1957 NH / Sludge Trap

[Julian Murphy]

Going to remove and clean out at the next oil change = very soon.

L/H thread?
R/H thread?

Thread loc on re-assembly?

Or just tight?

How tight x ft/lbs?

Thanks.

[will_curry]

It's an ordinary right-hand thread and can be very tight to shift.

Giving the head of the sludge trap a good thump is recommended
to help loosen the thread.

I put the bike on the stand and select top gear. With the sump plate off
and the spark plug out turn the back wheel slowly until the sludge trap
appears in the sump. Wedge the back brake on with a suitable block
of wood, put the socket on the trap and then put a bottle jack under
the socket head. On a bad day I've used a fork stanchion as an
extension but so far in over 50 years they've all come out.

No loctite or anything else on reassembly and just use the standard
T bar to do it up 'reasonably' tightly. I've never had or even heard
of one coming out in service.

[paul.jameson]

I do like the idea of the bottle jack under the socket, having never thought of it. But equally, in upwards of 50 years, all mine have come out too.

[JohnnyBeckett]

hi i just use a very good fitting 6 sided socket and a powerbar and hold the socket up to the sludge trap with one hand and pull the powerbar with my other hand and they come out ok, just make sure the socket is the right size and a very good fit

[nevhunter]

Do things optimally BEFORE the HEX is rounded off. I've NEVER had to drill one out and never seen evidence of one coming out in service. Many are totally filled with tightly packed carbon and stuff and sometimes has to be drilled out of the hollow bolt and the oil drilling also to the timing side driveshaft. I've only found them this bad in old motors when I rebuild them. Many earlier motors didn't have a direct feed to the big end and just got it by "MIST" Nev

[Stevethomas]

Well I thought it would be a good idea to check the sludge trap on a vh I bought a few months ago.
The bolt head has been chewed up too badly for any of the suggested methods to work so I think the crank has to come out so I can try other ways, and the fact that someone has tried and failed makes me think the job really needs doing.
Maybe drill and file for an Allen key?
Maybe drill for my biggest cross head screwdriver bit and use an impact driver?
Maybe file the rounded hex to fit a 10mm socket?
Any better suggestions would be welcomed

[JohnnyBeckett]

hi you can get sockets that will remove rounded off nuts and bolts one type is nut grip irwin do very good sets i have used the them lots of times to get me out trouble with rounded nuts and bolts the more you turn them on the tighter they grip

[simon.holyfield]

Maybe file the rounded hex to fit a 10mm socket?
Any better suggestions would be welcomed

Unfortunately on a single the sludge trap is in a recess that makes it a more difficult to get to.

My favourite method to deal with these sorts of things, including sludge traps, is to weld something on the end of the hex that I can easily turn.

[JohnnyBeckett]

hi you can get sockets that will remove rounded off nuts and bolts one type is nut grip irwin do very good sets i have used the them lots of times to get me out trouble with rounded nuts and bolts the more you turn them on the tighter they grip

[Julian Murphy]

@stevethomas.

This is the link about the 3/16 whit socket that I bought for the job.

viewtopic.php?t=11550&hilit=koken+socket

It was a very, very good fit over the hex.

You might be lucky that if the head is not too badly damaged on of these socket may still be a good enough fit.

If working upside down through the sump opening is too difficult, you maybe better off taking the head and barrel off for much better access.

I'd not be using an impact driver on it.