| Author | Message | ||
     Dktechguy112 |
I was installing my new frame, and my Allen wrench snapped off in the bolt. The part that snapped off is flush with the edge of the bolt, so I can't grab it with pliers. Any suggestions? I tried a drill, but it didn't work. I am wondering if I should try a dremel. The bolt is one of the front frame bolts, it hooks the frame to the k brackets. The other thing I was thinking of trying is putting a big magnet up by the bolt to see if the Allen wrench piece will get sucked out by the magnet. | ||
| Zac4mac |
Lightly tap around it with a flat tip drift punch. If you broke the ball end, it should come loose with a few well placed taps. Then you should be able to grab it with a strong magnet. Z | ||
| Swoop |
worst case you can drill and tap the broken piece. (Message edited by Swoop on July 21, 2010) | ||
| Jgarner99 |
Dktech - If I understand right, you snapped off the tip of an allen wrench, while tightening a socket-head (allen) bolt, yes? If that's correct, then what is holding the broken piece in place are the corners of the bit, all six of which were jammed into the flats of the bolt's socket. Think about how hard you were pulling on that wrench when the tip snapped off; now multiply it by the length of the wrench. That's what's holding your broken piece in place. If you can relieve the "camming" caused by the corners jamming into the flats, your broken piece will probably fall right out. Try a very small, very sharp center punch (or better yet, prick punch). Lay it down at a very flat angle (almost parallel with the bolt head), aimed slightly inward (toward the center of the bolt) and tap the busted piece in such a way as to create a COUNTER-CLOCKWISE force. Start at the 12 o'clock position, then tap at 6, 10, 4, 8, and 2. If it isn't loose by then, start at 12 again. Tap lightly, using the sharpness of the tip (rather than a harder hit) to get traction. Whatever you do, don't hit it so hard that the metal starts to peen outwards -- that could just jam it worse. The sound will change when it's loose. Good luck. | ||
| Stirz007 |
This is much easier than snapping the bolt off in some critical part. The wrench is probably going to burn up a few bits, if you can drill it - probbly some kind of hardened steel. Jgarner's baby it out approach is likely the best place to start. A little strategic heat and lube can sometimes allow you to get it started. Or - you could always sacrifice the bolt to get the whole thing out, then use a new bolt. | ||
| Dktechguy112 |
thanks for the replies. I will try the suggestions. It wasn't an actual allen wrench, it was a allen on a socket adapter. I was torquing the bolt down when it snapped. The good news is the bolt is torqued, it snapped when the wrench clicked. | ||
| Dktechguy112 |
here is a pic of it:  | ||
| Zac4mac |
You have a rough surface on the break-face. Like Jgarner99 said - Small hammer, sharp pin punch, counter-clockwise light taps. If the insert is too hard to drill, it should have broken with little or no torsional deformation and should tap out. Got to come out when you rotate the motor... cross fingers Z | ||
| Dktechguy112 |
I have never heard of a pin punch, is that something i can pickup at a local tool shop like autozone? (Message edited by dktechguy112 on July 21, 2010) | ||
| Kicka666 |
Here you go Dk  | ||
| Stirz007 |
You might try this: Get a center punch (sharp, pointy end), put it in the middle of the broken hex key and give it a good whack with a hammer. Might pop right out. If not, plan B described above. | ||
| Duphuckincati |
Give it a squirt of wd-40 along with the pin punch stuff too. | ||
| Reepicheep |
Leave it there and hope you never have to remove the bolt again?  I'd use heat as well. Heating up that bolt will give you more room to loosen the wedged in allen head. You could also drill a small hole (maybe a bullet shaped tungsten carbide dremel bit) in the surface of the sheared allen bolt, and use that with a punch to try and "counter rotate" the wedged in bit. Finally, that same tungsten carbide bit should go through that allen head tool steel like butter... you can carve it right out of there. You would need to be slow and careful, but I bet an hour after you start you would be done. When you get enough material removed, it will relieve the internal tension and it should fall out. | ||
| Nm5150 |
Cut a slot in it with a wafer disk.Use a flat head impact(the old kind you hit with a hammer) and that will get the bolt out.Buy new bolt.Back in the day when I rode 750Fours the phillips bolts would never come out without stripping them out.The old impact driver you hit with a hammer saved me many times.HTH | ||
| Jbarron |
Drilling tools like that is hard unless you have a carbide drill bit. They are expensive, but considering what you are looking at probably worth it. www.travers.com If you have a welder you can weld a rod to it and pull it out otherwise I'd leave it and hope it falls out on its own before service time. | ||
| Reepicheep |
I like Nm5150's idea better than mine.  | ||
| Usanigel |
If you don't have a need to remove it now leave it. looking at the fine grain where it snapped, that metal will be very hard and brittle which is why it broke. NM5150 suggests cutting it with a drimel disc, this would help you to shock the bit out with a tap anti-clockwise. Like many have said, it just needs "unlocking" from the socket. | ||
| Trafford |
According to Buell workshop manuals......everthing should be torqued and loctited......right?? So why not wait for it to vibrate loose...hahahha |
