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Seized Steering Stem Nut

  1. #1

    Seized Steering Stem Nut

    Hey everyone,

    Nearly set after my crash about a month ago, but this one nut is stuck on the top of the steering stem and won't budge! I have used WD-40 for like 2 days straight now but it makes no difference. I think my next move is to try and heat it with a blowtorch, because it feels like there is no give in the thing. Anybody have any tips or tricks for me on getting a seized nut off?

    thanks,

    Pat

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  2. #2
    Soul Rider Paul_E_D's Avatar
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    Re: Seized Steering Stem Nut

    did you loosen the pinch bolt?

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    Paul_E_D


  3. #3
    Default hondarider102's Avatar
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    Re: Seized Steering Stem Nut

    impact?

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    Corey

  4. #4
    Lifer Danz19899's Avatar
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    Re: Seized Steering Stem Nut

    good impact gun and a 6 point socket should help. but if thats not quite enough heat helps a bit too

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  5. #5

    Re: Seized Steering Stem Nut

    Sorry I forgot to mention,

    This is on an 84 vf500f, I don't think there is a pinch bolt. There is pretty much just a big 29-30mm nut that is just completely stuck on this thing. Went out and bought an adjustable wrench for it today, but no dice. I'm goin back to see if I can get a socket this big.

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  6. #6
    Lifer JettaJayGLS's Avatar
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    Re: Seized Steering Stem Nut

    PB blaster...works 20x better than wd-40 for loosening bolts.

    If that doesn't work, heat and a breaker bar should do the trick.

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  7. #7
    Lifer Danz19899's Avatar
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    Re: Seized Steering Stem Nut

    ya definitely get a socket and breaker bar. sometimes it does take impact tho. find a buddy with an impact gun works 10x better at breaking shit loose. got a set of large sockets at sears for like $40 think its got 27-36mm

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  8. #8
    Banned G21forme's Avatar
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    Re: Seized Steering Stem Nut

    If you are just using a socket wrench it's not going to budge, I've put scott't dampers on my gsxr,zx6r, and Lauren's R6 and the nuts had been torqued to the max. Try a breaker bar and a friend to hold the bars and +1 on the PB blaster.

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  9. #9
    Hawk Is Respectable Now WordTooYoMamma's Avatar
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    Am I the only one who calls it a cheater bar instead of breaker? Sorry no input here.

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  10. #10
    Banned G21forme's Avatar
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    Re: Seized Steering Stem Nut

    Quote Originally Posted by WordTooYoMamma View Post
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    Am I the only one who calls it a cheater bar instead of breaker? Sorry no input here.

    If I had your gut to use as leverage I wouldn't need a breaker either



    I'm wirey

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  11. #11
    Soul Rider Paul_E_D's Avatar
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    Re: Seized Steering Stem Nut

    Whu??? aren't the torque values for these nuts are usually like 12-17 foot lbs. Why the hell are they being torqued down like that?

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    Paul_E_D


  12. #12
    Super Moderator OreoGaborio's Avatar
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    Re: Seized Steering Stem Nut

    The way I understand it, that nut simply holds it flush with the steering stem adjuster bolts that lie under the triple clamp. Then you've got the pinch bolts for the fork tubes....

    There's no real need to crank that mutha down, is there?

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  13. #13
    Lifer ZX-12R's Avatar
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    Re: Seized Steering Stem Nut

    Quote Originally Posted by WordTooYoMamma View Post
    Am I the only one who calls it a cheater bar instead of breaker? Sorry no input here.
    A cheater bar is what you use on the end of a breaker bar to get even more leverage.

    An impact wrench should make short work of the stem nut.

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  14. #14
    Lifer DuncanMoto's Avatar
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    Re: Seized Steering Stem Nut

    PB Blaster. WD-40 is not a rust buster like PB is.
    PB leave for a day, pb again, heat with propane only and as it loosens retighten it and loosen more.
    That way you won't completely ruin the threads.

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  15. #15

    Re: Seized Steering Stem Nut

    yep... these are definitely not supposed to be cranked down!!!

    In general, there is a nut below that is supposed to actually hold the upper and lower bearings together (and even that doesn't need crazy torque as it has a lock washer to hold it).

    The big nut on top only holds the triple tree (which is also held by the forks)

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  16. #16
    Lifer Currently's Avatar
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    Re: Seized Steering Stem Nut

    Red loctite?

    Why someone would use it for this purpose is beyond me.

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  17. #17
    Just Registered Doc's Avatar
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    Re: Seized Steering Stem Nut

    I have the socket and a cheater bar... Come see me AGAIN.

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  18. #18
    Unsafe At Any Speeds Jim's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Paul_E_D
    Whu??? aren't the torque values for these nuts are usually like 12-17 foot lbs. Why the hell are they being torqued down like that?
    The torque for the GSX-R is 76.5

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  19. #19
    live to ride seth399's Avatar
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    Re: Seized Steering Stem Nut

    ya the nut on top usually calls for a good amount of torque. Its the pinch bolts that you don't want to torque down much (on the triple clamps) those are more like 15-20 ft/lbs

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  20. #20
    Unsafe At Any Speeds Jim's Avatar
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    Oh yea. I thought they were referring to the yoke nut. The side ones are 16.5 ft/lbs on a GSX-R

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