Extremely tight step assembly (footpeg bits) bolts?

[SneakyDingo]

Today I went to drop the step assembly from my bike. There's a lot of videos on people doing this because there's two "common" things that involve dropping these bolts out - rotating the shift lever, and installing the shift support.

• DaBinChi Rotate shift lever
• DaBinChi installing the shift support
• QuasiMotard rotating the shift lever

and of course there are also Supercub versions of this task.

I went to loosen the 4 step assembly bolts today and... I can't get those flange bolts loose to drop the step assembly. They're TIGHT. I went to loosen one and... felt it slip. Rounded off the bolt using my socket. Switched to a new bolt, my travel scales, some math and a wrench instead of the socket... as soon as it hit 40 Nm I stopped before any more damage could occur. The Honda manual gives 27 Nm as the generic torque spec for a 8mm flange bolt, and this was way tighter than that.

At $1.60 a bolt + labor, I'm willing take it to Honda and have them deal with these bolts instead rather than risk having a very bad time later on, but I'm open to suggestions for how to get these bolts loose. The only thing I can think of is riding the bike first so the engine is hot, but no one else mentioned that in their videos.

Suggestions?

 

[m in sc]

1: break torque is a lot different than assembly torque.

2; Use a good 6 point socket & breaker bar.

3: m8 bolt TIGHTENING max is 41.3 Nm

just crack the things off.

 

[Thepen]

Just like @m in sc said, 6 point socket and you're golden. Plus you'll have a years worth of fuel saved from the stealerships labor cost

 

[SneakyDingo]

Ha, true. 6 point socket set was already on order, just hasn't arrived yet (a gift to myself to celebrate my new job). Ordered some replacement bolts as well because why not. Worst case, I'll be no worse off than where I am right now. Figured if there was any other trick I could employ, I'd use that as well though.

EDIT: August 29 was too long to wait. Cancelled it and ordered a TEKTON set that will arrive on Thursday.

 

[SneakyDingo]

Discovered my neighbor had a set of 6 point sockets of a modern design, not my ancient toolkit. Borrowed his and got it done before it got too hot (will be hot the rest of the week). Once I had the confidence I could use these modern sockets without too much penalty on my end, off the bolts came.