Dismantle on hold :*(

[Tombstones81]

Didnt go out and work on it much until yesterday.
Meant to drain all the fluids.
Drained the oil and before taking the oil filter out I figure I'd take the exhaust off first......

Both right side header bolts are stripped ><
NEVER buying allen head bolts again!
Those suckers strip so dang easily!

Now everything is on hold until tomorrow or Friday. (maybe even run to wal mart right now)
and buy some hack saw blade to hopefully put a single line in it and use a flat head screwdriver on it from the side.

outside of the bolt is perfectly round and vice grips dont grab it at all really, just slips right the heck off!

figures tho.
engine mounting bolts are moving nice and smoothly and dont appear to give me problems like most have and end up snapping them.
but these dang things seem to be the 2nd worse thing because of the location!

yeah the hell with it, off to wal mart

(edit)
and no I dont have any power tools or anything to drill it out.
everything I have is all hands and muscle. hahaha

also used the right size allen wrench, it just stripped as if going thru butter.... POS

[joshr08]

i have never had an allen head strip when using the correct size allen wrench and making sure the hole was clean so the wrench fits in the bolt properly.  Sorry about your luck.   Vice-grips will take them out without a problem.

[Tombstones81]

sadly the vice grips wouldnt do it.
No matter how tight I put it, just kept scratching away at the outer metal of the bolt.

Its ALL good tho
Went to wal mart.
$3 hacksaw with a handle.

I simply cut the header pipe a few inches from where it bolts to the motor.

More costly solution? sure
But Honestly, I would rather spend $ on parts and save myself the Stress, then save $, get really ticked off and maybe break something and have to put most of it on hold.

So I will simply deal with it when I have the motor out of the frame.
and if I cant, i'll take the top part of the motor to a garage to be taken out.

but now I will need a new exhaust down the road.
not anytime soon tho.

But im happy as hell since I got more (not much) work on it done.
So its all good

(edit)
and the allen size was 6.
it mighta been starting to strip from when I put it back on after painting.
either way, im not going back to those types of bolts.

[BaltimoreGS]

In the future you should have some valve grinding compound on hand.  If you ever have a bolt that feels loose like it is going to strip, add a little valve grinding compound to get a better bite on it   

-Jessie

[Tombstones81]

In the future you should have some valve grinding compound on hand.  If you ever have a bolt that feels loose like it is going to strip, add a little valve grinding compound to get a better bite on it   

-Jessie

thank you 
will be added to my list of things I pick up Saturday.

but now I'm in an even better mood.

if that all didnt happen.
I might not have clicked on http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=58207.0 and found my new muffler by next riding season   

[adidasguy]

Did you use anti-seize? Those bolts are pretty hard steel if you used the originals. Homor Despot bolts are often soft Chinese scrap steel. I got a pile of them (OEM's) when you need new header bolts.

Good news is a GS exhaust in near perfect condition can be found. Watch the ads - especially Pinwall Cycles.
I just got in today a nearly perfect '08 exhaust for $89 + 35 shipping. COMPLETE! Ready to put on that '06 engine. (Looks even better that the one on Suzi - she has a scratch.)

Don't paint your pipes black: apply Rutland's black stove polish (in the tube). I think it works as good and you don't have to remove the exhaust to do it. Its a high temp stove wax so also protects from water and gets into the rust & cracks. Just apply a little more every few months as needed. Looks great!

FYI: Bike breakers usually price things by what they are - not condition. Look at the photos and buy accordingly even if ridiculously cheap - as with this '08 exhaust.

[Tombstones81]

Did you use anti-seize? Those bolts are pretty hard steel if you used the originals. Homor Despot bolts are often soft Chinese scrap steel. I got a pile of them (OEM's) when you need new header bolts.

Good news is a GS exhaust in near perfect condition can be found. Watch the ads - especially Pinwall Cycles.
I just got in today a nearly perfect '08 exhaust for $89 + 35 shipping. COMPLETE! Ready to put on that '06 engine. (Looks even better that the one on Suzi - she has a scratch.)

Don't paint your pipes black: apply Rutland's black stove polish (in the tube). I think it works as good and you don't have to remove the exhaust to do it. Its a high temp stove wax so also protects from water and gets into the rust & cracks. Just apply a little more every few months as needed. Looks great!

FYI: Bike breakers usually price things by what they are - not condition. Look at the photos and buy accordingly even if ridiculously cheap - as with this '08 exhaust.

yep, used anti seize.
it was just obviously starting to strip.
my fault for not looking before I tried to loosen it, i thought I started it strip the other side months ago when I put the exhaust back on, which came out fine.

yeah I plan to be on the look out and also call the local salvage yard on a price.

one thing that caught my eye tho.
are stock exhausts & muffler all one piece?
ebay pics i was lookin at apeared so.

if so, gotta buy one without a stock muffler as i am SOOOO buying that SV650 muffler in the linked thread 

(edit)
and thanks for the info on not painting.
bookmarked this thread for when I get another set of pipes, then I'll go buy some.

[GI_JO_NATHAN]

Yeah the crap part is you're most likely gonna have to buy an entire stock exhaust, and pay shipping and all that. The header bolts on my bike were stripped when I bought it. I tapped a socket the right size on with a hammer and spun the inside ones off. I couldn't get a socket on the left side outer bolt, so I tapped a wrench on it and spun it a little bit at a time.

[adidasguy]

Exhausts are always available. Check Pinwall - that's where I just got one.
They are a single complete unit. You can get a really good one shipped for under $150 like here:

http://www.ebay.com/sch/pinwall_cycle_parts/m.html?_nkw=gs500+exhaust&_sacat=0&_odkw=&_osacat=0&_trksid=p3911.c0.m270.l1313

[bombshelter13]

Just to make sure, you're using a set of metric allen wrenches (or hex bits), right?

[adidasguy]

Yea, metric does make a difference.
Also, if bolts are stuck, pressing on the wrench is more likely to ruin the hole.
If you tap the wrench, it will most likely free the bolt without stripping the hole. Hence the reason we have things called "impact wrenches" - lots of little taps is better than one constant pull. Hope I made this clear.