I was changing the front/rear pads and bleeding fluid today and when I tried to unscrew the top cover of the front brake resevoir/master cylinder, both screws snapped off. One snapped right at the head, the other at least snapped about half way down so there are some threads left.
I was able to get it ridable by using a big hose clamp to hold the lid on.
I'm wondering if it will be possible to drill out the old screws and tap it with the next thread size up. The metal seems to be brittle so I'm wondering how well it will tap. Has anyone else tried this or had this issue? I hate to get a new or used master cylinder for such a simple issue.
On a related issue, I actually don't like a setup which requires phillips head screws to be in direct rain and water exposure. I did a quick search on remote resevoirs but didn't find much. Has anyone converted to a more modern master cylinder/resevoir assembly from another bike that uses a cap? Just in case I dio have to go down the road of replacing the assembley.
Also, I've seen one post that shows the older Hyabusa resevoirs and brake handles are pretty much plug and play. Anyone else using these?
Any other creative solutions I'm overlooking?
I replace the screws whenever I bleed the brakes (using hex head screws), and keep black electrical tape over them at all times.
http://www.wikihow.com/Use-a-Screw-Extractor
I'll be surprised if he can get a screw extractor on that particular screw. If so, careful not to break the extractor... they're quite hard... you'll need a carbide tool to get through it.
If it's broken off flush I'd go directly to "drill out screw and retap the hole." You can try extracting the one with enough to grab, but you may end up drilling it out too.
Anti-seize would be the stuff for this connection... Fe and Al don't play nicely together.
I'd say just get a used one. Probably about $35. Sometimes less if on sale. That's what I've done to clean up some that had a scratch or two. Even got a complete Katana tripple, handle bars and all handle bar controls for $25 so there is another spare master cylinder for my parts bin (compatible with GS500, same brake lever, too).
Browse and you will fond good deals.
I prefer to replace something than farkle it up and cobble in to it in hopes of making it function. The hours to get those screws out: my time is worth much more than $35 for a replacement. 5 minutes to swap it them I'm back to having fun riding.
Mail me the shipping + address and I have a stock master cylinder thsts missing a windows, with nothing else wrong.
I had this happen a couple years ago. I used a reverse drill bit and it came right out. This bike hates any part to be over torqued. Easy does it.
Quote from: 89500inPA on November 07, 2011, 07:49:23 AM
I had this happen a couple years ago. I used a reverse drill bit and it came right out.
+1
Cool idea on the reverse drill. I just ordered a used one master cylinder from Ryan who is parting out the 2006 GSF in elsewhere on the forum.
But I'll give that idea a try to see if the old one can be salvaged too.
And yes - anti-sieze is what I would normally use on this. I've had the bike for about 6 months and just now getting around to the brakes/fluid flush for the first time. I've been dreading it because the crew heads looked rusty and I had a bad feeling even before starting. Except I expected the screw head would strip before the screw actually snapped off.
I had a stripped front-brake reservoir screw when I changed my brake fluid a couple months ago. I used a reverse drill with an extractor, this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Alden-8440P-Grabit-Damaged-Extractor/dp/B001A4CWHO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1320708420&sr=8-1
Worked without a hitch, took me 5 minutes to drill the hole in the screw head, then remove it with the extractor. Nothing snapped, no damage to the reservoir itself. That method should at least work on the screw that snapped at the head--the other one might not, depending on how far below the surface it snapped.
And when you go to buy new screws, the size you want is #4x0.7x16mm.