• Ciao Guest - You’ve landed at the ultimate Guzzi site. NEW FORUM REGISTRATIONS REQUIRE EMAIL ACTIVATION - CHECK YOUR SPAM FOLDER - Use the CONTACT above if you need help. New to the forum? For all new members, we require ONE post in the Introductions section at the bottom, in order to post in most of the other sections. ALWAYS TRY A SEARCH BEFORE STARTING A NEW TOPIC - Most questions you may have, have likely been already answered. DON'T BE A DRIVE-BY POSTER: As a common courtesy, check back in and reply within 24 hours, or your post will be deleted. Note there's decades of heavily experienced Guzzi professionals on this site, all whom happily give endless amounts of their VALUABLE time for free; BE COURTEOUS AND RESPECTFUL!
  • There is ZERO tolerance on personal attacks and ANY HYPERLINKS to PRODUCT(S) or other competing website(s), including personal pages, social media or other Forums. This ALSO INCLUDES ECU DIAGnostic software, questions and mapping. We work very hard to offer commercially supported products and to keep info relevant here. First offense is a note, second is a warning, third time will get you banned from the site. We don't have the time to chase repeat (and ignorant) offenders. This is NOT a social media platform; It's an ad-free, privately funded website, in small help with user donations. Be sure to see the GTM STORE link above; ALL product purchases help support the site, or you can upgrade your Forum profile or DONATE via the link above.
  • Be sure to see the GTM STORE link also above for our 700+ product inventory, including OEM parts and many of our 100% Made-in-SoCal-USA GTM products and engine kits. In SoCal? Click the SERVICE tab above for the best in service, tires, tuning and installation of our products or custom work, and don't miss our GT MotoCycles® (not) art on the BUILDS tab above. WE'RE HERE ONLINE ONLY - NO PHONE CALLS MADE OR RECEIVED - DO NOT EMAIL AND ASK QUESTIONS OR ASK TO CALL YOU.
  • Like the new V100, GuzziTech is full throttle into the future! We're now running on an all-new server and we've updated our Forum software. The visual differences are obvious, but hopefully you'll notice the super-fast speed. If you notice any glitches or have any issues, please post on the Site Support section at the bottom. If you haven't yet, please upgrade your account which is covered in the Site Support section or via the DONATE tab above, which gives you full site access including the DOWNLOADS section. We really appreciate every $ and your support to keep this site ad-free. Create an account, sign in, upgrade your account, and enjoy. See you on the road in 2024.

Help needed with very tight Brake bolts

Gwilliam

Tuned and Synch'ed
GT Contributor
Joined
Jan 28, 2009
Messages
61
Location
Guildford, England
Hi,
I have a 2001 California Stone that comes with spoked steel wheels and a single brake disc on the front wheel.
I have just been given an alloy front wheel from an EV, fitted with two discs. I want to use this as it will allow me to run tubeless tyres and stop worrying about punctures when travelling in Europe.

However, the original owner wants the two discs back and I have been unable to remove any of the twelve Allen bolts (2 x 6) holding them to the hub.
I have tried a 5mm Allen key but they are far too tight for such a small key and it just flexes. I have some Snap-On Allen sockets but the 5mm isn't a great fit and I don't want to damage the bolt and compound the problem. I have tried applying heat with a small blowlamp but I stopped to avoid damage before achieving any success.
I could try a pneumatic impact wrench but I think that the 5mm hex would not take the torque required to undo the bolts and either sheer off or round off the tool or the recess in the bolt.

I would be grateful for any ideas from people that have changed their discs and have overcome this problem in the procress.

Thanks!
 
You need to apply heat to release the thread locking compound used at the factory. I use a hand held torch and get the bolts quite hot by focusing the blue part of the flame on the bolt head. Then throw those bolts away and get some good quality Allen bolts to replace them. Do use Loctite 242 (blue stuff) on the threads when you install your rotor to the wheel. It holds the bolts and inhibits corrosion.
 
Thank you for that John,
I did make an attempt at that but chickened out before getting it hot enough, as I didn't want to end up with a puddle of molten aluminium on my bench, instead of a wheel!
Do you happen to know how high they are torqued? I'm hoping that it is not seriously high and that it is mostly the Loctite causing the problem. If I can free that with heat, hopefully I will be able to unscrew them.
It sounds like a good tip to replace them some decent Allen bolts that will take a larger key.
 
John is an EXPERT and has 100% of my respect. His way is very good and will work but for me personally, I don’t like to use a torch on wheels.

If you don’t want to use heat, I suggest another way than how you are trying to do it.

All thread lockers, resist rotational torsion. They crumble under compression shock. So do this.

