Rounded suspension nuts - what to do now?

Decided to pull my finger out and fit the zx10r shock i've had for 2 years.

Armed with my shiny new breaker bar, I got the nut off and bolt out of the higher end of the dog bones, but the lower one wouldn't shift and the more restricted access didnt help.

After thinking the nut was loosening, it wasnt, it was rounding off. Switched to trying the bolt end, and thats now also rounded off.

So question is, with rounded heads at both ends WTF am I going to do now?
Wasted an afternoon off work, so brassed off. Do i just put it back together and get rid of the entire bike?!?!?!

Darren

[DaveW_42]

hmmm... angle grinder!?

what tools do you have at your disposal? I would just cut the nut or the head of the bolt off, dont you need a longger bolt anyway for the new shock?

Originally Posted by DarrenChay

Do i just put it back together and get rid of the entire bike?!?!?!

yes.

[jambo]

First off the bike's still rideable so you've got time to consider your options.

If the nut & bolt are both rounded you'll need new ones. So pick these up from either someone breaking a curvy SV, or from a Suzuki parts dealership.

Before ordering the new parts see if you can loosen and re-torque any other nuts you'l need off so you know if you'll need any other parts.

If you don't have any sockets that will grip the sides of the nut rather than the points (or if the nut really is properly gone) you'll need to cut it off. An angle grinder would work but the location is tricky and the potential to do big dammage is there, so I'd probably take my time with a hacksaw.

Selling the bike over one rounded nut seems a touch extreme, as I'm sure you'll agree when feeling a little less miffed

Jambo

Thanks for the views guys.
Guess it'll need cutting off then, as i think they're too far gone.

The selling it idea was one level down from setting fire to it, after effing and blinding in the garage, but i'm calmer now i've walked away!

A job for tomorrow, i'm going to have a well earned pint, sod it!

enjoy your weekend!

Darren

[tonyk]

file 2 sides of the nut and use a open end spanner that fits ...

6 sided sockets as mentioned can be a god send, 2 flats also mentioned may do it. Hammering on a smaller sized impact socket may help or perhaps a nut splitter. Failing that dremel or hammer and chisel.

[mikerj]

You can buy sockets that are designed to grip rounded off fastener heads, they have a very coarse, tapered left hand cutting thread that bites into the rounded off fastener. You wack them onto the fastener with a hammer and the loosening torque causes them to grip even tighter.

[tonyk]

Originally Posted by tonyk

file 2 sides of the nut and use a open end spanner that fits ...

or
try this
www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_Ag5wvdeqI