hole I drilled in the bolt. > Before I broke off the tip of the Easy Out, I was about to drill both > holes out to the next biggest bolt size. Now I can't drill out the > Easy Out: it's too jagged to get the drill started, and I suspect it's > too hard for the drill bit to get through. I tried driving the Easy > Out into the muffler, but the inner end of the hole I drilled in the > bolt is too small. > Was 400 degrees not hot enough? I still have the second frozen bolt to > experiment on... > Any ideas appreciated. -JWF > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Jeff Saline]

On Sat, 21 May 2011 17:54:02 -0000 "JWF" writes:

> Hi all- I may keep that Lexx aftermarket muffler after all. The two > aft drain bolts on the stock muffler are frozen, with the heads > twisted off (I didn't do it, I swear!). I'm still struggling with > the first one. With gallons of Liquid Wrench and 400 degrees of > heat, I've tried a Craftsman "Screw Out", and what I call an "Easy > Out". The tip of the Easy Out is now broken off in the pilot hole I > drilled in the bolt. > Before I broke off the tip of the Easy Out, I was about to > drill both holes out to the next biggest bolt size. Now I can't > drill out the Easy Out: it's too jagged to get the drill started, > and I suspect it's too hard for the drill bit to get through. I > tried driving the Easy Out into the muffler, but the inner end of > the hole I drilled in the bolt is too small. > Was 400 degrees not hot enough? I still have the second frozen > bolt to experiment on... > Any ideas appreciated. -JWF

<><><><><><><> <><><><><><><> I agree with Alan. Leave them alone. If you start the engine and it leaks a little at the broken easyout get a spot weld put on the hole. Any decent exhaust shop should be able to do it for a couple of bucks. If you're in Rapid City come to my shop and I'll do it for free. I agree you won't have any luck drilling out the broken easy out (which isn't easy now). You might be able to grind it out if you want to do it in place. And if you wanted to go wild you could pull the muffler and take it to a shop with an EDM set up and get it removed that way. Bring a thick wallet too. Doesn't serve any purpose in my opinion to mess with it further. I snapped the head off one of my bolts maybe 6 years ago. I was just gonna see if any carbon would come out as I'm sometimes curious. The head snapped off real easily and I just decided that was fine. Some folks might consider that an improvement based on weight reduction. : ) In 2007 two friends from Cheyenne, WY came to Rapid to pick up two brand new 2006 KLRs that they got for a steal. They loaded them on a trailer and came to my shop. The bikes might have had a mile on the odometer. One of the things we did was remove the bolts and anti-seize them on both bikes. I don't know if either guy has ever pulled a bolt from the muffler but I think they might come out because of the anti-seize. Best, Jeff Saline ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT . . ____________________________________________________________ Groupon™ Official Site 1 ridiculously huge coupon a day. Get 50-90% off your city's best! http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/4dd812811b3b46e438st01vuc

[RobertWichert]

We can call this the "muffler lightening mod". Robert P. Wichert P.Eng LEED AP +1 916 966 9060 FAX +1 916 966 9068 ===============================================

