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REMOVING TROUBLESOME FINAL DRIVE FILLER CAP
I decided as part of my winter maintenance to replace the final drive oil which hasn't been done since I bought my bike two years ago.

Problem: The final drive filler cap which used to be a 17 mm hexagon is now a 16 mm pentagon. Someone who didn't know that 17 mm hex sockets and wrenches exist chewed off one of the points while nearly rounding the others. I've ordered a replacement from CheapCycleParts.com (about $8 plus $3 for the O-ring). I've tried the obvious (forcing a 17 mm wrench, and then power grip wrench -- while trying to avoid further damaging the filler cap. It didn't budge.

Surely someone else has had this or a similar problem. So what is the "easy" way of getting a chewed up filler cap out and not destroying either what's on inside or the outside of the final drive compartment.

I had thought of drilling through the cap and then using a bolt extractor for removing it. But I worried about metal shavings getting into the final drive housing and damaging the gears, etc.

What to do? Confusedhock: :-SS B-(
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" ... If you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas." ~ George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950)
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#1 02-04-2011, 10:05 PM,
Good ole reliable ViseGrip.
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#2 02-04-2011, 11:05 PM,
I tried nudging it with a conventional Vise grip.

Maybe the thing to do is squirt on it some Liquid Wrench or similar penetrating oil then use a new fangled vise grip

[Image: 41v3IO4MfDL.jpg]

(my old ones slip around the filler cap 'cause it's made from relatively soft metal and the jaws are round). The new designed jaws look like they can really grab this thing.

Hmmm :?:
[Image: Akriti2450x338.jpg]

" ... If you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas." ~ George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950)
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#3 02-05-2011, 12:38 AM,
I had the same problem with my final drive, the filler cap was rounded as well. I ended up using a pipe wrench to break it loose.
Ride safe have fun and enjoy. Lane
1985 Aspencade
2002 Vulcan
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#4 02-05-2011, 05:41 AM,
can you get a small pipe wrench on it??

I don't think drilling into that is a good idea either...........
A rainy day off beats a sunny day at work any time..................
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#5 02-05-2011, 05:42 AM,
Older Hondas used these for valve caps and some for oil drain plugs, they were always a pain to remove becuse of over tightening, I have had good luck using a punch or dull chisel and tapped on the outside edge to get it moving, take your time and don't get too aggressive. when you install a new one just snug is good enough. Good luck.
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#6 02-05-2011, 05:48 AM,
Aluminum changes quickly with heat/cold, I haven't tried this,but, maybe a heat gun followed quickly with an ice cube on the cap..might break the threads loose? Idea
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#7 02-05-2011, 06:10 AM,
BladeRunner Wrote:Aluminum changes quickly with heat/cold

Holy cow! Aluminum?

No wonder it got chewed up! [I noticed the fuel cap is also aluminum but that makes some sense]. What happened, Honda ran out of steel?

Anyhow, thanks for the suggestions. I ordered one of those specialized Vise Grips from Amazon.com (about $12 ... not bad) which should grip the rounded filler cap better than the conventional jaws do (which so far kept slipping and chewing the cap more).

Thanks for ALL the suggestions above! And yes I agree that it is not necessary to tighten this cap to the extreme. I guess the previous owner or mechanic didn't know what O-rings are for (or maybe they simply lost the O-ring for the filler cap, and decided it's just as good to simply tighten it to the max! :twisted: ). Grrrrr.

And -- by the way -- I am switching from the conventional 75-140 W final drive oil to the relatively new Amsoil synthetic 80-180 W. Switching to Amsoil made my engine happy, so I figured a more efficient lubricant will similarly benefit the final drive. :YMHUG:
[Image: Akriti2450x338.jpg]

" ... If you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas." ~ George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950)
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#8 02-05-2011, 07:01 AM,
10 to 1 the cap was overtightened when it was hot weather,now that its cold it makes it even tighter,just heat it up with a heatshrink gun for awhile and it'll probably make it alot easier to get loose
1987 Aspencade 129K
1986 SEI 93K
2014 Tri-Glide HD 17K

Hancock,MD
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#9 02-05-2011, 10:38 AM,
neoracer Wrote:10 to 1 the cap was overtightened when it was hot weather,now that its cold it makes it even tighter,just heat it up with a heat shrink gun for awhile and it'll probably make it alot easier to get loose


Good idea. I'll try that ... Thanks! :YMHUG:

Hey, wasn't it you neoracer who helped me to get my floor boards sorted out?

Last night, I took a rouge buffing wheel to them and now they're sparkling. The one nice thing about aluminum components is that you can make them shine.
[Image: Akriti2450x338.jpg]

" ... If you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas." ~ George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950)
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#10 02-05-2011, 11:15 AM,
yep,it was me

and since its winter,jack up the front wheel off the ground,take off the wheel and fender and put that rouge wheel to work on the forks,you'll really be happy then

and then there's the wheel rim and spokes,when your done it'll be almost spring
1987 Aspencade 129K
1986 SEI 93K
2014 Tri-Glide HD 17K

Hancock,MD
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#11 02-05-2011, 01:38 PM,
85GL1200I Wrote:can you get a small pipe wrench on it??

Good call! :YMAPPLAUSE: :YMAPPLAUSE: :YMAPPLAUSE:

I got tired waiting for the "special" vise grip, and today for $4.50 bought a small pipe wrench at a local auto supply store. A little squirt of PB Blaster followed by a firm twist of the pipe wrench got the filler cap open.

Someone had really chewed up the outside hex nut. The inside O-ring was flattened, looking like it had been squeezed hard for a long time and never changed. The oil coming out was pretty black -- and maybe had been last changed a very long time ago.

I rinsed the drive compartment with 4 x 15 mL of Amsoil 75-150W oil ... each time out came dark oil, but the last rinse was nearly clear. Finally, I filled up the final drive compartment with new synthetic Amsoil ... but will have to wait a couple of weeks to give it a good run 'cause there is ice on the roads here everywhere.
[Image: Akriti2450x338.jpg]

" ... If you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas." ~ George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950)
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#12 02-08-2011, 02:08 AM,
glad that worked out!!!! :YMAPPLAUSE:
A rainy day off beats a sunny day at work any time..................
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#13 02-08-2011, 07:31 PM,


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