Finally decided to pull the flys this weekend (and mebbe get a PC3) after reading a zillion posts. Got as far as 1 screw out, then rounded the second and third I tried. I had heated the screwdriver, and followed all the tips, but had to give up for fear of totally f'ing up the screws. So....any suggestions, or should I break down and have my local shop give it a whack? I'm not eager to try drilling these out and getting shavings down in there.....all help appreciated.

First off don't try to tap at it with a hammer, it'll bend the actuator rod. Are you using a new #2 phillips? and instead of heating the screw driver do like I did and take a soldering iron (not the gas type, the electric type) heat the screw head itself to help loosen the locktite. Place the screw driver on it and use steady downward pressure to try and break it loose. If the screw driver feels like it's starting to slip ease off the pressure and try again. If this doesn't work you'll probably have to drill them out.

I've also heard it said, and used this method myself successfully, that before you try to loosen the screws, put a little pressure on them in the tightening direction. That may also help to break the locktite. Seemed to help me. -bg

Don't tap with a hammer....now you tell me! Well, I don't think I've suffered any ill effects from using the "hammer" method. If I feel brave, I'll try again and use the soldering iron directly on the screws. Probably wouldn't hurt me to get a new screwdriver also, mine is looking a bit worn.

Thanks for the advice.

Don't tap with a hammer....now you tell me! Yes, do it. LO)Key... Hammer blows are not to the point of bending rod. You want to ruin an old screwdriver tip or say just have that kind of flat round stock around. YOu want to make flat the pounding head. So hacksaw it off with a stone wheel. Then flatten the tip. You want to just run the metal of the screw head back to what you can salvage out of it. You rounded out the head, so back it goes into the + again or the X again if you needed glass is to see that extra face you want to remake the head with spread metal back to where you can push the screwdriver down into it again.

Best thing you could do is walk away from it. Now go back, you came this far. Screw someone else. Heat the screw instead, like read the posts I am not about to repeat the same old in your own thread. This time, you torch the tip of the modded screwdriver. Just buy a trigger tip for a propane gun. You heat the tip red, sip a beer, sip a beer, and sip a beer. By the time you picked up the sip to beer is do not drink too much is you'll understand what I said.

Sea that screwdriver tip do double duty? Load the screw not twist it out is you rise out of the +. You want to press down so it does not lift and now the torsion is go back and forth is real strong but subtle turns = load unload-load-unload but never pull out of the salvaged + head.

* Last updated by: Hub on 2/25/2009 @ 11:00 AM *

One of my screws ot stuck too. The heads of those seems to be made of chewing gum or something like that.
Ny sollution was to make a plug made from a plug for a citchen sink with a magnet in it. then i made suction with a small hose and my vacuum cleaner and drilled the head of the screw off.

This winter i also removed the tiny bit that was left inside the rod. i had to dismantle the (i dont know what its called)and pull the rod out. i then heated the rod a little and got the litle bugger out..

Helped me to run the bike until it was hot. (softens the loctite)

Also I think a brand new #2 phillips is a must for removal.

+1 Run the bike till it's warm. This helps, then have the correct size phillips and go to town. Once you feel the screw driver is snug slowly turn till you feel it come loose. Don't try to just twist it quick, take your time. Mine came out real easy this way.

Thanks for all the tips. I bought a new (longer #2), will probably wait now until I have the $$ for the PC and do 'em both at the same time.

A hot bike makes all the diffrence in the world . I had some trouble on my own bike, but none when doing others . Go figure .

I think these guys have covered all the basics:

Brand new #2 phillips screwdriver, I used a Craftsmen. The key thing here is the edges are sharp and will bite into the screw head. Do not economize here, or you are in for a lot of aggravation, they're less than 10 bucks .

Warm up the bike thoroughly before pulling the flies. This helps soften the Locktite on the screw threads. I rode for about 30 minutes and got everything good and hot.

Use a soldering iron. I used a pistol grip type Weller 300 watt. Press it down on the screw head firmly and leave it there for several minutes.

I tapped on the screwdriver to help set the bit into the screw head. Don't beat it and bend the shaft as someone said, just a couple light taps. If you are a gorilla and can't gauge force application, better skip this step.

Press down firmly on the screwdriver with the palm of your left hand (so the tip doesn't ride out of the screw slot and round the edges) while rotating counterclockwise with your right hand (if you are righthanded) Take your time and they will come out.