On 5/21/2011 12:27 PM, Jeff Saline wrote: > > On Sat, 21 May 2011 17:54:02 -0000 "JWF" > writes: > > Hi all- I may keep that Lexx aftermarket muffler after all. The two > > aft drain bolts on the stock muffler are frozen, with the heads > > twisted off (I didn't do it, I swear!). I'm still struggling with > > the first one. With gallons of Liquid Wrench and 400 degrees of > > heat, I've tried a Craftsman "Screw Out", and what I call an "Easy > > Out". The tip of the Easy Out is now broken off in the pilot hole I > > drilled in the bolt. > > Before I broke off the tip of the Easy Out, I was about to > > drill both holes out to the next biggest bolt size. Now I can't > > drill out the Easy Out: it's too jagged to get the drill started, > > and I suspect it's too hard for the drill bit to get through. I > > tried driving the Easy Out into the muffler, but the inner end of > > the hole I drilled in the bolt is too small. > > Was 400 degrees not hot enough? I still have the second frozen > > bolt to experiment on... > > Any ideas appreciated. -JWF > <><><><><><><> > <><><><><><><> > > I agree with Alan. Leave them alone. If you start the engine and it > leaks a little at the broken easyout get a spot weld put on the hole. > Any decent exhaust shop should be able to do it for a couple of bucks. > If you're in Rapid City come to my shop and I'll do it for free. > > I agree you won't have any luck drilling out the broken easy out (which > isn't easy now). You might be able to grind it out if you want to do it > in place. And if you wanted to go wild you could pull the muffler and > take it to a shop with an EDM set up and get it removed that way. Bring > a thick wallet too. Doesn't serve any purpose in my opinion to mess with > it further. > > I snapped the head off one of my bolts maybe 6 years ago. I was just > gonna see if any carbon would come out as I'm sometimes curious. The > head snapped off real easily and I just decided that was fine. Some > folks might consider that an improvement based on weight reduction. : ) > > In 2007 two friends from Cheyenne, WY came to Rapid to pick up two brand > new 2006 KLRs that they got for a steal. They loaded them on a trailer > and came to my shop. The bikes might have had a mile on the odometer. > One of the things we did was remove the bolts and anti-seize them on both > bikes. I don't know if either guy has ever pulled a bolt from the > muffler but I think they might come out because of the anti-seize. > > Best, > > Jeff Saline > ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal > Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org > The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota > 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT > > . > . > __________________________________________________________ > Groupon™ Official Site > 1 ridiculously huge coupon a day. Get 50-90% off your city's best! > http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/4dd812811b3b46e438st01vuc > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Ronald Criswell]

I agree. I stopped worrying about that 40,000 miles ago after I snapped one off. Criswell

On May 21, 2011, at 2:27 PM, Jeff Saline wrote: > On Sat, 21 May 2011 17:54:02 -0000 "JWF" writes: > > Hi all- I may keep that Lexx aftermarket muffler after all. The two > > aft drain bolts on the stock muffler are frozen, with the heads > > twisted off (I didn't do it, I swear!). I'm still struggling with > > the first one. With gallons of Liquid Wrench and 400 degrees of > > heat, I've tried a Craftsman "Screw Out", and what I call an "Easy > > Out". The tip of the Easy Out is now broken off in the pilot hole I > > drilled in the bolt. > > Before I broke off the tip of the Easy Out, I was about to > > drill both holes out to the next biggest bolt size. Now I can't > > drill out the Easy Out: it's too jagged to get the drill started, > > and I suspect it's too hard for the drill bit to get through. I > > tried driving the Easy Out into the muffler, but the inner end of > > the hole I drilled in the bolt is too small. > > Was 400 degrees not hot enough? I still have the second frozen > > bolt to experiment on... > > Any ideas appreciated. -JWF > <><><><><><><> > <><><><><><><> > > I agree with Alan. Leave them alone. If you start the engine and it > leaks a little at the broken easyout get a spot weld put on the hole. > Any decent exhaust shop should be able to do it for a couple of bucks. > If you're in Rapid City come to my shop and I'll do it for free. > > I agree you won't have any luck drilling out the broken easy out (which > isn't easy now). You might be able to grind it out if you want to do it > in place. And if you wanted to go wild you could pull the muffler and > take it to a shop with an EDM set up and get it removed that way. Bring > a thick wallet too. Doesn't serve any purpose in my opinion to mess with > it further. > > I snapped the head off one of my bolts maybe 6 years ago. I was just > gonna see if any carbon would come out as I'm sometimes curious. The > head snapped off real easily and I just decided that was fine. Some > folks might consider that an improvement based on weight reduction. : ) > > In 2007 two friends from Cheyenne, WY came to Rapid to pick up two brand > new 2006 KLRs that they got for a steal. They loaded them on a trailer > and came to my shop. The bikes might have had a mile on the odometer. > One of the things we did was remove the bolts and anti-seize them on both > bikes. I don't know if either guy has ever pulled a bolt from the > muffler but I think they might come out because of the anti-seize. > > Best, > > Jeff Saline > ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal > Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org > The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota > 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT > > . > . > __________________________________________________________ > Groupon™ Official Site > 1 ridiculously huge coupon a day. Get 50-90% off your city's best! > http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/4dd812811b3b46e438st01vuc > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Jeffrey]

Funny...I broke mine off yesterday. I even had anti-seize on it.

