knackered bolt, remedy?

You have a springy exhaust clamp which you want to clamp temporarily and adjustably while adjusting other parts of the pipework. What would you prefer, a g-clamp?

Quick grip clamp - rigid grip but no metal to mark the shiny stuff especially if your adjustments include swivelling the exhaust.

Or alternatively, you come across a soft bolt- for example, the carb float bowl screws on the SV- which has had the head damaged previously and still needs some force to remove. What would you prefer here?

If the right tool had been used in the first place (point I was trying to make) it wouldn't be damaged, assuming reasonable access slot the head with a junior hack saw blade and remove with a bladed screwdriver.

Or, you find a BMW 650 in a ditch outside of Kelso. The poor guy's broken off his gear selector. Small mole grip clamped to the end of his gear lever and he can ride home.

Not exactly using it as a tool just as a replacement part so doesn't count but maybe a good tip for BMW 650 riders - 'always carry a small mole grip'.

We are running slightly off topic here, but as the bolt in question is sunk deep into a silly plastic cover which has no use apart from cosmetics it is difficult to remove, you have more chance of breaking the plastic.

The best thing you can do when you buy a Suzuki or probably any bike is throw the toolkit in the canal.

The only thing that works is the plug spanner, the rest is a might get you home measure

[northwind]

Originally Posted by hutchy

Quick grip clamp - rigid grip but no metal to mark the shiny stuff especially if your adjustments include swivelling the exhaust.

Fair point...

Originally Posted by hutchy

If the right tool had been used in the first place (point I was trying to make) it wouldn't be damaged, assuming reasonable access slot the head with a junior hack saw blade and remove with a bladed screwdriver.

That's an easier and better solution than grips is it? Considering that you're also contending with a mangled phillips head on those screws, cutting a new slot is probably less likely to work than using grips. Leaving aside that those screws are very easy to damage even with the ideal tool, they're very soft and tend to be sticky.

Originally Posted by hutchy

Not exactly using it as a tool just as a replacement part so doesn't count but maybe a good tip for BMW 650 riders - 'always carry a small mole grip'.

But y'see, that's my point... They're very useful tools, just as long as you don't misuse them. I think you're just judging them based on the disasters that bodgers create with them.