My bike's a 2006 GS500F (just got it off CL) and the bike would die on me every now and then due to what I was told might be dirty carbs. I bought a K&N RU-2970 Air Filter for it along with 20 - 65 - 142.5 Jets.

I took my carbs off the other day and was getting ready to open it up with I noticed some of the screws were stripped. I looked over the forum for Stripped screw topics and came upon this
http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=67073.msg807294#msg807294
which is for a 2001 GS500E but I'm not sure if they would be the same screws.

According to http://www.bikebandit.com/oem-parts/2006-suzuki-gs500f/o/m9752#sch510170 , the screws I need are 38 (need 4 ), 30 (need 8 ), and 58 (need 2 ).

What dimensions are these screws and where can I get them without having to pay a total of 30 bucks for them in bike bandit?

Also what,s a good stripped screw removing technique and kit?

Thanks

Hey dude, having some carb nightmares of my own...

Took off the carbs the other day, all 8 screws on the float bowls stripped, slotted each screw with a dremel and hammered a large flathead screw driver in to break them open; if you tighten a touch first, you'll find them easier to loosen off. Good luck.

Every single screw did the exact same thing; I'd slot to a sensible depth, start to twist and it would chew the slot, so I'd have to cut almost all the way through and hammer the driver in again before they'd finally go.

Screws I got for the float bowl were on the following link, cost me £4 / $6.17 for 10, but it's a uk item obviously so no good for you, but may help to confirm the dimensions as these worked perfectly.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/201172223753?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

This is how I got mine out, and you can find metric hex head fasteners at any hardware store, or here...

http://jetsrus.com/a_jet_kit_street/suzuki_500_GS500F.htm scroll to the bottom of the page.

Thanks for the replies.

I was thinking about getting Vice Grips but would they be able to get the ones stuck in the corner?

Jetsrus is where I bought my Jets. Didn't think I'd run into stripped screw issues which is why I didn't buy them plus 1.55 per screw plus 8 dollar shipping seems a little excessive which is why I was trying to get replacements at a hardware store once I got the dimensions down.

I was thinking about using a Dremel to cut the heads into a flat head and screw it out from there but I'm not sure if that's a good idea or not.

If you can do it with grips, you're saving yourself a lot of hassle, but I just couldn't get mine to grip, just wanted to chew the screw when I tried to turn it.

I'm bloody useless at working on my beloved GS, always create more problems than I solve, but slotting worked fine for me.

Bowl screws Allen head stainless - you need 10 for the bowls and 2 for those funky EPA crap bracket. Send me like $5 (most of which is shipping).

I usually cut a slot in the head right along one of the + with a dremel tool all the way through the head, and I stick a screwdriver in it and try to get it out. If I break off one of the semi circles, I would try a needle nose plier on the other one. If that breaks off, that would usually just leave no tension on the screw and it will come out by hand once the bowl is pulled off.

Cool.
Buddha.

Yep, like the Buddha said.  If I had to do it over again I would try his method.  Mine included buying a set of easy-outs (which have been useful for other projects), drilling the screw head, twisting the head of the screw off leaving the threaded part, then backing out the now-untensioned screw by head.

I suggest you buy a few JIS bits.  There are a few spots around the bike that use these cross-head screws and they all strip extremely easily if you use an ordinary phillips screwdriver.  It is baffling to me how soft the heads of these fasteners are, they feel like room temp butter under a phillips screwdriver.

I now use a JIS bit with an impact screw gun and the screws come right out.  Night and day difference.

Used vice grips and got the screws off. Vice grips are god grips.

I bought the screws baronduff recommended from a home depot and they fit perfectly. M4 .7 x 10mm

I opened the bowl and they're really gunky so what I did was removed the diaphragm and anything that wasn't metal, put the bowl cover back on and poured some carb cleaner into it. Then I put it on top of my dryer and did some laundry. If I did something stupid, please tell me now 

Did you sort the laundry according to colour and fabric type?

Pull the jets out and clean it. Carb cleaner just turns the gunk into goop, then you got to remove the goop.
Cool.
Buddha.

I did put the colors together and washed it in cold water... but I saw some white beaters in there #@%%!

In other news, I got the idea from this video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQ2Crz1wVts
He suggested putting your carbs inside a bucket full of carb cleaner and setting it on top of something that's shaking for a few hours (in this case, washer and dryer). Where I messed up on was forgetting to remove the gaskets. The carb cleaner ate it up and now I have to get new ones. I got most of the gunk out and used a can of compressed air but the results weren't as I expected. Should I try using a tooth brush or something? I think what I'm trying to take out now is more rust than gunk or this is some tough gunk that's on the metal.

PS - Any where I can get carb gaskets or should I just buy two Carb Repair kits that come with gaskets and other stuff I might not need?

PSPS - When installing the K&N RU-2970 (Lunchbox) air filter, I just have to attach it to the carbs, right? The reason I'm asking is because the air box doesn't seem like it will open or fit the Lunchbox air filter.

partsfish.com is good for small oem parts.

I'd use the stock airbox and buy a Hi flo filtro paper filter, drill a few holes in the end plate and wire tie it to the wall, and run it. It can be reused 3-4 times minimum by washing it in gas and drying and reusing, it costs $11.95, and its 1000 times better built than the stupid K&N. I used to like K&N's but of late I am seeing split end caps, cases where the red gauze has long gaps in it, the mouth gets out of shape and wont fit right, and other assorted maladies.
Cool.
Buddha.