Help. Yet another broken bolt

I have broken one of the small head bolts off( the ones at the outer end of the head). Does any one know of a good way to fix this without taking the head back off. Has any one ran one with one of these bolts snapped off?

unless you can grab it with some vise grips, then no, you will need to pull the head, bummer:(

I assume your bike is a KZ1000/1100?

If so, I fixed mine without pulling the head.

Pull the gas tank, drill it out, extract it, whatever.
Don't worry too much about damaging the threads.

If you do drill into the threads use a 7/16 USS (yes American threads) tap and bolt to repair.
Works great!!

Post edited by: FloridaBiker, at: 2007/07/08 20:48

picture attached

sorry for the duplicate post

Post edited by: FloridaBiker, at: 2007/07/09 18:36

FloridaBiker wrote:

I assume your bike is a KZ1000/1100?

If so, I fixed mine without pulling the head.

Pull the gas tank, drill it out, extract it, whatever.
Don't worry too much about damaging the threads.

If you do drill into the threads use a 7/16 USS (yes American threads) tap and bolt to repair.
Works great!!<br><br>Post edited by: FloridaBiker, at: 2007/07/08 20:48

Thanks. This is definitely worth a try.

Post edited by: brawnyrebel, at: 2007/07/09 06:54

The bolt can be removed without removing the cylinder head. It just goes through a blind hole in the head and bolts to thread in the block. The 7/16" bolt trick isn't a good idea as 7/16" is SMALLER than the 6mm bolt and the thread you cut will be weak. Drill out the bolt first using a small bit; perhaps a 1/8" cobalt bit would be best. You can drill all the way through. Then try an EZ out on the bolt. DO NOT force because IF you break the EZ out you WILL have a problem. If the bolt comes out, replace with a 6mm bolt. If not, drill it out and use an insert to install in the thread after tapping the hole. You could use a 1/4" bolt or a 7mm bolt and just cut new thread using a tap.

Its not often someone can correct someone as wise as WG but 7/16(.437) is larger than 6mm(.236). Or did i miss something?

You are correct, a 7/16" is larger than 6mm... a 1/4" bolt is also larger than a 6mm. In fact, the 7/16" is A LOT LARGER. I am not good at SAE bolt sizes... my mistake. I occassionally will recut the thread on a LONG 1/4" bolt... the ones used to hold the outer countershaft sprocket cover on as no 6mm bolts are usually available locally in that length.

Does it take a special long tap or will a normal one usually do? Also if any one has one of these bolts laying around i would greatly appreciate a measurement. I appreciate all the help guys.

Sorry guys.

It is a 1/4" bolt with a 7/16" head.
It is 2" inches in length, from my local hardware store.

And it is larger in diameter than the 6mm bolt that was there.

I used a standard length tap, from same hardware store.

Tape over your sparkplug hole.
I cleaned all the debris out of the newly threaded hole with a grease coated Q-Tip.


Post edited by: FloridaBiker, at: 2007/07/09 18:49

Thanks alot guys. I bought a tap and bolt and got her all fixed up. Now if i can stop breaking bolts i may get to ride it this year