How to Remove Star Locking Washers?

[Modifyd4]

Ok,



How do you remove these things without destroying the mounting points or the rivets that they mount to?



I am trying to prep the side fairings to go to a body shop and wanted to remove the carbon fiber inserts and in the process of trying to remove these damn things I broke 2 mounting points and got 3 off successfully.

I am carefully prying them trying to spin nothing seems to let them come off easily. Maybe cut them off?



Anyone got any advice please. Also does anyone know if there is a decent replacement to using these?

Chris

[Brucetafer]

i have NEVER been sucessful in getting those off, especially on older bikes.. i had no problem getting them off on a new yamaha, but just like you said, spinning and prying is the way i tried...

[ct.boaz]

A pair of small wire clippers usually works great for me.

[Modifyd4]

A pair of small wire clippers usually works great for me.

So you just clip them off / cutting them at the shortest part?

[ct.boaz]

Yep, that always has worked for me. sometimes the angle is a bit awkward and you can't cut through all the way though, and you just have to work it off

[nubus]

So you just clip them off / cutting them at the shortest part?

You may even need to clip opposite sides.

[Modifyd4]

Sucks that you need to destroy hardware inorder to take things apart and then replace it all when you rebuilt it. hmmm anything aftermarket that would be a "better" way of fastening it together?

[kzmille]

The easiest way is to just push the pin out from the back side with some hard object. You can even reuse both parts.

[Modifyd4]

I guess its a good point with the pin type that can be pushed out, the other ones are molded into the plastic... Those are definately a bitch to get out correctly, cutting might be the best option.

[kzmille]

Oh sorry. I was thinking of the ones that hold the deflectors and wind screen on. With those molded in posts I guess it would be better to sacrifice the lock rather than risk damage to the post.

[knoxville]

i had to destroy some on my 01 i just ended up replacing them with black screws which im also gonna do to my windscreen when i get a tinted one those little bastards are a pain in the butt

[tonyinva]

you need a pair of snap ring pliers with very small angled tips to push up from between.

[AmareAprilia]

When I took them off to swap plastic inserts for CF, I mangled the washers with some needle nose pliers.
I wasn't too careful, thinking I could just find more at a hw store easy enough. But I couldn't find a suitable replacement, so I just bent them back on. They don't look pretty but hold just as good as before. AF1 sells replacements. Kinda expensive though.

[Modifyd4]

Thanks for the reply's guys... I "*cough" was looking at the hardware on my GSXR last night for the windscreen etc... might try and use something similiar.

[adaniel65]

Thanks for the reply's guys... I "*cough" was looking at the hardware on my GSXR last night for the windscreen etc... might try and use something similiar.

Hello to those on this thread. I have purchased these "Push Nuts" as they are known in the industry. They are a pain to remove. But, you can easily purchase them at www.mcmaster.com. Just search for "push nuts'. They have many sizes and materials to choose from as well as other alternate parts. BTW, I am not affiliated with McMaster-Carr. I just know they have these because of a project I worked on some time ago.

Take care

Antonio