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.

[morg_nz]

Very carefully, and with good tools, not cheapos.

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

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

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?


Or the Blue Point ones?

[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.