Front brake res help! Please!

[AndyBrad]

Ok just given the bike a quick fettle and alls well. Brakes have been a bit spongy recently so i thourght i would top uo the front brake resevoir. Then disaster! the top has sheared off the head of the screw! Now to make it worse i carnt get the bugger out! So plese help. Can anyone tell me the size of the screw? and how the hell i can get it out? and if theres anything in the house (currently looking at the dvd player) to take apart so i can get one and use the bike tomorrow!

ARGH im stuck? Or will it be ok with 1 screw? it looks dodgy tho!

[simesb]

You mean the screw on the clamp holding the top on the reservoir? Should be fine without the clamp for a day or two until you get it sorted.

[AndyBrad]

sorry its the naked 650 so its a metal box type res

[simesb]

sorry its the naked 650 so its a metal box type res

My bad - should have looked at your avatar. :rolleyes:

[Lissa]

As a temporary measure could you not use a zip tie or two to hold the cover on until you locate a replacement?

[AndyBrad]

not sure? would that be ok?

[petevtwin650]

not sure? would that be ok?

I would certainly do this as a last ditch repair. The reservoir isn't under pressure. All the lid does is keep the fluid from spilling out, so if the zip tie(s) can be fed underneath and act directly on the top I imagine it would be ok. Obviously watch very carefully for any sign of fluid leakage as this will damage paintwork.

Would prefer a second opinion though before you went ahead.

[AndyBrad]

so any ideas how to get this screw out?

and what size it is?

[petevtwin650]

I would use a centre punch or old small screwdriver and tap what is left of the head round in an anticlockwise direction.

Don't know about the size. Were there not two screws?

[AndyBrad]

bloody hell carnt find a ******* zip tie in the house. i used to have hundreds. Also bet there in the same plac as my mole grips! grrrr.

Any other tips on how to get this screw out. im guessing its a m4 machine screw and have cut down a screw out of a plug socket and its something like. just have to get the old one out now!

[yorkie_chris]

Got some little stainless bolts kicking about here if you want, tapping it round with a small punch is likely to be most effective. Or alternatively dremeling a slot into the head of it.

[AndyBrad]

Got some little stainless bolts kicking about here if you want, tapping it round with a small punch is likely to be most effective. Or alternatively dremeling a slot into the head of it.


cool do you know what size they are? Also do you think it would be ok riding it with 1 screw into work as im hoping i could pick something up at lunch, if i can get the old one out

[simesb]

What about superglueing a small bolt to the top of the broken screw? As long as you were careful not to glue it to the cover itself......

[AndyBrad]

What about superglueing a small bolt to the top of the broken screw? As long as you were careful not to glue it to the cover itself......

yea well ive knackered whats left to a pointy stump now so i dont think im going to be able to glue anything to it.

[yorkie_chris]

D'oh.

Be reet with one in it yes.

[Lissa]

yea well ive knackered whats left to a pointy stump now so i dont think im going to be able to glue anything to it.


Lol.

Sorry, I know it's not funny, but your turn of phrase made me giggle:D

[AndyBrad]

Lol.

Sorry, I know it's not funny, but your turn of phrase made me giggle:D

glad i can be of service.


Still not got the bloody thing out. Ideas appart from drilling it?

[yorkie_chris]

If there's just a stump stuck up out of main casting then possibly weld something to it carefully, or take m/c off and grip screw in vice.

[AndyBrad]

Manage to get hold of it at dinner with some mole grips. Slowly turning it then PING its now flush with the alloy. ********!!!

So ive ordered a second hand one off ebay so i can swap it out while i drill the origial one out. Ill be using some stainless screws in the new one so while im at it is there anything else i can change to stainless while im at it? A nice list would be good with sizes so we can sticky it and stop others having the same problems?

[petevtwin650]

A nice list would be good with sizes so we can sticky it and stop others having the same problems?

A list wouldn't have helped you not butcher the screw. An impact driver or the correct size screwdriver would have, especially as you never got the old one out anyway. Stainless will still corrode to a degree, so use a little blob of copperslip or grease on the threads before putting the bolts/screw back in.

[AndyBrad]

A list wouldn't have helped you not butcher the screw. An impact driver or the correct size screwdriver would have, especially as you never got the old one out anyway. Stainless will still corrode to a degree, so use a little blob of copperslip or grease on the threads before putting the bolts/screw back in.

TO BE FAIR

i used the correct size driver. I also didnt butcher the screw. It was corroded and thats why it failed. An impact driver would have had no effect and you carnt get copperslip into a corroded screw :) thus if we have a list of sizes then we could replace them as and when hopefully preventing future problems?

[AndyBrad]

blooy hell gone and done the same trick with the rear one now. Bloody great this stuff they make the bolts out of. I got a screw extractor this time and its kust turned a big hole in whats left.

Grrrr

[yorkie_chris]

I might have a spare rear res.

[AndyBrad]

hmm how much would sir want for such an item? Not completly cut it off yet so m going to try again in a bit when it stops raining.

you know those 2 side bits that go down from under the rear seat. well where do they come out? and lets say for example somone dropped a few driver bits don there will they jus rattle about till i get to them or would they drop onto the road?

[yorkie_chris]

I take it you already have the rear plastics off?

[AndyBrad]

urm noooooo should i?

[AndyBrad]

btw im on about that bit where the tank stand would go

[yorkie_chris]

Yeah. Either be able to get down the side with the plastic off, or they'll just be hanging around in there. No wonder you rounded screws out you can't get even grip on them with plastic still on.

[AndyBrad]

hmm tbh the driver did locate quite well as the res kind of flexes out a little. It just turned the metal out of the screw. Otherone was fine although it did need a little persuasion. Ill leave it for another day i think and take the plastics off as you suggest.

[yorkie_chris]

Obviously not that well :-P

[AndyBrad]

:p yea urm well urm right..... sorry