problems removing alex from GS1100E

[donnietorok]

Good day,

New to the group. And, yes, I meant axle, not alex (dislexic fingers).
I picked up an '82 GS110E over the weekend. Great
runner - all I needed to do was to replace the front tire. So, I
cleaned up the axle retaining nuts with a wire brush, heated one with
a torch, touched a candle to the threads to draw up a bit of wax, put
the socket on the first nut and - CRACK the stud snapped. I watched
in amazement as the same happened to the next two. Only one nut came
off leaving the studs intact. So, I'm running the wheel over to be
replaced and try to get the studs from my friendly neighborhood cycle
shop. Has anyone else experienced this? Has anyone else been able to
get those studs out of the lower forks? I was going to thread on two
nuts and try to back the studs out. If they snapped at the bottom of
the forks, I figure I'd have to pull the forks off, disassemble them
and run the lowers to a machine shop for removal. (I wanted to change
the fork oil, but not this way!) Anyone have any suggestions or am I
following the correct path? Most importantly, If I did something wrong
from the getgo, what would you suggest a newbie to do to perform this task correctly

Thanks a bunch!
Donnie Torok

[bwringer]

I think this happens to all of us eventually. The studs are made of a frighteningly delicate compound of pressed cheddar cheese and rat droppings, and they snap or strip at the slightest provocation.

The studs are held in with a thread locking compound, so you might want to heat the studs up a bit before removing. I took mine out cold just fine.

Most real hardware stores (Ace, Do It Best, etc., NOT Lowes, Home Depot, or Menards) will have replacement 8mm studs, washers, and nuts. Chase the threads with a tap, clean them out, and use blue thread locker when you put the new studs in.

[bwringer]

If the studs are somehow snapped off flush with the fork leg, DO NOT try using an EZ-out or any of those other evil and fraudulent bolt removal devices. Your best bet at that point would be taking the fork leg to a machine shop to have the remains of the stud drilled out with a drill press and retapped.

If there's an EZ-out in there, it will be impossible to drill, and your cost to get it removed via EDM just went up considerably.

The same applies to the studs or bolts that hold the exhaust on -- snapping a few of these seems to be a rite of passage. For the best odds, spend a few weeks soaking them with Kroil or PB Blaster every night, then start with the candle trick and be extremely gentle and patient when worrying them loose.

[Suzuki mad]

Been there, done that and got the T shirt!!!

If you still have any stud left out of the bottom of the stantion you could weld a nut to the 8mm stud and remove it that way. The heat from the weld would be enough to help the stud loosen. You could try a stud removed tool but again apply lots of heat to the stud before trying it.

If they are flush with the stantion you will have to have them drilled and tapped out. You could try yourself but I would go to an engineer to do that. The stantions for the EZ/ESD are no longer avaliable as parts.....

Suzuki Mad

1981 GS1000ET
1983 GS(X)1100ESD
2002 GSF1200K1

[courier11sec]

My method for removing broken fasteners is to weld a nut to the remains of the stud. This turns it into a bolt and gets it nice and hot at the same time to cook out any threadlocker that might be there. Let it cool naturally for a good five or ten minutes before trying to pull it out. When you do, wiggle it back and fourth once you get it moving and you'll have better luck. Of course, if you don't have access to a wire feed, this won't work for you.

[donnietorok]

Groovy advice...

Thanks a bunch, folks. I think I'm going to like it here on your forum. Your help is much appreciated and I'm sure I'll be able to add my two cents worth as I dig deeper into this bike. One more question - the studs are not reverse threaded into the fork lowers are they? I can only fathom that they would be regular. I don't have the replacements on hand to physically see before I attempt to extract the studs. I do have plenty of stud left so I think I'll weld a nut on 'em to twist them out. That makes perfect sense.

I don't have a metric tap so I'm off to the hardware store now. The previous owner said he had a repair manual for the bike so I'm going to stop by and see if he found it in his house (he's 80! - what a die hard and great guy, he hated to sell this bike). I expected the first project on the bike to be an easy one. I should have known better! Well, it,s still better than the last project. With the help of my father-in-law, I resurrected a KZ1000P7 cop-cycle.

Thanks!
Donnie

[SqDancerLynn1]

No they are conventional threads

[bwringer]

Conventional 8mmX1.25mm threads.

[crag antler]

Welcome to the forum Donnie.
I see by your location you are just across the river from my hometown.
Eau Gallie. Used to spend alot of time in Satellite Beach back in the day. I'm sure it has changed since I left in 1989.

[chef1366]

Don't let Alex ride it








Sorry\\/

[donnietorok]

I was waiting...

I knew someone was going to comment about that typo. It's great to know, as a new guy here, that Chef's one of the class clowns. LOL!

Donnie

[donnietorok]

Everything's groovy now...

Thanks for all the great suggestions folks. I finally got back to the project last night. Heated up those studs with a torch and used the two nut method or a pair of vice grips to remove the studs. After I broke the seal, I did work them in and out slowly. Out they came. I'm still waiting on the new studs, so I have time to do other repairs and get a tap to chase the threads.

Anyhow, I have a good foundation to work from with this bike. Here's a pic - http://beachsideconsulting.net/zuki/gs1100e.jpg She's still a bit rough as I haven't even washed it yet.

Thanks a bunch folks!
Donnie Torok