broken stud 60 miles from home

jayjmarlo

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Dec 1, 2012
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I'm on a trip to the cost writing from Safeway on their Wi-Fi in Florence Oregon. I just arrived planning to go camping tonight. I just stopped for food and I notice a broken mounting bolt! I'm 60 miles from home! I replaced all these with hardened steel! It's broken at the base with no way to remove. It can't be tapped because it's hardened steel. What on earth am I to do? I have tools and there is probably a hardware store in town I could stop by in the morning. For now I'll ride it easy and try and get home in one piece in the morning, I have no idea how to get it out and doubt our can even be done. It's the front one if that helps. Thanks for your advice I'll check this in the morning before attempting to ride 60 miles home on only the studs :(
 
ride it. lost count of how many times ive lost a mount bolt... so you gotta nudge it over straight occasionally? whatever! :giggle:

got pedals? they usually come equipped standard on pushies... ;)
 
Make a screw-driver-like slot in it with a Black&Deckdeer rotary tool, then unscrew it.
Then, for god's sake man, fix that vibration! How to do it is on my site.
 
The answer is simple if you want to use a cheap hack method of stud removal: purchase a cheap torx screwdriver set or an individual torx screwdriver that you can drive into a 3mm or 4mm or 5mm hole, depending on the outside diameter of the bolt. Now purchase 2mm, 3mm, 4mm and 5mm full cobalt drill bits.
Drill about 10mm into the broken stud (making sure you have more than 1mm of wall thickness after the bolt/stud has been drilled out), then drive the torx screw driver into the hole with a hammer without too much heavy force, or enough force that the torx screw driver gets decent purchase on the inside of the hole.

As you apply twisting force to unscrew the stud, tap the top of the screw driver with a hammer to create vibration that will help rattle out the stud.
I have found this method works well removing broken bolt/studs for other people who bring their engine to me for open heart surgery.

Having said that, i've never broken a bolt on any of my engines. The only bolts/studs which have been replaced with higher spec items are the exhaust port studs; fitted with SickBikeParts upgrade items.
 
I used a bungee cord to hold the engine in place and got home. I am not understanding your explanations to tap and remove because the stud is hardened grade steal so I can't drill it. I could tap a new stud to it's side maybe a larger diameter just to it's side?
 
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I am not understanding your explanations to tap and remove because the stud is hardened grade steel so I can't drill it.

You didn't read my post with an appropriate level of attention.

I made mention of the fact to - purchase 2mm, 3mm, 4mm and 5mm full cobalt drill bits.

Easy-out screw extractors can snap off inside the drilled out stud and can also force the stud to flare out and bind on the screw hole, making the problem even more of a headache if it goes pear shaped, hence i do not use easy-out screw extractors.
 
An easy out will only snap off if one gets western with it, AKA some people can destroy a ball bearing with a feather.. I was a millwright and heavy idustrial maintenance mechanic for over 40 years working on many pieces and types of machinery.

If the object is to drill the stud out, just use tungsten carbide center drill bits, they are hard enough to drill grade 8 bolts like butter, shaped to remain on center and the mass to take abuse.

BFL_Carbide_Center_Drill_Bit.jpg
 
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If the object is to drill the stud out, just use tungsten carbide center drill bits, they are hard enough to drill grade 8 bolts like butter, shaped to remain on center and the mass to take abuse.

They are most certainly a viable option if it's necessary to drill into hardened steel.
 
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