as most of you know the screws holding the float bowl plates on the carbs are junk...soft brass and WAY too tight from the factory. By the time you get all 8 of them off you will have buggered some of them up. I know some of you have gone to allen head screws & bolts. Where did you get them and do you like them? Any other bolts/screws you've replaced with non-factory parts?

 

I took one of the junk screws to the hardware store and asked the clerk to find me a new one with allen heads.
If I would have had to look for it myself, I would have been there all day long, because they had so many.
Somebody on the forum posted the size and pitch of the screw, you may have to do a search to find it. But it wasnt that long ago, perhaps a month..

 

Looks like the old posts are recommending 4x14 mm allen head screws. Anybody know what else they fit on the bike?

 

I'm not sure...I bought 3 boxes of those screws, all different lengths, cost me $10. The carb screws really need it, the only other screws you may want to replace are the ones holding the plastic on in the inner fender. Taking them off and on to clean the radiator wears them out pretty good.

Oh yeah...make sure you buy a 'T Handled' allen wrench, the handle is about 4" wide and the allen wrench attached is about 6-8" long. Make sure you get the right size to fit the new allens head screws. It makes installing and removing them a breeze. Later y'all

 

I bought some 4x12mm and it only allows about 3/16 inches of threads catching. Home Depot didn't have 4x14mm, but they did have 4x18mm. I was worried that they would be too long. The 4x12mm seems to have enough threads to hold it secure, but I would have been more comfortable with 4x14mm if they would have had them.

 

I bought my from Sgt Rock. I got them cheap and fast in the mail. Below is his last posting on the subject. His e-mail address is raptor2@comcast.net
Haynes


Okay guys, heres the math

With shipping, the screws cost me $13.15 for 100 (7.20 for the screws and 5.95 for shipping) which is 0.14 a piece. Add $1 for shipping for up to 20 screws. If you want some, email or PM me.

Regards,
Sgt_Rock


-------------------------
'02 P650 V-Twin for Dad
150R/148F
Penland BigGun
DG Snorkle
Armordillo Skidplate
Warn Winch
Warn Plow w/actuator
26" ITP Mudlites
ITP C-Series
EPI Red and Black Springs
Ox-Lite CV Guards

My page of toys

 

In securing those float bowls, is it possible for anything bad to happen by using screws that are a little long? With 4 of them per bowl it doesn't seem like anything could back out or leak. If longer screws are ok then that would give you a little more access to them also?

 

The reason I didn't get the 4x18mm was because I didn't know how deep the float bowl was threaded. I suppose I could have stuck a pin in the hole to see how deep it went, but with 4x12mm, I seem to have enough threads holding the screws.

 

I just put in 4x16's (they had 12's and 16's). I tightened them pretty good but the top left screw on the rear carb and the top right screw on the front carb didn't go flush with the float plate covers like the other 6 screws did. When I buttoned it up and pushed the start button gas came out from behind the screws. What did I do wrong?

 

Sounds like the bolts were to long .