[k650@verizon.net]

The real problem is that the bolts are too long. A few threads protrude into the exhaust flow and get filled with carbon deposits then when you try to take them out the deposits jam the threads. If they have been in a long time you have to be really patient. Crack it loose and turn it in and at a dozen times or so until you feel it loosen up. Turn it out a little more and repeat the in and again and again until it finally comes out. Along with the anti-seize the bolts need to be either replaced with shorter ones, ground shorter or use a thick washer so the threads no longer protrude into the exhaust flow. However, I would just recommend forgetting they are even there. I don't think the cleaning procedure clears much of anything anyway. My thought is it was all done to satisfy the EPA for spark arrestor approval. Walt -----Original Message----- In 2007 two friends from Cheyenne, WY came to Rapid to pick up two brand new 2006 KLRs that they got for a steal. They loaded them on a trailer and came to my shop. The bikes might have had a mile on the odometer. One of the things we did was remove the bolts and anti-seize them on both bikes. I don't know if either guy has ever pulled a bolt from the muffler but I think they might come out because of the anti-seize. Best, Jeff Saline ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT

[RobertWichert]

Exhaust gases are really nasty. Nowadays it may not be so bad, but back in the pre-smog-stuff days it was acidic and really nasty. It would eat anything that it got at. Manifold bolts were the typical target, on cars. If the exhaust manifold leaked it would eat right through those - cut them in half. That's hot gases though, so its worse. Robert P. Wichert P.Eng LEED AP +1 916 966 9060 FAX +1 916 966 9068 ===============================================

On 5/22/2011 6:03 AM, k650@... wrote: > > The real problem is that the bolts are too long. A few threads > protrude into the exhaust flow and get filled with carbon deposits > then when you try to take them out the deposits jam the threads. > If they have been in a long time you have to be really patient. > Crack it loose and turn it in and at a dozen times or so until you > feel it loosen up. Turn it out a little more and repeat the in and > again and again until it finally comes out. > > Along with the anti-seize the bolts need to be either replaced with > shorter ones, ground shorter or use a thick washer so the threads > no longer protrude into the exhaust flow. However, I would just > recommend forgetting they are even there. I don't think the cleaning > procedure clears much of anything anyway. My thought is it was all > done to satisfy the EPA for spark arrestor approval. > > Walt > > -----Original Message----- > In 2007 two friends from Cheyenne, WY came to Rapid to pick up two brand > new 2006 KLRs that they got for a steal. They loaded them on a trailer > and came to my shop. The bikes might have had a mile on the odometer. > One of the things we did was remove the bolts and anti-seize them on both > bikes. I don't know if either guy has ever pulled a bolt from the > muffler but I think they might come out because of the anti-seize. > > Best, > > Jeff Saline > ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal > Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org > The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota > 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Flower Jamie]

Thanks, everybody. I thought that carbon removal drill was important. I'll stop up the one hole I drilled through the shell and call it "lightened".

[John Biccum]

If you are certain that the pads and the rotor are clean and you still don't have good braking you might want to look at the slide pin. The KLR's brakes are self-centering on the rotor. The pads need to slide smoothly over the slide pin so that BOTH pads contact the rotor. If the slide pin is dirty or rusty one pad will contact the rotor and the second pad will not resulting is poor braking performance. I'd suggest polishing the slide pin with 0000 Steel wool ("four aught" steel wool) then applying a tiny dab of brake grease to the pin to ensure that the pads can slide, self-center and both contact the rotor at the same time. A sure sign of this work needing to be performed is one pad worn thin while the other pad has plenty of friction material remaining. From: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com [mailto:DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of onlyshlomo Sent: Sunday, May 22, 2011 10:47 PM To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Front Brakes slow response Hello from BC Have a 2001 model. Lately I noticed that the front brakes are not responding as they should. Maybe it's because I had a spin on a buddy's Versys and his front brakes were super responsive & sensitive or maybe it is after a "winter break" syndrom... My KLR front brakes seem to be "not grabbing". The rear ones are providing BETTER braking. A mechanic suggested that there might be some oil or grease on the pads, so I removed the pads, cleaned them (I even gave the a light sanding) and re-installed them - no change. Wondering if anyone experienced a similar issue. Best, Shlomo [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]