Been a while but I have been slowly fixing up the KDX I bought and letting my hand heal from my previous outing. I have run into what I think is my last significant repair and have found it to be a bigger problem than I thought. The previous owner of this bike pretty much rode it into the ground.....broke the rear chain guide so he removed it altogether and then just rode the heck out of it until the chain was so loose (even with the wheel all the way back) that the chain began slapping wildly into anything and everything in its path. The result was the front chain guide apparently took as much as the top bolt could handle and snapped off. I took the bike to a local Cedar Park machine shop and the guy attempted to remove the bolt but was unable..and thus tore up the threaded hole a bit in the process. I need a professional to have a look at this thing to see if the bolt can be removed without causing anymore damage so I can put the guide back on. Otherwise I'm going to have to ride without a front sprocket cover/chain guide (I don't like that idea...shoestrings and things tend to make their way into that area very easily). Anyone got any ideas or suggestions?

If your talking about the flat stock deal that is to "guide" the chain and protect the cases, that's one thing. But if your looking at a deal the "covers" the CC sprocket....most of us remove them so that mud does not collect. I can see the need for the case saver.

And any machinist sould have been able to remove a bolt, if it needs to be welded...K+K welding off of S Congress.....

can you post a pic....?

Here it is...its the top hole.

go the the hardware store and get "easy outs" and a drill sized to work with the correct easy out.

drill the hole and insert easy out and back the bolt out.

sounds easy.. but can be a pita. sometimes you will need to re-thread the hole

You if you got the new chain and sprockets as well as the lower chain guide.. you could go with out the front guide. just make sure your chain is not worn beyond service limits and you keep the chain at the correct tension.


here's a nice little link to using an easy out

http://www.crustyquinns.com/tech/easyout.html

your master link is facing the wrong way,
bobby l

Yep.... there should be a "case saver" mounted there.

Seems odd that a machine shop could not remove the busted screw....

good catch on the master link bobby

Any decent machine shop can fix that. Easy outs are great when they work, but if they don't they can break off. You then have a real PITA since the Easy Out is hardened tool steel and very hard to drill out. I'd take it to a good machine shop and let them fix it the best way possible (either getting the bolt out, or worst case getting it out and heli-coiling it).

There's a good little machine shop and engine builder off Burnett Road in that little industrial complex just North of 183. Its the one with the light blue buildings, with the kayak rental place on the end. He's back down that row on the right. The guy builds everything from big blocks for Corvettes and Shelby Cobras to bikes, and they are very bike friendly.

Well I was looking for something close to Leander when I was informed of the machine shop I went to off 183 and 1431. I kinda got the impression by looking at the broke down cars in front (old 74 rusting plymouth satellite and an old BMW 3 series) that they probably weren't that great...lesson learned. I agree that any machine shop should be able to get that bolt out because I have seen far worse problems get repaired. Guess I'll take it down there and see what they tell me....helicoiling doesn't bother me as long as it works.

shoe laces? :-) I would recommend at least a cheap pair of motocross boots or your feet could be recovering next :-)

Hey Doug I think maybe he has closed or relocated because I have searched that little complex for a machine shop and there are none. Any other machine shops in the area that are competent? Id really like to get this taken care of so I can take this bike out and ride it.

Sorry to hear that, the owner and his guys were really great. Hopefully they moved up and out of there...will have to try and locate a b-card for him.

Another choice are the guys who work out of the back of A-Line Auto Parts off Rundberg, sort of around the corner from there, down a couple miles on the right. They do good work, too. Just drive right around back and they should have the garage door open.

Whoever attempted the fix failed to center punch the broken bolt before drilling. The problem went from bad to worse but should still be salvageable. Start with the smallest drill bit you can find and try to drill at the top of the previously made hole. You may be able to center punch a new starting location just above where the drilled hole exist. You need to get back to the center of the broken bolt. Once the pilot hole is made, enlarge it until the easy-out will fit. It should come out faily easy as that print.

When removing broken bolts, center punching before drilling is required. Once off-center, the problem gets worse.