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Tricky stud repair

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TheClaw

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Dec 25, 2012
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Chicagoland
Looking for suggestions and ideas on how to repair this seat stud. It holds the bracket that mounts to the bike, 75 Honda CL360. I really don't want to take apart the entire seat to remove the bolt. It's likely spot welded to the pan. No guarantee the foam will survive the operation.

This is not a full restoration, just want to get it back on the road.

I thought about just drilling thru the bracket and using a sheet metal screw except the seat pan is not that strong and would likelypull out after a while.

Please consider that I'm a lowsy welder. Lol

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For fun here is a shot of the rest of the bike.

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DGersic

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DeKalb, IL
It looks to me like you need to get at it from the other side. Is there any access path, with any collection of sockets, universals, and wobbles that will get you there? Torque to break loose whatever spot weld is holding the remains of the bolt to get it out of there, then fish a new bolt in to place.

Better would be getting a cutting tool in there to remove what’s left, then tack in a new one.
 
W

wssix99

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Chicago, IL
TheClaw said:
Looking for suggestions and ideas on how to repair this seat stud. It holds the bracket that mounts to the bike, 75 Honda CL360. I really don't want to take apart the entire seat to remove the bolt.
Click to expand...

You need to take apart the entire seat. Honda didn't make this bike back in the day like China/Mexico make stuff today. You should be rewarded for your work when you get that seat apart!

Once you get the fabric off, you/we can tell what kind of hardware it is and how to get a replacement stud. It's most likely not welded.
 
R

Rusted Nut

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Guessing you’ll probably need to take seat apart. If you need seat recovered I had Mean City Cycles do some work on a Harley seat, really great custom work.

MCC Home of the best motorcycle seat modifications.

Mean City Cycles is home of the custom seat modifications required to make your motorcycle as comfortable as possible without breaking the bank.
www.meancitycycles.com www.meancitycycles.com

Vey nice little scrambler by the way!
 
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Jeff Ivers

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Will that bracket lift off? If so, is there enough thread to epoxy on a threaded rod nut (can't think of the correct name right now)? Drill the bracket to go over the threaded rod nut and then use an appropriate bolt, fender washer and a spacer that goes over the threaded rod nut to attach.
 
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kyrbz

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midwest US
I'm guessing that's a M6 or M8 bolt/stud. Could you drill out the existing broken bolt, then drill out the bracket and pan to fit an appropriate size rivet insert nut. Then you could thread a new stud into the rivet nut. No welding, no takinging the upholstery or foam off, the only rub is you might have the head of the old bolt left in the foam which I don't think would harm anything. You'd also have to buy a rivet nut setting tool if you don't have one.

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Stuart in MN

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It's not that difficult to pull a motorcycle seat cover of the seat pan, take it apart and do it right. There's typically a series of little prongs around the edge of the pan that hook onto the vinyl, just unhook the vinyl and pull it off. I don't know if Honda glued the foam to the pan but it's probably stuck down from age, try slipping a long thin knife (like a bread knife) in between them to separate it once the cover is off.
 
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TheClaw

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Yeah, it's not that hard, I can see the prongs. Heard the break easy tho. I think I'm going to end up taking it apart. The seat is glued so I'm likely going to slice a big enough chunk off, get at the bolt, glue the old top back on, pull the cover over and attach. Just a bigger job than expected. Also, need to get it running!
 
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BlindViper

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Can you use a hole saw to cut a small access hole? Then drill a new hole in the bracket and the seat pan. Fish a new bolt in and tighten it up.
 
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finn

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Don’t know about bikes, but on a couple of 60s-70s cars I have, those would be splined, not welded to the seat frame.

I just punched them out, and drew new splined studs in with a spacer and nut.

No welding required, but you do have to pull the upholstery back if it’s in the way.
 
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Modern Garage

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Stuart is correct. Just carefully pry up the hooks that hold the seat cover. Don't try to bend them out straight. They never were. Just get them loose so you can slide the cover off of them. It will be a little difficult because the vinyl won't be as flexible as it was forty years ago but gettting the whole seat warm in the sun or with a hair dryer will help. Sometimes there is some adhesive under the vinyl too but hopefully not. That's usually on Italian seats.
Joe
 
J

Jacko264

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Kingston upon Hull uk
Make a square plate and drill and countersunk a hole for a stud the same size as the original.
then weld the stud into the hole. Counter sunk side.
after doing that pop rivet the plate to the seat base
to level the seat up put a washer on the good bolt before fitting the seat
 
C

Chuckster in NJ

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Hunterdon County NJ
Place a nut over the broken stud and weld the center of the nut onto the broken stud……… Let cool and soak with Kroil overnight and you should be able to back it out.
 
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T

TheClaw

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Chicagoland
Got it. I had to remove half of the seat cover. Gently bent all the tabs, none of broke. Cut out a section of the pad, good thing it was not glued to the seat pan. The bolt was tacked on so I ground down the head. Then took a flanged button head bolt and smeared some JB Weld in there to hold it down. I was caulking the shower so I squirted some silicone in there and slid the piece back in. I'll have to stretch the cover over it but that's a formality.

Thanks for all of the suggestions.

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M

Modern Garage

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If you haven't assembled it yet use some contact cement to glue the cut piece back into the larger foam to prevent any seam line showing through the cover. You may not get a visible line but better safe than sorry.
Joe
 
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TheClaw

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Joe, I used som RTV I had sitting around. I wanted the cutout to "squish" evenly with the rest of the seat. It was all a little hard and stiff from age but I think I got it as good as it can get. you can't tell there was some surgery under the seat cover.
 
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ArcIndWeld

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Use this as an excuse to buy a new tool and get a rivstud tool instead of rivnutting and loctite like mentioned. Astro has the most affordable one ive seen yet.
 
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