If you are hopelessly non-mechanical, enlist the help of a member who has done this before. The hardest part of the whole process for me was not the flies, that part went smoothly, it was disconnecting the ECU plug to hook up the PCIII.

Good Luck!

Kruz

Same here-warmed er up good.Light tap,they came out nicely---all except for that LAST ONE(geez,wouldn't ya know it there HAD to be JUST ONE that messed things up!!!)I tried unsuccessfully to turn er-no way,the head rounded off!What now? Well,I got a magnet,taped it to a stick,and got the ole drill out.Drilled the head off(yep,shavings in there,but I coated the chamber with oil first and put a small rag in there to block anything going down).It worked okay.My only hope is that the "remaining"screw shaft WILL NOT FALL OUT.(it won't,will it?)Ride safe all.

* Last updated by: blue07 on 3/24/2009 @ 11:31 AM *

Roman where abouts in TO are you?I'm in North York running a PC and Hindle S-Meg flys in,should get together for some BS and beers ,Darryle

Markham, I am on the corner of 9th and 407 and I love PINTS...... 416-577-0333 . Call when your ready to pour a couple of Wee pints past your liver . First ten is on me ...... Hope to hear from you soon .

I think the biggest mistake people make when removing the flys is not having a nice new screw driver. That would resolve most of the strips we hear of.

It is also very important to have a good line of vision before you attempt to turn the screws.Have someone hold a flashlight for you and make sure you are allined straght with the screw head!!use constent pressure and pray to your gods!!! ;0)

* Last updated by: doug on 3/25/2009 @ 8:06 AM *

Use 10" long, #2, brand new screw driver with a black grit coated tip. It will fit tight in the x. Heat the shaft of the screwdriver with a torch for a few minutes until the tip vaporizes water. I was able to feel the warmth traveling into the top of the shaft near the handle but it was not too hot to hold. Be careful putting the hot screwdriver down into the black plastic tube. Do not touch side wall. Keep the hot screwdriver in the x for a couple minutes. It WILL stay very hot - no rush. You must melt the locktight. All it took was about 8 lbs of down pressure and a careful twist and they came out fine.

I'd try to get the stripped screws REALLY hot and they might come out if there's any slot left at all.

Rook

Damn! That Rook is a quick learn!

Rook did you strip a screw ?

Romans wrote: Rook did you strip a screw ?

No. I just looked at the screws and I see no burs on the x slots at all. When you take tem out, the key is to keep the hot screwdriver in the slot a long time. I don't think you can overdo that. I'd estimate that if you heat the screwdriver up as I mentioned above, quick touch it to a bead of water or wet cloth to test for adequate temp, it will stay plenty hot for at least ten minutes. Heck, leave it in for 10 minutes on the first screw. You can't hurt it by transferring too much heat. I mean, the thing isn't going to be glowing cherry red or anything. I removed my flies in below zero weather out in the garage. That screwdriver will stay very warm a long time and you do not need to rush.

If you're really serious about getting them out without stripping, why not practice? Get a 3/16" steel plate, drill and tap threads, order some fly screws, blue locktight 'em, let 'em sit a few days and do a trial run. That should show anyone how easy it is. Maybe strip one on purpose and see what it takes to get it out.

BTW Bill, if you have a G2, I'm sure you'll be just as satisfied had you left them in. You can always come back to it just for fun. You only pick up a tiny bit more power below 3K in 1st gear and I don't think anyone can really use all the bike has there flies in. Drag racers seem to favor flies in. You thinking you might be able to bolt ahead quicker if you're riding it soft in 5th, 6th gear if you pull flies? No. They're already open in those gears any rpm.

If you leave 'em in, nobody will know except you. Kawi did a good job safing up the bike for low speed street turns (you can still get yourself in trouble there with flies in, mind you) while maintaining an excellent race launch with flies in. It's cool to know they're gone but it really isn't worth any frustration if you have trouble getting them out of a G2.

Rook

* Last updated by: Rook on 4/1/2009 @ 9:39 PM *

It's all been said above but I thought you'd like to know that the way Rook did it and Hub suggested is similar to the way I did it. I did heat the tip of the screwdriver with a butane torch but not 'til it glowed red, just quite hot. I then pushed it into the x of the screw and left it there for a while (and I did have a sip of beer while I was holding it there). I then removed the screwdriver, heated it again for a few seconds and then whacked it back into the x of the screw and turned it while exerting a bit of downward pressure. Easy as you like but I did leave each screw in with the last few threads just in case I had to screw them back in if there were issues. No problems and all came out easy as. The trick is not to rush it and yes, a snug fit of the screwdriver is essential. HTH.

