Removing handlebar clamps

[Ray Mooney]

Just got a pair of SW-Motech handlebar risers and figured I could install them on my B-1250. It looks easy. And I'm pretty sure I could install them if I could remove the 5mm allen bolts that clamp the handlebars down. 

Geez! What the hell do they put these handlebars on with? Are they welded?! OK, so I don't have the most extensive toolbox in the world, but I've got a Craftsman ratchet set and assorted screwdrivers, wrenches, pliers, hammers and a torque wrench. I know I could move the world if I had a lever long enough, but my 5mm hex key ain't getting it done. I tried extending it with the ratchet screwdriver, but when the screwdriver started to BEND, I let off the pressure.

I'd really rather not take this to the bike shop and pay a mechanic $50 for a job that will take him 15 minutes and that I ought to be able to do myself. Any suggestions?

And please don't point and laugh at my ignorance and lack of power tools. 

[mademiriam]

Been there before Ray, heres my advice-
Since bikes love using hex keys, I'm glad my ratchet set came with metric hex bits, this way you can use a ratchet on it, this is an amazing difference over just a hex key. You can buy just the hex sockets for $10 or so (more depending on brand and whether they are on sale or not).
For stuff that is really stuck I've stopped worrying over and use my impact driver http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impact_driver I've even been a bad girl and used my life time warrantied sockets on it even though one should only use impact sockets. I tell myself when I do that I just won't hit is as hard  , but I could never advise somebody else to do it.  I spent $10 on my impact driver years ago when I still had a GS400, best money I ever spent it's been used on pretty much every bike I've owned since. It's also great for getting screws out without stripping the heads.
You may already have all this... but thats my 2 cents. 

[Ray Mooney]

Thanks for the advice. I've heard of impact drivers (are they also called impact wrenches?), and that possibility crossed my mind. I don't have one, but maybe I'll invest now. Thanks for the tip.

[mademiriam]

An impact wrench is the usually air powered (more and more electric too now) power tool. This would clearly work also, the nice thing about the impact driver is that it's cheap and 100% human powered.

[BanditoNova]

Try extending it with the little pipe that comes with the bike toolkit (assuming it's the same as an 01 toolkit). Most of the bolts are held with threadlocker such as Locktite. This stops them vibrating loose but can be a b^&$@ to loosen. A good ratchet and a set of allen sockets should be able to set it free.

[Raven312]

(So, I'm NOT the only one!!)

[Ray Mooney]

So I used the impact driver (which is just the coolest tool in the world, by the way) when I was putting my handlebars back on. I whacked the crap out of the bolts several times, thinking I was generating plenty of torque to tighten them down. (I was going to use my torque wrench, but found it leaking oil (?) when I pulled it out of the tool box. I didn't know torque wrenches used oil. Man, there's so much crap I don't know.)

Anyway, I popped them several times and then put my 1/2" ratchet on to see how tight they were. I was still able to tighten all of them down another quarter turn. I guess the ratchet is the best method, although I'm looking forward to getting the new risers just so I can whack the impact wrench again to break the bolts loose. 

[billincentraljersey]

Take some advice from a ham fisted guy that striped countless threads.  You can always turn that thing 1/4 turn more, until it suddenly gets very easy to turn  .  I have since learned to avoid 1/2 inch rachets, minimize my use of 3/8 ratchets, try to use mostly 1/4 ratchets for tightening.  Even with a 1/4 ratchet, pull that handle at the very end still give you lots of torque.

[andrewsw]

yeah, don't use an impact driver to tighten, only to loosen. the "impact" part is to help jar loose stuck parts...

[mademiriam]

glad you got it all worked out Ray, i only ever use my impact driver to loosen things but it sure is a handy tool to have.

[BanditoNova]

Good job, but as all have said, be careful or the next tool you will buy will be a set of E-Z Outs or a tap & die set. Not to preach, just passing along firsthand knowledge of how fragile some bolts can be

[Ray Mooney]

If I wanted to have some spare bolts handy for the handlebar clamps, how do you measure them so I can buy replacements? Is there a part number or thread size?

[BanditoNova]

I'm not the expert on that one but you could purchase a thread pitch guage which has a number of pieces of metal with little teeth that you match to your bolt threads, OR take in the old one to the store and match it up by placing thread against thread and looking for a match. The latter method you must make sure the thread matches all the way along. A micrometer or vernier caliper would help to measure the diameter of the bolt but they should be standard metric sizes. It helps to know the grade of the bolt also, so you dont replace it with something weaker.
Maybe a better mechanic than I can add their thoughts?

[andrewsw]

...
Maybe a better mechanic than I can add their thoughts?

I hate when people say this... now none of us can answer without claiming to be a better mechanic!   

For non-load-bearing bolts, I just go to the local, independent hardware store (not a stupid home center!) and find the helpful guy and show him the bolt. He'll dig through all the bins and find a match for a total of $0.17.

For something that carries a load (like handlebar bolts), your best bet is to get them from the dealer. Then you know they're right. It would suck to unintentionally buy what looks like a match but isn't and have it break when you torque it up.

If you have a good industrial bolt/screw supplier in town, that might be another option. We've got one here that has every imaginable bolt and screw made in many materials and strength ratings. Some bolts have markings that tell the people who know what the strength is and they can match it that way.