Removing and separating fender

[Guzzimax]

Greenie’s now off the road for various autumnal jobs.

Front fender has a crack that needs repairing, and the I’ll get it repainted along with the belly pan and the side panels.

However the very small screws that hold the 2 pcs of the fender together are corroded, and despite soaking them in plus gas release fluid, gripping with long nosed pliers, the nuts just spin and I can’t release the screws. I’m unwilling to try grinding them off with a mini grinder in case of damaging the plastic

im sure this is a very common problem, does anyone have suggestions about how to grip the small round threaded ‘nuts’ ?

[Guzzimax]

[Tomchri]

Looks like 1 from the picture is doable with a wise grip. Can't see from picture if the other 2 are above the plastic. 

Cheers Tom.

[docc]

The "small round threaded nuts" are embedded in the rubber causing expansion to capture the fender part when tightened. So, rather than try to put locking pliers on the metal 'nut', you may do better to grasp the entire rubber/metal unit (I'm sure those fasteners have a name . . . )

Obviously, they may need replacement if forced apart in this way.

[docc]

Okay, how about "rubber well nut, expanding" or  "insulating rivet nut" . . .

https://www.mcmaster.com/rubber-well-nuts/

[Tomchri]

Bought new ones from Stein Dinse, but with a newly painted fender and Shin Etsu as lube = NO. Paint had to be removed. 

Cheers Tom.

[docc]

1 minute ago, Tomchri said:

Bought new ones from Stein Dinse, but with a newly painted fender and Shin Etsu as lube = NO. Paint had to be removed. 

Cheers Tom.

Please explain more, Tom . . .

The new "well nuts" would not insert in the newly painter fender holes without enlarging the holes (removing paint from the holes)?

[Tomchri]

Well, your the docc, but I coudn't do it. One old and a new layer of paint made it to tight. Tight is nice, but 

Cheers Tom.

[Scud]

Cut the rubber away from the underside with a small knife. After that, they should pop right out the top.

[docc]

9 minutes ago, Scud said:

Cut the rubber away from the underside with a small knife. After that, they should pop right out the top.

Thinking out of the box again, @Scud !

[mikev]

Maybe a Dremel tool with a diamond blade could cut with enough precision to remove seized bits without damaging plastic?  In the past I've cut seized bolts top down (bisecting nut in half) vs horizontally with good results.

[Tomchri]

Thinking out loud here, lf you do that, l bet some of the brass round nut will be left, not reachable. Like Scud said, or l woud try first with the wise grip firmly fastened around the rubber bushing. IPA time here.

Cheers Tom.

[docc]

Trying to source a replacement, 2-piece, silver front fender for mySport, I spied this on TLM, The Netherlands: "M4 Swell Nuts" . . .

https://tlm.nl/moto-guzzi-triumph/932316040000-zwelmoer-m4-spatbord-v11

[Scud]

21 hours ago, docc said:

 "M4 Swell Nuts" . . .

I've heard them called Well Nuts commonly, but Swell Nuts is more fun.

These are readily available in places that have a wide selection of fasteners - they are not a specialty item that must be ordered from a dealer.

[docc]

26 minutes ago, Scud said:

I've heard them called Well Nuts commonly, but Swell Nuts is more fun.

These are readily available in places that have a wide selection of fasteners - they are not a specialty item that must be ordered from a dealer.

Haha, well, "Swell Nuts" might be the Dutch translation for "well nuts."  Well, well . . .

Seems Mcmaster-Carr sells a 10 pack of M4 "rivet nuts" for about the price of one from TLM, Nederlands.