So I have spent the last few days bring by bike out of a year of sitting neglected.
Drained the old fuel: check
Cursed my expanded gas tank while lifting the tank to get to the air filter: check
Replaced front brake fluid: check [drink]
Removed clutch slave and front sprocket cover to clean out old chain wax fling, before replacing clutch fluid: WTF there are aluminum threads attached to my sprocket cover bolts! :o
The top 2 spirals came from the lower mounting bolt and the 3rd spiral from the upper. I noticed with the thickness of the brass insert on the sprocket cover, and the ~1/8" the case saver insert adds, not many threads were engaging when screwed in all the way. I should have caught that, and used some longer bolts, when I installed the case saver years ago.
After reading this thread:
http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=14009.0
I am thinking time-sert and some slightly longer bolts, since I will need to R&R the sprocket cover many more times. Can I safely drill and tap here? Has anyone else repaired these particular threads?
What to you guys recommend? (longer bolts and time-sert / longer bolts and lock-tite / hot glue and prayer)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/aiqnkTfUdbSjTcot9Hr2c-HEKm0ms9REN-wIgkad9w6Ur7ssgmwwl-YKDjsdkP0lLiDvfocCU-Y9_H7NR_n8qAeR4pkYUhWOhdwlQAmm5e0SnQZx0Bo90tICzpS4C0e7dHAyhhhhAaP6KliMYNaD9r40vExhSIKnZm6VgyLWs7wvbX33dwav16N1yncGsPDl5e0k8PCWyhRnPjBxnK466QPYfXxtbaDq_UvL4jXr7dHB91wAekZB1nWe5i49ELdRtwhKHz0TIXMhWtExUTWgc4QLl4SOfHb7QVsOSxcbNgG5deA4Xw7XW5o4YgM5qDK50r48GokJEppT6HXWF7xqQ3RgHonjMY3hTXOFLnH9F_fIT47nxtYi7LHHd110AfJUV1fXqbvLB97wkmLoGPXL1Aw4KHa-D0-E6OvFqOs3h8bl0voLeh77IqMDozsYJYbXQwUV_MTOYjp0acYu5dzzrYa7KK9lfvMrQzVEOV4WNT5kBrRwerS1kKccu76HP2OJkXi9bie2hv9uUsCEBzHz6yQYJAB7yVmK11vBfzK1wPduGyFISqXuhOI1Fd5uJS4Q_clz5MNG9vLXmqYtTSmuSqjpLv1okJQqG5tRKFywigc7UbFZ=w682-h908-no)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5FXSje9ATgWCcnfG0PTPFm4oxRtniyJ7n_FX_wj_SetqZdyaSSkAXFA-j2l44-dd1wCqyyw4imGDZH15sm4SVtzLUT33WLdx58pupA3FvPyxCxctH9gbn79vlmalbR8XlopXMyP9Zw_a6ZPCz1Llv28lPysg8fSEECGcdjLis7b2eDynw1_EsRr55LrvRbmORA3VUejfCp6JCnuXehIBmudY13UUMOrjb0-MVehH06ppsZoVCZZfxuGTsL17vK342EiDUXvBTrlZuOnE_SzQ1BISwUa-bwS_b-1LJ9HmHPQVd0bms1bxxa5pFB_dIgMhDButf0Ou5uMX-T2uRwDb-N9roRLAcLuqKOg78HhUKcAmPIHkCbUM79vcoXudU6NAeBrgNs0z88v29cvI2urcqrgPs6CqtrJKhjiV6PQ0DwhQqG1Br95DoEjZgujDJNAttvczLJjjKcQpyZfFllLD-5Ztxf9sGOwHfaZiFhIZ3w1FYyAmFze9Fevi98OHE2Fiyq7KBCPAugSPWs9gIzq25yTA2B0v1T2_A8LyPxSKxY0NPwrXgoWtVfshXZLUKuxd-3_U0FBIovild8qFyJDsKK0Cf4hA2eak1_NZcBdDCKA4nM4=w728-h969-no)
Back side of a cover, the bosses in question are circled in red.
(https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5599/31145374766_d40fdb1e33_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/PsdbQ7)
You could take the cover off and drill and tap thru, but that adds very little to the thread length, and it compromises the sealing area.
Best to Time-Sert them.
Measure the existing hole depth, and wrap the drill with tape as a marker so you don't go deeper.
Mark the tap the same way.
Not that this adds anything to the Time Sert issue, but I always run without a sprocket cover.
Reasoning for me is that with the amount of riding I do, cleaning the chain properly would require removing the sprocket cover every week. Essentially doubling the time for cleaning the chain. Not really worth the minimal amount of safety that cover provides IMO.
Thanks to you both for the replies.
I'll pick up a time-cert kit and related tools and fix it right. With how ham-fisted I am sometimes, and how many M6x1 fasteners this bike has, I am sure these won't be the last thread repairs I will make in this size. I figured I could ride w/o cover for now, but I do want to get something shiny to replace the POS plastic cover. And I want it to be serviceable, since I like to keep that area clean. I will add some pics etc. to this thread once I get my thread repair kit, so everyone can see my success / failure.