Hi,

Bought a wheel for a project which uses a bespoke alu adapter plate for the rear sprocket to sit on. After forgetting about it for months I've just noticed the adapter plate has a broken bolt, which someone has tried to drill out. Badly.

The hole is not in the centre of the bolt, so I assume they were going to use an easy out. I've tried and it won't work (steel bolt/alu spacer -guess its binded)

So how do I fix it, I can't drill it out cos the drill just drops into the off centre hole.

Any ideas?

Thanks

[Edited on 28/10/11 by Dangle_kt]

Some engineering firms can remove it using spark erosion,

or,

it could be possible to arc weld a blob onto the end of the steel stud, then a nut onto the blob, the heat generated helps free the corroded stud, and if you're lucky you can wind it out with the nut.

[Edited on 28/10/11 by r1_pete]

how about a small nut over the top of the snapped bolt and the hole of the nut filled with weld? the heat should help too...

Cheers Rich

FIRE!!!!

Can you apply some heat the ally will expand more than the steel and you should be able to remove it

It often helps to drill as close to the thread as possible then when using the chisel to push the bolt in on itself it breaks away from the thread. Central holes are not always best.
But also, getting too close to the thread has its own problems.

Be very careful if you try to weld a nut to the remains of a bolt/stud in aluminium, it's quite easy to melt the alloy close to the weld and cause yourself some even bigger problems.

+1

quote:

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Originally posted by MikeRJ
Be very careful if you try to weld a nut to the remains of a bolt/stud in aluminium, it's quite easy to melt the alloy close to the weld and cause yourself some even bigger problems.

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Warm it up and then spray on loads of WD 40 or similar, loads of smoke and very dramatic, that should take care of the stell-alloy bond. Then get it all clamped up tight in a decent machine vice on pedestal drill and take out as much of the stud as poss with a bigger drill than the previous conteder used. Make sure it is a decent / fresh drill bit once it bites don't stop just keepon drilling with plenty of pressure. After that it is down to using a bigger eazee out or unpicking the remnants of thread.
Good luck!
Mike

If you can weld to it fill the hole and start again in the centre, it will give you the option of using a tap to clean it up or using a stud extractor.

[Edited on 29/10/11 by Peteff]

Take it to someone who has a milling machine and ask them to dril it out with a slotting drill. It will go straight through and won't be influenced by the existing hole in the least.
...or make another spacer....if its snapped off flush its seldom a successful repair. Easy-outs are an old wives tale and are bought in desparation rather than practicality. They often snap and leave a hard undrillable bit right in the middle of the bolt or flare the remains so its in there even tighter