BTW, when you set the scredriver down, make sure you don't grab it again by the tip or shaft. It'll get your attention real fast if you do

Bgumishinnear, Think you can change that hub title to, "Ask - Rook/TT" because if no one else can add to what Rook and TT have said, I think you might want to have a section where, "Archives" have a place. I do not think you want this thread to become lost at a place somewhere 20 pages deep in "Performance" say. This thread contribution should be saved as we narrow down on one certain part of the subject, we can no longer add to what is pretty much covered is TT closed her down.

1+ ^^^

If no one see's any other angle to the fly, we might want to save this in a Main Q&A Section or something like data dare. "It doesn't get any better than this" unless I am wrong like most of the time. This looks good enough to eat. Where's Rotty? Free Samples.

* Last updated by: Hub on 4/6/2009 @ 1:42 PM *

Hub:

I marked the thread as "sticky" so it will stay at the top of the list of threads in this form. We can do that with any thread that is important. (Somebody please point out these important threads when they come along.)

As for renaming the Q&A forum (if you're serious), I'm not in favor of that, but will do whatever you and the other members want to do.

By the way, I thought that the picture of your bike on the Bikeland forum was GREAT. You know, we have web designers and web programmers here at our company, and if somebody says they can do both, I usually don't talk with them any further. If you are REALLY GOOD at one, you aren't going to have the mindset to be able to do the other AT ALL. It's a left-brain/right-brain thing. I couldn't design my way out of a paper bag.

Same thing with a GREAT mechanical mind vs. somebody who can make a bike look pretty, I have no doubt.

Thanks for your continued participation here. -bg

I agree, Commish. My one and only auto service manager told me it would take 10 years to master the diagnostics of the complexity of that automatic transmission. Plus all the trouble codes on top of that because they were coming on line like the GPS at the time. He was more old school 1940's/50's was more the primitive gear box.

Yes, I understand how each section of the car has a specialist. The "15-A" person is the interior champ where the dash and radiator core lay is lay in all sorts of odd positions under the dash is one under the hood or under the chassis for the rear end work. I was called, "Heavy Line" where I was more or less the engine/trans/rear end guy.

Rear ends are fun because it's like shimming a valve. You need the X to Y to line up so Z makes the valves quiet and the rear end not sing on lift or apply. The engine was a no brainer. But that Trans was about to drag me into web design and I rather program, so back to bike work after a taste of racking CHP cars to Corvettes in a garage bay.

I guess I specialize in the bike generic is from wheel to wheel is heavy line and fifteen ah? What I more or less am saying is a thread like this is gold. Rook and TT made this thread more or less an archive for that tiny screw that is going to screw you if you do not follow experience. WOT more can you say here? Lock it! Archive it!

This sure looks like I would place it front and center for your physical mode switch. > Results >

* Last updated by: Hub on 4/7/2009 @ 3:43 AM *

Uhhh... Never mind the 'don't tap on it with a hammer' crap. BASH that screwdriver into the head of the screw. If you don't set that tip into the soft screw head, it will strip - trust me on that one. This is more important than any amount of heat you can put in there. I pulled my flies, and it was not as easy as everyone said. I had to CHEW one of the screw heads RIGHT OFF before I learned to SMASH a shanked 1/4" ratchet extension with a #2 philips bit in the end into the screw. The rest came out no problem.

By the way, if you truly strip one of those screw heads... Let's just say I had tears in my eyes trying to get that thing out. I didn't mess around with the rest. I cannot imagine bending the shaft, that is complete nonsense. I still had to keep a ridiculous amount of pressure on the screw the whole way out while turning, but... Without setting the tip into the screw, NO amount of pressure will get it out, and NO amount of heat will loosen it up enough that it won't strip the head.

After all the ugly messing around nibbling the head of the screw off (and it really helps to wire the actuator shut so a slipped screwdriver doesn't punch the flies open) I taped some tubing onto a vacuum cleaner and carefully made sure to clean out all the metal filings and loctite slivers. I then went in and with a very good light wiped the inside surfaces clean.