battery advice

[Tim Pruitt]

I'm in the process of doing my first tire change on my 2009 KLR and I've run up against something I don't think I've heard on here before (or I may have missed it), so I thought I'd ask if anyone else has had this problem. I changed the back tire first, no real issue there. I use a motorcycle floor jack to get the bike up in the air, and with the Happy Trails skid plate on there it sits nice and flat and feels very solid, but I digress. I started to remove the front tire and I loosen the axle nut, then went to loosen the axle clamp bolts. These are internal hex (Allen wrench) and 8 x 30 bolts, with a recommended torque of 15 ft-lbs (Kawasaki Manual). I can't get them loose. I say I can't, I did manage to get one to pop free (and it did "POP") and when we looked at my Craftsman 6mm Allen socket it was twisted nearly 90 degrees. The second o ne wouldn't accept the Allen wrench, it appears it was torqued so tight the internal flats are rounded. The other two are so tight we stopped trying to remove them until I have some spare parts to replace these bolts with. I don't know if these wheels are put on by the dealer or if the dealer un-crates them with the wheels already bolted up. But whoever does it someone absolutely torgued the sh*t out of those little bolts. I don't see h ow they got them in there with out stripping them. Having been a mechanic most of my life I've twisted off and see twisted off many a bolt head, so these are an anomaly. I looked at the one set of threads we got out and they don't appear to have loc-tits on them (or any other kind of thread locker). They're just damn-good'n-tite. Anyone else run into this before? [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Eric J Foster]

Try putting a short section of Allen, like an inch, in the bolts and rap them with a hammer a few times before trying to turn. Holding it with a pair of pliers saves the fingers. Also soak them with PB blaster and let them sit a few days. DO NOT use WD40 because it's what you already have. Coat the bolts with anti-size when you reassemble. Sounds like you have some galvanic reaction going on. E

[dooden]

Axle Clamp Bolts ? Loosen the big nut on end 27mm ? and tap the axle out. I got a 2001 so never looked at newer models. Not sure what you talking about, but I like to use Sockets with the allen head, then like my little 3/8" butterfly impact to loosen, soak with PB Blaster or something and hammer the nut back and forth quickly using the butterfly impact on a lower setting just to rattle it enough to speed up the soak in process. If possible (not on forks of course) propane torch the outer and resoak. Good Luck Dooden A15 Green Ape

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Tim Pruitt wrote: > > I'm in the process of doing my first tire change on my 2009 KLR and I've run up against something I don't think I've heard on here before (or I may have missed it), so I thought I'd ask if anyone else has had this problem. > > I changed the back tire first, no real issue there. I use a motorcycle floor jack to get the bike up in the air, and with the Happy Trails skid plate on there it sits nice and flat and feels very solid, but I digress. > > I started to remove the front tire and I loosen the axle nut, then went to loosen the axle clamp bolts. These are internal hex (Allen wrench) and 8 x 30 bolts, with a recommended torque of 15 ft-lbs (Kawasaki Manual). I can't get them loose. I say I can't, I did manage to get one to pop free (and it did "POP") and when we looked at my Craftsman 6mm Allen socket it was twisted nearly 90 degrees. The second o ne wouldn't accept the Allen wrench, it appears it was torqued so tight the internal flats are rounded. The other two are so tight we stopped trying to remove them until I have some spare parts to replace these bolts with. > > I don't know if these wheels are put on by the dealer or if the dealer un-crates them with the wheels already bolted up. But whoever does it someone absolutely torgued the sh*t out of those little bolts. I don't see h ow they got them in there with out stripping them. Having been a mechanic most of my life I've twisted off and see twisted off many a bolt head, so these are an anomaly. I looked at the one set of threads we got out and they don't appear to have loc-tits on them (or any other kind of thread locker). They're just damn-good'n-tite. > > Anyone else run into this before? > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] >

[dooden]

Can take the twisted allen wrench and cut it off and use a socket on it also. The ones you buy do not fall outta the socket at least... Dooden A15 Green Ape

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Eric J Foster wrote: > > Try putting a short section of Allen, like an inch, in the bolts and rap > them with a hammer a few times before trying to turn. Holding it with a > pair of pliers saves the fingers. Also soak them with PB blaster and let > them sit a few days. DO NOT use WD40 because it's what you already have. > > Coat the bolts with anti-size when you reassemble. Sounds like you > have some galvanic reaction going on. > > E >

[Tim Pruitt]

I sent this out last week. I was not looking for adviceon how to get the bolts out so much as wondering if anyone else has run into this type of over-torque or oxidation problem. I took the bike to the dealer where I bought it yesterday and they couldn't get them loose either. I believe they were severely over-torqued on set-up. They didn't deny (or agree) with me there, but kept trying to say it must be oxidation between the threads and the fork tube. Hmmmm.... What they don't know, and I didn't add, nor have I mentioned here probably, but I've been a mechanic for 35 years. I've worked on motorcycles and cars, and spent 20 years pofessionally working on Airplanes (everything from fabric covered bi-planes to modern jets). I've seen stuck bolts. I've seen oxidized (although here I would probably say dis-similar metal corrosion). I've seen my share of over torqued fasteners. These were hammered when put in. I say that because the inside bolt on the left side was nearly rounded out - towards the tighten position. There may be a slight bit of corrosion going on, but I don't see it. I'm honestly thinking I may be in for two new lower fork legs before this is over with. I've got a couple of things yet to try. I did bringit home yesterday because I was comopletely unimpressed with their Saturday mechanic. Oh well I'll keep you posted. ----- Forwarded Message ----- From: Tim Pruitt To: "DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com" DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Saturday, August 20, 2011 3:22 PM Subject: Front Axle Clamp Bolts I'm in the process of doing my first tire change on my 2009 KLR and I've run up against something I don't think I've heard on here before (or I may have missed it), so I thought I'd ask if anyone else has had this problem. I changed the back tire first, no real issue there. I use a motorcycle floor jack to get the bike up in the air, and with the Happy Trails skid plate on there it sits nice and flat and feels very solid, but I digress. I started to remove the front tire and I loosen the axle nut, then went to loosen the axle clamp bolts. These are internal hex (Allen wrench) and 8 x 30 bolts, with a recommended torque of 15 ft-lbs (Kawasaki Manual). I can't get them loose. I say I can't, I did manage to get one to pop free (and it did "POP") and when we looked at my Craftsman 6mm Allen socket it was twisted nearly 90 degrees. The second o ne wouldn't accept the Allen wrench, it appears it was torqued so tight the internal flats are rounded. The other two are so tight we stopped trying to remove them until I have some spare parts to replace these bolts with. I don't know if these wheels are put on by the dealer or if the dealer un-crates them with the wheels already bolted up. But whoever does it someone absolutely torgued the sh*t out of those little bolts. I don't see h ow they got them in there with out stripping them. Having been a mechanic most of my life I've twisted off and see twisted off many a bolt head, so these are an anomaly. I looked at the one set of threads we got out and they don't appear to have loc-tits on them (or any other kind of thread locker). They're just damn-good'n-tite. Anyone else run into this before? [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Jeffrey]

I just ordered agm glass mat battery. 66 online incl shipping. 2004 klr oem lasted fine But pain to add water. 2nd battery was agm lasted about same but Far less hassle 4 yrs each 3rd should arrive mon or tues J#3