Epic F**K up, Now what?

[superfuzz]

and it took you a year? WTF!!!!!!
R

I have a some excuses, maybe one will stick:

1) I don't ride in the winter up here so it's been outta sight/outta mind

2) It was just preventative maintenance, I didn't really have any concerning symptoms that made it urgent

3) After last spring's disaster, I thought maybe it was a sign from above that this was a job best left to a shop

4) I forgot that I bought the ratcheting 8mm wrench that I needed and was procrastinating buying what (I thought) I needed

I could go on and on..........

I called a local dealer to see what they wanted in labor to do the job since I already had the parts. When he told me it would be 2.5hrs/ $270, I decided to get motivated.

I don't know how they think it would take them that long in a motorcycle shop; I did it in about that same amount of time and I was taking frequent breaks to make sure my 5 year old twins boys weren't destroying anything they shouldn't be.

 

[MrM0t0]

Duh!-turn the bike upside down and shake it...geeez

Winner

 

[gixxerjasen]

5 year old twin boys? I found your excuse. As a father of a single four year old boy, that excuse sticks.

 

[gainsi]

Must have missed this thread when originally posted, so just caught up with it now. Great story & outcome. Piss funny when the Dutch guy enteres the fray AFTER the half wrench is already out. I need to visit more often !!

 

[gazza]

Superfuzz

I had the same issue but with a clutch bolt doing the clutch soak. The bolt slipped from my fingers while reinstalling and down the hole below the clutch it went. I gotta tell ya, it made me feel sick inside. Anyway, Here's what i did.

Removed the clutch assy to get better access down the hole with a magnet. Went down to the auto parts store and looked over the range of magnets on the shelf. There were about 3 as i recall so anyway i brought 2 of them. The first was a telescopic one and the other was a flexi. I thought at the time that the bolt has probably dropped down into the oil pan but i might give it a shot anyway.As i poked around with the two magnets it was clear that the flexi was the way to go and after 30 minutes of trying i needed a coffee and a rest.

As i look back now you really need to be patient with this one and don't throw in the towel to early.Have a few breaks and go back to it. Anyway, after persevering for about 45 minutes in total i got it out of there. Was i a happy camper!!. So i'm sorta thinking that a 8mm wrench is bloody huge compared to a clutch bolt so this should be not to bad to retrieve. At least you should be able to feel it if the flexi magnet strike the wrench. Just make sure you pull the flexi magnet back out of the hole very slowly if you thing you have a hold of the wrench. Lastly, i wouldn't go near the pan until you give the former a bloody good shot. Good luck.

Gazza

 

[gainsi]

Gazza, read the whole story. The thread started in 2012, & the wrench was removed a while back. Your advice about patience is spot on though.

 

[Nikk]

Great ending, glad it worked out.