Stuck Derby Cover Screws

I have found from advice I read on this great forum to break the seal when the bike is completely cold. If its cold, they seem to come right out. On my new bike, I went to the garage and broke them loose when it was completely cold and put anti seize on the threads and put them back in. With that on there, it makes taking them in and out very easy. Sorry this wont help you out now, but hopefully in the future when you get it fixed.
 
John,
this may be more common than you think, especially with the chrome parts. When I installed the chrome primary cover on my bike, there was alot of oxidation/residue in the threads. I had to run a thread chaser through brand new threads on the outer primary several times to clean it all out. I would'nt think that a harley factory tech would go throught all of this. I would assume that they stick the screw on an air gun and install the derby cover. This practice probably doesn't help when removing the derby cover for the first time. Sorry for you woes, but it's just a cost of doing business I guess. Make sure that before you reinstall the screws, that you run a thread chaser down the holes. You may be surprised what you get out of them. In my opinion, a thread cleaner set is an essential part of any tool kit, especially when working on harleys.

hope that helped a little.

harry
 
As usual, members of the forum got me out of the woods! Ronp42 and others hit it on the head: I drilled off the screw caps, dropped the cover into my hand, and then the threads backed out with just my fingertips. About 10 minutes work and it was done. So I will go with chrome allen head screws now, with a light coat of oil on the threads and fastened via torque wrench. Don't want to go through that again!

Thanks guys!
 
I think the person who suggested the threads are too tight may be on the money. When Harley chrome plates the covers they also plate the threads making them smaller diameter. So the screws go in tighter and basically lock up. Also, try using a 1/4" drive ratchet with the #27 socket to tighten them, not a 3/8 drive. Unless you go the torque wrench route, which I personally don't do. The 1/4" drive ratchet is too small to overtighten unless you act like an ape, but will still get it tight enough and won't be a problem to remove them. This is just a cover, its not holding any gears or mechanical pressure.
 
I was told by the tech to only use the HD 8 way screwdriver to tighten the screws, that way they do not get overtightened. 23,000 miles, so far, so good. No leaks.
 
Uhhhh, learned the hard way myself after "overtightening" the derby cover screws. As a previous poster mentioned, no need to get too crazy when tightening derby cover screws because there's nothing pressurized in there, I just snug them up good.
 
I remember drilling mine out on my new 03 when changing out the derby cover. Those torx screws were on there very tight. I replaced them with new torx bits, only they are on near as tight now.
 
When I first read about this issue back in 1999, I went out to the shed, removed the screws one at a time, put Never-Seize on them and re-installed them. They seize because they now longer are bathed in the primary oil, and are outside of the gasket. Plus, steel screws and aluminum cover/outer primary equals corrosion. BTW, I only used a Torx screwdriver to re-install the screws, they can be tightened adequately with the screwdriver.
 
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