Don’t be afraid to give the hex a really good few whacks with a good hammer and a drift that fits inside the center of the hex pattern without disturbing the hex pattern. (This is what causes the thread locker to shatter and let go but please don’t go crazy and try to drive the drift through the bolt!)

If when you go to loosten the bolt, it doesn’t immediately break loose, STOP, get your drift and mallet, and whack it again a few more times.

I have never failed to easily remove rotor bolts using this exact technique.

You don’t need bigger allen screws. Just good technique. I also recommend using new bolts to reassemble but that is your call.

Take your time and let the mallet and drift do the work.

This will work!

Good Luck.

 
Last edited:
Thank you for that John,
I did make an attempt at that but chickened out before getting it hot enough, as I didn't want to end up with a puddle of molten aluminium on my bench, instead of a wheel!
Do you happen to know how high they are torqued? I'm hoping that it is not seriously high and that it is mostly the Loctite causing the problem. If I can free that with heat, hopefully I will be able to unscrew them.
It sounds like a good tip to replace them some decent Allen bolts that will take a larger key.


I use a torch like this one. https://www.walmart.com/ip/MAG-TORCH-MT-200-3-Torch-Tip-Kit-MT200-3-Series-Propane/118746943 You can't get it so hot the screw will melt. Close to red glow is plenty hot enough. Unlike Scott, I don't like using a hammer on the wheel. Be sure to use a good Allen socket to remove the bolts. I don't use larger Allen screws, just good quality. The ones Guzzi used for a long time are too soft and deform easily.
 
Thank you Gentlemen for your ideas and advice.
Using your suggestions I have now removed both discs with no damage, apart from the bolts which I intended to replace anyway, following your recommendations.

I have another problem with which I would welcome your assistance.
My 2001 Stone has no lid to the airbox, a K&N filter, an H pipe replacing the original centre collector box and a pair of Lafranconi Riservato Competizione mufflers.
To make this all work properly I fitted a Power Commander 3USB with map 5 from Todd's Jackal collection, as this was the closest spec to mine.
This has been fine for several years but it has become prone to spitting back through the inlet together with some popping and banging in the exhausts. This mostly happens at low revs and light throttle as I transition from overrun to power on and back again.
The symptoms seem like a weak mixture to me but apart from synching the throttle bodies I have no other way of enriching the mixture. I have checked for air leaks and can find nothing obvious.
I have therefore been tweaking the Power Commander to richen the section of the map for light throttle and low revs. This appears to be working as things are smoother and quieter but I wondered if this is an acceptable way of dealing with the problem?
Thanks.
 
Oh great. I'm very happy for you!

As to the PC stuff, Todd (GT-Rx) is the PC fuel injection guru here, and that is his domain, so I defer to him. You might want to repost this question to him in the ASK THE WRENCH section.

Good Luck!
 
For power commander questions and concerns about the map it is best to contact Todd direct. Do that via the contact selection at the Store tab.
 
Thank you both for your input.
I have tweaked the Power Commander up by 6% over the low range using the buttons. That certainly improved things so I have now modified the 2% and 5% throttle settings at the 1000 and 1500 rpm marks on the map and returned the button setting to the mid point zero.
If I still have issues I will try to access an exhaust gas analyser and see if that highlights any issues.

If all else fails I will seek guidance from Yoda Todd. He was very helpful several years ago when I first installed all of the tuning kit. It's at times like these that I miss the simplicity of tweaking a couple of carburettors!
 
I have Todd’s “Full Monty” setup on my 2012 Stelvio for years now. (PC-V and Autotune)

I am unaware of using any buttons on the unit myself. Haven’t got a clue.

When I installed it, I rode it, downloaded a file from it, sent it to Todd, he tweaked it somehow, and sent it back to me. About 1 time a year, I do the same thing again.

Bike has run absolutely perfect ever since.

That is the extent of my PC-V knowledge.
 
I have the earlier PCIII USB model, which apart from using whatever map you have chosen to install, has low, medium and high buttons on the front of the unit.
Just for your information: the buttons relate to the section of the rev range of the engine, so in my case low is up to 3000 rpm, medium is 3000 to 6000rpm and high is 6000 to 9000rpm or where the limiter kicks in at 8000rpm.
Each button push adjusts the fuelling of that section of the rev band by 2% up or down, depending upon whether you dab the button to go up or push and hold to go down. It allows you to roughly tweak the fuelling without resetting the map values, so lacks the precision of adjusting the values for every few percent of throttle opening and rpm.
That's how I understand it anyway, though Todd will probably tell you that I have it all wrong and like you, should leave it to those that know what they're doing!
 
Last edited:
Back
Top