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Thread: Tapping tank threads

  1. #1
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    Tapping tank threads

    While removing my airbox base, one of the bolts was stripped, and once I got it out it looks like it's a 10-24 and not a 1/4-20. Does anyone know if I will cause more harm than good trying to tap the hole back to a 1/4-20? I get nervous since it's not like it's on a replaceable bracket, but having one of the 4 bolts be different will drive me a little crazy. It already drives me crazy that there's a mix of metric/standard bolts...

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by RidetheLightning View Post
    While removing my airbox base, one of the bolts was stripped, and once I got it out it looks like it's a 10-24 and not a 1/4-20. Does anyone know if I will cause more harm than good trying to tap the hole back to a 1/4-20? I get nervous since it's not like it's on a replaceable bracket, but having one of the 4 bolts be different will drive me a little crazy. It already drives me crazy that there's a mix of metric/standard bolts...
    the airbox base screw is BUELL PART # CA0018.02A8
    the lower cowling & front fender attachment screw is BUELL PART # CA0012.02AB
    BOTH PART NUMBERS ARE 1/4-20 SIZE....TORX....DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PART # IS THE LENGTH.


    so a butcher ran a 24 thread-count screw into a 20 thread-count hole?
    YES....more harm than good.
    NOT being overly-critical here but that's a clear sign of an idiotic "hammer mechanic" working on your bike. if it were mine...and i say this out of concern for your health and safety...i would check every single fastener on that entire bike for similar miscues/damage.....particularly BOTH AXLES AND PINCH BOLTS FOR SAME.

  3. #3
    Senior Member mmcn49's Avatar
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    The bolt in question isn't critical and doesn't have a lot of stress on it. Run the correct size tap through the hole and see if you can salvage a few threads. Using ALUMINUM cutting or tapping fluid may increase your odds of success.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by lunaticfringe View Post
    the airbox base screw is BUELL PART # CA0018.02A8
    the lower cowling & front fender attachment screw is BUELL PART # CA0012.02AB
    BOTH PART NUMBERS ARE 1/4-20 SIZE....TORX....DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PART # IS THE LENGTH.


    so a butcher ran a 24 thread-count screw into a 20 thread-count hole?
    YES....more harm than good.
    NOT being overly-critical here but that's a clear sign of an idiotic "hammer mechanic" working on your bike. if it were mine...and i say this out of concern for your health and safety...i would check every single fastener on that entire bike for similar miscues/damage.....particularly BOTH AXLES AND PINCH BOLTS FOR SAME.
    Thanks for the advice. Good call on checking critical safety items. Only other one I've found so far is a stripped flyscreen bolt. Stripped bolts really bother me as well, and show a lack of understanding for basic wrenching. Fortunately all the mods/tuning appear to be clean and well done (airbox, breather, grounds, tuning). I'm leaning towards leaving it since it threads cleaning with the bolt in it, and the stripped torx is actually a perfect fit for a hex head at this point.

  5. #5
    Senior Member Cooter's Avatar
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    You can get crazy with repair on that, using a MUCH bigger threaded hole (1/4"-20 takes a 1/2"-13 IIRC) and a screw in insert for blind holes, but meh. mmcn49 is right, theres no load there and the bolt is outside the air filter if it does let go. If I felt it threaded in well and could get some decent torque on it, I'd leave it.

    FYI The frame/tank is double walled.



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