Ok yet another rusted seized header bolt thread.Im stripping down a GS to get the frame off to media blasting and powder coating. Everythings off except the wheels, front forks and the exhaust, and the usual seized front engine mount.. but to get the motor out i need to remove the exhaust.

Now yesterday after soaking them in penetrating oil for a couple of days, i tried first the correct allen key, good quality T-Handle, no dice, some of them seem rounded off by a previous owner/bodger. so next i tried the impact driver with a slightly larger torx bit.. still seized and didn't want to break the bolt to near the head. I've also tried the heat it up with a blowtorch, cool it down cycling trick, more penetrating oil and finally i tried filing some flats onto the allen bolts to try with some molegrips.. again no dice.

The only option i can think off is to drill out the heads till they come off from the shaft, remove the exhaust, get the seized front mount cut out so i can drop the motor from the frame, and either try the double nut trick, or just use molegrips straight onto the remainder of the shaft I'm reckoning there will be say 1/2 to 3/4 inch left sticking out of the head once i get the headers off.

Am i correct in thinking that if i get the heads off the bolts that the tension should release from the shafts and they will be easier to remove without damaging the head?.. these bolts really have to be the worst choice of material location ever! with the salted roads here they are toast pretty much after one season.

i just did this yesterday. and while i feel like i may have gotten lucky, my bolts were so rusted they were flaking off at the touch. What i ended up doing, to be sure i didn't strip anything was find the correct size hex and using a rubber mallet or hammer i drove the T-handle hex key into the bolt. I did make sure that it was aligned correctly first.

If your heads are completely stripped, i got the little e-z out kit from HD for like $20. it may take a couple go's but its removed every bolt i've had that was completely stripped so far.

I want to replace my bolts now with something that will save this headache for me or the next person down the road too.

There are so many ways to get those bolts out. If the bolt heads are damaged (which I think yours are from the over size torx head), I'd cut the heads off and pull the exhaust. With the engine out of the frame, everything you do to those bolts will be easier.

Thanks Rich, yeah thats what i was thinking. The bolts were damaged before i went near them, the torx was an old trick I've used on knackered allens before. Ive had a stud shear on the filter cover of the other GS i had but thankfully with the tension released there was enough left to get some pointed molegrips onto to ease it out. but that was around a 6mm stud, i think i will try just drilling the heads off, and get the engine out of the frame. At least then if push comes to shove i can get head to a machine shop to get them removed. I just wanted to make sure i wasn't going to make a dumbs mistake and give myself more of a headache to deal with.

I replaced mine with SS allen.....$2.30

They seize due to galvanic corrosion, different metals etc.

Even if you do get them out chances are the female thread in the head will be shagged and will have to be reclaimed.

Studs and skirt-nuts are the way to go. The stud will never have to come out so who care if it seizes and because the nut is the same metal as the stud its unlikely they will seize.

Why those cheap asses at Suzuki didn't go down this road beats me.

(Old thread I know but...) This is a good idea... I'm gonna see if I can do this. Thank you sledge