So I snapped the axle adjuster bolt...

[morg_nz]

in my swingarm. I bought a reverse thread screw extractor from bunnings (i know, its just an el cheapo).

given that part of the swingarm is not an easy location to get to i thought i would try it out on another bolt which was also siezed on my subframe first so i would have an idea of what i was doing.

i drilled the pilot hole in the bolt on the subframe and inserted the extractor - i hadnt even got to swinging on it and the bloody thing snapped.

so my question, how does one remove broken bolts?

[unstuck]

Very carefully, and with good tools, not cheapos.:yes:

[morg_nz]

Very carefully, and with good tools, not cheapos.:yes:

lol i figured as much - i just wonder how many tools that i need? do i just need a better extractor screw or should i just take it into a shop - i dont have a gas torch so no real access to heat?

[bogan]

With difficulty, but not as difficult as removing one with a broken extractor in it :innocent:

Depending on the place you can sometimes drill the head off, and wind the stub out with vicegrips. Or reverse twist drill bit and/or extractor, or weld something on the end for better purchase. In any case you want to make it as easy as possible to turn, remove tension where possible, soak in CRC, apply heat to break the bond formed between metals over time.

[morg_nz]

With difficulty, but not as difficult as removing one with a broken extractor in it :innocent:

Depending on the place you can sometimes drill the head off, and wind the stub out with vicegrips. Or reverse twist drill bit and/or extractor, or weld something on the end for better purchase. In any case you want to make it as easy as possible to turn, remove tension where possible, soak in CRC, apply heat to break the bond formed between metals over time.

i could probably tac something to the head of the bolt on the subfame, not sure it i would be able to get anything onto the axle adjuster bolt.

it really annoys me - there must be a little bit of dirt or sand in these bolts that has caused them to sieze. It is a 2003 but has only done about 90 hours, and has been extremly well maintained but i guess the person who owned it before me wasnt as anal as cleaning as i am. i like to completly strip my bikes every now and again so i can get to the bits i dont get with a water blaster. this has the added bonus of keeping the bolts active so they dont sieze.

[barty5]

generally you need to drill right through them dead centre or very close too and as big a drill bit as possible this will help weaken it. failing that take it to Taylor engineering in MTeden the old guy there is costly but makes a living doing it we have called in to work a number of times.

[CRF119]

I lernt my lesson on buying semi cheap extractors took me a dam long time to slowly grind one of those out of the center of a bolt after it had snapped off.

[Jay GTI]

Cheap easy outs should really be called hard outs...

Even decent ones are prone to breaking.

[Spearfish]

I've managed to extract a bolt by using a plumbers pipe freeze kit, I drilled as big a hole down the centre as I could and used a can of pipe freeze a plumber mate lent me after heating the surrounding alloy.

[marty]

can't go past a snap-on easyout, but the OP now has a problem with an easyout snapped off inside the bolt. it ain't gonna be an easy fix!

[Madness]

can't go past a snap-on easyout

Do you mean these Marty?
http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z40/krypton5/f095_35.jpg

Or the Blue Point ones?
http://83.70.181.166/moodlecp9a/file.php/1/glossary/fixings/screwextractorset.jpg

[morg_nz]

can't go past a snap-on easyout, but the OP now has a problem with an easyout snapped off inside the bolt. it ain't gonna be an easy fix!

na luckly enough the screw extractor snapped and bounced out

[marty]

nope - these ones: only A$637 a set. I've got one :)

[morg_nz]

nope - these ones: only A$637 a set. I've got one :)

lol thats a nice looking set - but on my $2500 bike i'll prob settle for drilling them out completly first

[pete376403]

Aluminium swingarm and steel bolt is a guaranteed recipe for corrosion. When you finally do get the bolts out, give them a liberal coating of copper-kote or similar when you put them back in.

[morg_nz]

sucess - i managed to get the subframe bolt out - i started trying to weld something to it but i only had a shitty arc and old electrodes at home and nothing would stick, then i tried just putting some weld onto the head to get some heat into the bolt. still no luck though

got out my grinder and decided to take the head of the bolt off (very carefully) so i could get rid ofthe tungsten carbide bit, and then continue drilling through. got the head off and the bloody thing just turned out with my hand.

not sure if it was the heat from the weld, heat from grinding or vibration from grinding but whatever it was worked

i smartly decided to quit while im ahead as the same method wont be able to work on teh axle adjuster bolt

i think i'll go to the engineering shop tomorrow and buy a centre punch and a good quality screw extractor.

oh, i dont have a gas set at home, and dont really want to buy one at the moment - is anyone familiar with the little butane torches (in the fire extinguisher size blue cylinders) that the fancy chefs use sometimes on tv - i was thinking one of those might be a good idea for some cheap heat in the shed?

