tank bolt "retainer" problem...

[1bad450]

ok so i couldnt get my old plastics off my stock tank because the bolt "retainer" in the tank plastic stripped.... SO, i bought a new tank which when i ordered didnt realize it was an oversized 2.9gal acerbis...?

i went ahead and installed the new tank and plastics anyway so i could go ride, BUT, i want my stock tank!!! does anyone have any suggestions on how i could get the bolt out and save the retainer to be used again? and does anyone with a stock tank that will fit an 07 450r wnat to trade for a brand new acerbis black 2.9gal...

any help please...

[fitzy]

Is the retainer still in the tank? If so pull it out. Or if you can get the bolt out of it, tap a slightly bigger thread into it while its on the tank. did it for a mate no less than a week ago. If the whole thing is spinning pull it out, retap it and glue it back in. it will work fine

[1bad450]

yes the retainer is still in the tank...no i cant get the bolt out. can i pull the retainer out of the tank? i tried and didnt know how it was inserted in the tank... the whole thing is spinning...?

[jd99]

i have the same problem and i dont kow what to do

[roverracer122]

I have one off my 08 i just put an ims on there the 2 right side shroud mounts the first 2 threads are a stripped from an accident but they still bolt up just fine theres still plenty of thread left.

[fitzy]

yes the retainer is still in the tank...no i cant get the bolt out. can i pull the retainer out of the tank? i tried and didnt know how it was inserted in the tank... the whole thing is spinning...?

Just work it a bit and it will come out, There is only plastic holding it in.

Once out, get the bolt out, retap the thread, with the next size up if you have to. Put a bolt in it,clean out the hole so it fits all the way back in, and use a good glue,Araldite is what we used, and glue it back in. Let it set and just be gentle doing up the bolt next time. Dont let any glue get on the bolt

[2strokes_rule]

look on ebay for stock tanks...

[crf2450]

This is a bit late to solve your problem, but it illustrates how important it is to LUBE ALL THREADS on your bike! The bolts holding on the rad shrouds are deceiving because they have an 8mm hex. The threads are much smaller than any other bolt using an 8mm wrench on the whole bike. We tend to put a little too much torque on them. Be gentle on them and use anti-seize on the threads. When you get your new bike, take out these bolts and lube the threads with seldom-seize and you'll never have a problem.

[1bad450]

good advice. i bought the bike from my supervisor and i was just changing the plastics so i had no control over this, but i did never sieze them when i put the new ones in. does anyone know where to find anodized bolts that fit our bikes? i cant find them anywhere, but i know they have them, the H&H team riders have them... anyway. thanks for the advice. im going to try and get it out this weekend.

[Shawn_Mc]

Just pull the insert out of the tank. Save any plastic that may come with it. Put the insert in the vice and take the screw out, run a tap through the insert and clean up the threads so they're nice.

After youve got the insert all nice and clean and any plastic from the tank handy, put the plastic shavings into the hole that the insert came out of. Then heat the insert with a propane torch. Not crazy stupid hot, but hot enough to melt the plastic. You can use a long screw to hold the insert. At that point, push the hot insert back into the hole in the tank where it came out of. Being hot, it should melt itself back into place. You can cool the insert off with a cup of cold water and it should stay there assuming you got it hot enough and didnt move it when it was cooling. Ive saved a couple tanks this way.

[crf-f crf-r trx cbr]

use anti seize

[huffster]

Anti-seize is only part of the solution. Too many folks don't use the really short bolts into the tank and the longer bolts bottom out before tightening...thus, the stuck insert. Use the 10mm long bolts and no others !