Bolts for Headers

[oohsam]

Hi guys
So i pulled off the headers off the GS the other day.
I noticed the bolts that are holding them in place are a bit suspect. I do alot of building with timber and they look like building bolts....

I dont think these things will take the heat that is generated from that part of the engine and I'm a little concerned.

I dont think i can actually order the OEM bolts for this...so is there a stainless steel bolt that will hold up or ?...

[Steve]

Why can't you order OEM bolts?

I don't think there's anything special about them.

I think I would trust "regular" steel in that heat before stainless.

.

[oohsam]

Suzuki here dont have them. I will have to try and source them from an online supplier I guess.
I dont even know what material these bolts are made of that are on the bike at the moment!
They could be some cheap aluminum for all I know!

[bwringer]

I've had stainless hex head bolts on my bike for about 10 years... stainless is fine, and doesn't turn into a rusty mess in the first rain storm.

Whether you use stainless or regular steel, just slather the bolts with plenty of antiseize, crack them loose every 6 months or so, and renew the antiseize yearly or whenever you have the exhaust off for some other reason.

Be warned that it's very common for these bolts to break off when you remove the exhaust for the first time in several years. If this happens, DO NOT PANIC, and DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT USING EXTRACTORS. Search the forum and ask for advice here if you need it.

You could also convert to studs to eliminate the possibility of future breakage.

They're regular 8mmX1.25 threads, but lengths vary somewhat. Not sure what your bike needs, but 40mm length bolts are most common.

[simon kuether]

I replaced mine with studs . Tapped the holes , put helicoils in and studs . Antisieze on the nuts .

More goodly .

Cheers , Simon .

[Texas Don]

Try Z1. He stocks studs for Kawasaki which fit perfectly in the GS. Studs are preferable to bolts because you won't be removing them each time you remove the exhaust system. The stud stays in the head and you only remove the nut. When I button mine back up after rebuilding, that's what I'm going to use. You may also be able to source these locally from an auto parts store.

[oohsam]

Excellent. Studs sound like a great idea. I'll get in touch with Z1.
Forgive my arrogance, but do I just PM him?

[bwringer]

Excellent. Studs sound like a great idea. I'll get in touch with Z1.
Forgive my arrogance, but do I just PM him?

That should work (the owner, Jeff Saunders, is a member of the forum), but there's an email address on Z1's site that might fetch a quicker response.

http://z1enterprises.com/contactinfo.aspx

[oohsam]

Thanks guys. Just Sent him an email. I never thought bout studs but thanks for the heads up!