[bogan]

oh, i dont have a gas set at home, and dont really want to buy one at the moment - is anyone familiar with the little butane torches (in the fire extinguisher size blue cylinders) that the fancy chefs use sometimes on tv - i was thinking one of those might be a good idea for some cheap heat in the shed?

I've used a few, came in handy when installing steering stem spacers (that fucker ain't coming off again!). The fire extinguisher size ones (as opposed to the pen ones) offer a good range of heat outputs, and could be worth having a go with I reckon; just be careful not to overdo it with aluminum.

[morg_nz]

I've used a few, came in handy when installing steering stem spacers (that fucker ain't coming off again!). The fire extinguisher size ones (as opposed to the pen ones) offer a good range of heat outputs, and could be worth having a go with I reckon; just be careful not to overdo it with aluminum.

yeah, my idea with a butane torch was that i would have aflame small enough that i could put heat directly on the bolt, hopefully to loosen any shit stuck in the threads, rather than risk making the aluminum brittle

other optoin would be aheat gun, but no bloody control

[scumdog]

Aluminium swingarm and steel bolt is a guaranteed recipe for corrosion. When you finally do get the bolts out, give them a liberal coating of copper-kote or similar when you put them back in.

Yep, it seems that white powdery oxidisation accumulates as you start to wind the bolt out and 'wedges' in the threads, - often you can wind it back in fairly easily but when you try to undo it the bolt eventually winds up tight-as.

[bogan]

yeah, my idea with a butane torch was that i would have aflame small enough that i could put heat directly on the bolt, hopefully to loosen any shit stuck in the threads, rather than risk making the aluminum brittle

other optoin would be aheat gun, but no bloody control

If there is gas in my flatmates one I can possibly bring it round and see if that does the trick?

[theblacksmith]

Ive broken so many stud extractors in my life its not funny. I had enough of that shit-these days I get the mig out and build up a wee nipple off the broken stud-then get a nut that fits over the nipple and weld it-wait for it to cool completely and then have a go-work back and forth if u can. The best blowtorch out there is - is a Rothenburger- they put out so much heat and can be used upside down with no surging. Ive actually had parts hot enough to silver solder with a Rothenburger torch, and ideal for pre-heating small components prior to welding. Good luck with the rest of the job.

[raglanash]

Had the same thing on my 03, ended up taking the swing arm off and putting it in a very large drill press. Managed to clamp it in place and drill out the stuck bolt then ran a tap down it. Was a mission.

[That Guy]

Depends on what the offending bolt is in, but one way that has worked for me in the past is to fit a small cutting wheel to my angle grinder and cut a + into the head of the bolt. Then you can use a philips head on an impact driver.

[Blagger]

sucess - i managed to get the subframe bolt out - i started trying to weld something to it but i only had a shitty arc and old electrodes at home and nothing would stick, then i tried just putting some weld onto the head to get some heat into the bolt. still no luck though

got out my grinder and decided to take the head of the bolt off (very carefully) so i could get rid ofthe tungsten carbide bit, and then continue drilling through. got the head off and the bloody thing just turned out with my hand.

not sure if it was the heat from the weld, heat from grinding or vibration from grinding but whatever it was worked

i smartly decided to quit while im ahead as the same method wont be able to work on teh axle adjuster bolt

i think i'll go to the engineering shop tomorrow and buy a centre punch and a good quality screw extractor.

oh, i dont have a gas set at home, and dont really want to buy one at the moment - is anyone familiar with the little butane torches (in the fire extinguisher size blue cylinders) that the fancy chefs use sometimes on tv - i was thinking one of those might be a good idea for some cheap heat in the shed?

I've had the exact same thing happen with a lawnmower blade - why is a complete mystery.
If you get the plumbers' MAPP gas blue or yellow torches, the yellow ones burn hotter.
That Rothenburger thingy looks bloody good too.