I can't believe I did this already. Did a search and found all the great ideas and solutions. My 09 wr300 came with new '10 plastic so I put on the old stuff for the PA Nat'l. Since I knew I would be running into a tree or two, lol. Of course I did, so tonite decided to change back to the new shrouds and both fronts and the right side inserts spun on me. So tomorrow I will be sourcing stuff to make my repairs. Thanks again to those that have spun before me.......... By the way I LOVE this bike, once i get the jetting and spenders sorted out it'll be way too much fun.....
Yep, I got some spun on my 08 TXC250....but on the trail, when I'm gassing it up a gnarly uphill, I never notice some are spun ... There are some very good ideas here on how to fix'em .... Good luck with UR 300
Gah! I spun one while trying to remove my shock protector / mudflap thingy so I could trim off the ridges that saw through the swingarm. I was just getting "that queasy feeling" when I remembered that someone posted here about using an impact driver to shock the screw out - and it undid really easily. The insert wasn't overly loose so I ran an m6 tap down it and fitted a new screw with copper anti-sieze compound. It seems that galvanic corrosion (moisture getting between two dissimilar metals and starting a chemical reaction) is the cause of the seizure. The impact driver trick will be much more fiddly on a fuel tank I guess - you may need to have it brim-full and block the breather to stop it compressing as you (gently!) tap at it, but it may be worth a try before you reach for the drill... Hope it works out!
I also have two screw inserts spinning in my 10 TE250. They are both on the right side of the gast tank for the upper shroud red plastic. Please let me know how your fix goes so I can tackle mine with a bit more confidence.
I had one spin on the shroud of my RMZ and all I did was put some JB weld around the edges of the insert and let it harden. Haven't had any problems since.
I had right rear side plate screw come about half way out and then spin the insert. If these inserts are like a Rivnut I was thinking of buying the Rivnut tool and trying to expand the insert out again to make it tight again. That's if i can get the screw out.
Is the bolt that is spinning a 8mm head or is it a screw? Trick is to spin it fast enough to melt the plastic and pull the whole assembly out. On my '07 wr 250 I had a phlip head screw so I used a bent needled nose pliar to cause pressure with a electric drill. Once out it is easy to fix with jb weld or gorilla glue. Be sure to always use anti-seize on all insert bolts. Good luck.
In my case both screws are 8mm heads. If I get the screws and inserts out, do I need new inserts or can I use the same inserts again?
I was able to re-use mine. Another trick is to get a piece of safety wire and wrap sound the thread part of the bolt to have something to pull on for pressure. You want it tight enough the wire does not come off but be able to spin.
JB weld around the insert worked perfectly for me. A good tip after you get the bolt out of the insert is to pack the insert with wheel bearing grease or lithium grease. This keeps the bolt and insert from welding together. Tighten the bolt snugly, not very tight, almost finger tight. Then I took clear silicone and covered the bolt to keep it in place. If you have to remove the bolt, the silicone peels off easily. Don't forget to reapply the silicone. Never lost a bolt or had another one spin.
Go to Ace Hardware and get some rubber well nuts. Cheap, wont strip and the rubber keeps the panels from vibrating against the subframe. Win, win, win!
I checked mine the other day. The bolts were starting to get tight and had some corrosion on them, needless to say, they now have anti-seize on them
http://www.denlorstools.com/home/dt1/page_50739_10/astro_pneumatic_1427_hand_rivet_nut_kit.html Here is a link to the tool that you need to tighten the insert. It spins because it's not expanded out enough. Simply put the appropriate threaded insert into the tool and expand out your insert some more. It will become very tight and not spin any more. I put a little anti seize on the screws so they wont stick in the insert any more. This is for the inserts in the sub frame not the fuel tank.
