Ironhead 1975 XLCH1000 Splitting Cases

[Ride4Life]

After reading and rereading each available post on this forum and watching the YouTube videos on the subject I have come to a grinding hault in my tear down and rebuild of the above bike. Before I begin let me include that I do have a FSM and have been using it as intended.
My issue is not one that I have seen replicated anywhere for my ease of mind and ability to fix. As the pictures I have included show, I have removed each and every bolt/stud or fastener that holds the cases together, except that of the top front motor mount. I have carefully attempted to remove this bolt/stud in every way I know how (i.e. dead blow hammer, peen hammer lightly after soaking in penetrating oil, propane torch to carefully heat bolt up while lightly tapping it, two nuts on the end and trying to turn with a wrench), yet nothing is working at all. Not only does it seem like this bolt/stud is not supposed to come out, I fear that it is not going to do so without damaging something along with it if I bump up the effort. Since I have the acorn nuts and motor mounts off I figured it might be worth trying to see if the cases would start splitting anyway and remove the left side case from the bolt/stud. This is the way I assume most people do it anyway since the generator housing ear is in the way of removing the bolt/stud out of the left side anyway. To my chagrin, it seems like the dead blow hammer is a dead effort in getting these cases to budge at all, whether on the rear or front of them. I am assuming the grey sealant is Yamabond or an equivalent. In any case, what do you guys suggest I do in getting them to split without causing any damage? Does the bolt/stud from top front motor mount need to come out for me to get the left side case off egen if the acorn nuts are removed? Has anyone ever been in this predicament? Hopefully I can get some of the experts here to clue me in to my options.

[needspeed]

Before another attempt at splitting the cases you should do whatever is needed to get that stud out first. You must have had a hard time getting the right side motormount plate off? Does the stud turn?

You could try putting something with a larger I.D than the stud over it on the left side. Something like a 1/2" nut, and then turn a 3/8-24 nut against it. That should break the frozen stud free and pull it out. If the stud is turning and not pulling out you may need to keep it from turning with vise grips on the right side. You could protect the threads with something soft on the vise grip jaws.

After you get it out do not hit the right case at the generator mount surface hard. It may end up broken.

[doodah man]

Originally Posted by Ride4Life

...propane torch to carefully heat bolt up while lightly tapping it...

don't heat the bolt directly that will just cause it to swell in it's "bore". heat the case surrounding the bolt to help it loosen it's grip. after heating the case up some, i would grab the bolt with vice grips in such a way that i could then beat on the vice grips and pull the bolt through. don't worry too much about marring the bolt with the vice grips - you can either work out the teeth marks, or get a new bolt. they are readily available. then you still need to overcome the sealant, which i feel will be much easier with with that bolt out of the way.

[Ride4Life]

I appreciate the replies and to answer a few questions, the bolt will not spin and as thus has not budged at all. I agree that heating the case and letting it expand while trying to grab the bolt with vice grips/use said vice grips as an offset to tap the bolt out seems like a good option. It was a bear getting the mount off on the generator side as I had to cut the welds that connected the nut to the mount with a die grinder (not sure if they come welded together on that side or someone tacked it to keep it from vibrating loose later on). All this said, I have not damaged the threads or warped the bolt at all. I am not as concerned with replacing the bolt as I am with possibly needing those threads to eventually break it free. I also agree that this may just be the calm before the storm as I will still need to deal with splitting the cases. I have been very careful to direct my dead blow to the base of that generator ear rather than hitting it high. I also saw the post about using a puller with a steel bracket and block of wood to put some pressure on the cases while using the dead blow to tap around until it pops open. I'll keep working on this bolt and update when something new occurs. Thanks again guys

[needspeed]

Originally Posted by Ride4Life

....... I had to cut the welds that connected the nut to the mount with a die grinder (not sure if they come welded together on that side or someone tacked it to keep it from vibrating loose later on)....

The welded nut on the mounting plate is stock.

Your rod threaded on both ends is not. It should be a regular hex head bolt 5-3/16" long.

If the stock bolt had been used I suspect that you could have put enough torque on it to break it free in the case and it would have unscrewed from the mounting plate with no issues.

[Ride4Life]

Update! The stubborn bolt is out! Thanks to the advice of needspeed and a temple stick/torch I was able to break it free with a larger i.d. nut and breaker bar. Now on to splitting the cases. Any suggestions other than what I have seen on the forum already?

[Ride4Life]

A little soak in vinegar and she will be like new again. Just kidding guys

[Gold Member]

Originally Posted by Ride4Life

A little soak in vinegar and she will be like new again. Just kidding guys

Yeah those are cheap enough. I think I gave like $12 on ebay for one.