New Bueller Needs Advice

[rutty99]

Hi All,

First off, I am finally the proud new owner of a 2007 Buell XB12Ss! I say "finally" because I have actually been looking for a Buell for quite some time now. I live in Northern Michigan where it is difficult to find a clean, used Buell at a decent price (I am partial to the lightning model).

Anyway, I was able to find a 2007 Buell XB12Ss out of state at a reputable dealer for a decent price, so I snatched it up. It has 15,000 miles, and is pretty darn clean. Got it for $3800.

Had to have the bike shipped to me, and when it arrived I noticed that they had bolted some metal straps to the triple tree clamps using torx head bolts in order to secure the bike to the shipping crate. Seemed reasonable, but when I went to put the OEM bolt back in to the right triple tree clamp it would not screw in all the way! In fact, it seems to be screwing in at a slightly wrong angle. The bolt always ends getting stuck about 3/4 of the way in, and when I unscrew it I notice some little metal flecks falling out. I've tried multiple bolts all with the same result, so I know it is not a particular bolt. I have tried to keep the bolt as straight as I can, but it always seems slide slightly off track as I continue to tighten it. I'm a little worried the threads may be damaged.

If the threads are damaged, what are my options for fixing it?

PS. How do I upload an image? I tried clicking "Add Your Photo" but the popup was blank.

 

[Theycallmecrash]

the hole might be re threadable with the right tool. a picture would help cause im not sure what part youre talking about.

go to the top of the page there is a link "my pics" go there up load first. return to thread to "add your photo"

 

[anrkizm95]

heli-coil it,pictures would help too



how to post pics

 

[BurningExample]

Im from northern michigan too, just recently moved to Indiana though. I know your pain in trying to find a buell haha. where abouts you from in MI?

 

[rutty99]

Crash, thanks for the instructions. Here's a couple pictures of the bike:

Here's a picture of the bolt I am talking about at the triple tree clamp. This is as far as I can get the bolt to go in:

anrkizm, thanks for the video. I am thinking the threads are definitely damaged, but I don't know how bad. I don't think they're completely stripped, but it must have gotten cross-threaded somehow when they attached the strap. I think I am going to have to re-tap it. The video makes it look pretty easy. Have you done it before?

BurningExample, I live up in the Grand Traverse Bay area. Been living up here for about 2 years. It's a great area, but it's kinda in the middle of nowhere. Not to mention the winters are too long!

 

[BurningExample]

rutty99 / When people say northern mi, i forgot they meant the LP. Im from the UP over by Iron Mountain. but the winters are brutal here as well. Im hoping by moving to Indiana that my season will start a little earlier. but welcome to the board and your new addiction. Ive been to traverse city, i spent alot of time in big rapids, petosky, and kalkaska. so i know the area. it is very beautiful but winters can suck haha.

 

[rutty99]

BurningExmample, haha, I grew up in the Ann Arbor area so anything north of Mt Pleasant was considered "Up North". I'm sure the winters here in Traverse are not as bad as in Iron Mountain, but they're still almost about a month longer than they were down in Ann Arbor.

I've been through Iron Mountain a couple times. People seemed very friendly up there.

 

[Gloomshadow]

hey I got a stock short windscreen if you want it , its slightly damaged though.. 3 or 4 big scratches down the side of it.... I tried to buff them out but they wont budge.

 

[Buellysses]

When people say northern mi, i forgot they meant the LP. Im from the UP over by Iron Mountain.

Yeah, I hate it when the Trolls say they live in "Northern Michigan" Fellow Yooper here too, grew up in Ishpeming. You don't even know what snow is until you've visited Ishpeming or the Houghton/Hancock area. Haha.

Before you over-drill and tap it for a heli-coil, try running a tap down it that is sized for the stock bolt. I can't tell from the picture if the bolt hole goes all the way through, or if it is a blind hole. If it is blind, they make a specialty tap (called a "bottoming" tap) that you can use to clean the threads out all the way to the bottom of the hole.

 

[rutty99]

hey I got a stock short windscreen if you want it , its slightly damaged though.. 3 or 4 big scratches down the side of it.... I tried to buff them out but they wont budge.

Wouldn't happen to have a pic, would you?

Before you over-drill and tap it for a heli-coil, try running a tap down it that is sized for the stock bolt. I can't tell from the picture if the bolt hole goes all the way through, or if it is a blind hole. If it is blind, they make a specialty tap (called a "bottoming" tap) that you can use to clean the threads out all the way to the bottom of the hole.

Thanks for the advice. I believe it is blind hole, so I will look into getting a bottoming tap.

 

[thrstrmech]

Heli-coil......SUCK, .....Time-sert....freaking awesome! installed like the heli-coil, locks in place and holds way better

 

[rutty99]

Just wanted to give an update: finally got a chance to go to the store and pick up a bottoming tap, a t-handle tap wrench, and some "tap magic" cutting oil. Placed the tap into the wrench, put a bit of oil on the tap and started screwing it in. I took the cautious approach of screwing a half-turn at a time, and backing out a little after each 1/2 turn in order to let the metal shavings work their way down the tap. About 1/3 of the way in it started going really easy, probably because I met up with original undamaged threads. So I backed the tap out, cleaned out the hole, put a little blue loctite on the pinch bolt and screwed the bolt back in. Worked like a charm! Thanks again to everyone for the advice.

 

[Macbuell]

Welcome Rutty. I live in TC and will be the red 1125cr around town. Don't see too many other buells around here. A little while ago there was a white one owned by a guy who worked at the thirlby on 8th but I don't see him around too much anymore. Time for this snow to melt.

 

[MNiemczyk]

I went to college at Michigan Tech in Houghton, those were some BRUTAL winters but honestly some of the best times I've ever had. Joined the military to go see the world and they sent me to Sault Ste Marie. lol Once the UP gets a hold of you, it never lets you go.

 

[Buellysses]

[up] Glad it worked out.

 

[XLXB]

If you are wanting to replace your wind screen with a stock one, I would may be interested in buying the one on it.

 

[XLXB]

We'll shit that was rude...


Welcome to the forum. Good to see that the issue you had worked out. I'm in Indiana and you guys up there can have your winter back

-15 and 20+ mph winds

 

[rutty99]

If you are wanting to replace your wind screen with a stock one, I would may be interested in buying the one on it.

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