[s32k1]

So I get some :beer:, get the bike all set up in the garage, and proceed to get to the valve spring. At this point the headers are off, throttle bodies off, cams out, etc. I loosen two of the head bolts in pattern and realize that the third one has been stripped. No bite whatsoever, its completely rounded. The last place to touch the bike was a triumph dealership (supposedly) around Las Vegas where I bought it. I need to buy a new head-bolt and somehow get the old one out. I was thinking of getting my buddy over to weld a socket onto the bolt so I can get enough force behind it to loosen. Any suggestions? I loved riding it for the first two weeks I owned it (October 06) but ever since then It has gained 0 miles due to problem after problem

 

[kuhlka]

Avoid welding as much as possible. It'll weaken the bolt and probably just shear the head off, at which point you'd have to use a bolt/screw extractor.

 

[jdonly1]

Can you get a screw driver under the head of the bolt ??

 

[tomstumble]

Welding the head of a bolt onto the rounded off one might be your only option. I can't count the number of easy outs I have busted off.

 

[littlefield]

It may be worthwhile putting some JB Weld around the head and putting a socket on it. If you try it make sure and degrease it well, put the JB in the socket so the excess gets pushed up rather than down.

 

[kartstar]

Avoid welding as much as possible. It'll weaken the bolt and probably just shear the head off, at which point you'd have to use a bolt/screw extractor.

+1 on no welding, also because you have to ground the welder thru the rest of the engine, which may end up welding something else inside like a crank journal (THIS IS BAD!!). My approach would be to drill the head of the bolt off using a drill bit approx the same size as the allen socket, then once the cylinder head is removed grab the shank of the remainder with a pair of vise grips and spin it out. It should come out easily once the tension is removed.

I would not suggest this if the head wasn't coming off anyway.

 

[Spidey]

Get yourself one of these. It's a bolt/screw extractor called "Grab It". I saw it on TV and they work good!!!

http://www.4grabit.com/Default.asp?bhcp=1

 

[premier]

Well I'll be damned! If it's sold on TV, it must be good!? :devil:

 

[cheapbastard]

Well I'll be damned! If it's sold on TV, it must be good!? :devil:

all of that fer under $20?!? (Only $19.95 pricedoesnotincludeshippingoranyothervariouschargesthatmayincludebutnotlimitedtothemakingoftheparthandlingofitlookingatitthinkingaboutitthinkingsomemoreandallofthat :bs: :blah: :blah: :blah

;D

 

[Spidey]

Well I'll be damned! If it's sold on TV, it must be good!? :devil:

I actually picked mine up at Lowes for $14.95 and they do work really good. :fingure:

 

[Fenster]

Grab it....Hmm reminds me of something else :jerkoff:

 

[s32k1]

The bolt did not get moved at all due to the lack of "grabbin points" in the opening. Will that Grab It have enough bite for the torque put on the head bolt?

 

[Spidey]

The bolt did not get moved at all due to the lack of "grabbin points" in the opening. Will that Grab It have enough bite for the torque put on the head bolt?

Don't know. I haven't had a chance to use it in a situation such as yours, where the bolt has a shitload of torque. I know that with the bolt head completely gone, those bits grab the screws like nothing.

 

[s32k1]

Well here goes. I went down to Lowes and bought the kit about 30 minutes ago. Got back into my garage and started tinkering away. Got the bit to bite, took the power drill off and switched over to a wrench. Used my "gentle yet strong" approach and after about 10 minutes the top 1/4 inch of the bit broke off in the damn bolthead! now I cant even get that tip out! Looks like a welder is my last approach to this one unfortunately. Unless of course you guys come up with another solution?

 

[crashmasterd]

My approach would be to drill the head of the bolt off using a drill bit approx the same size as the allen socket, then once the cylinder head is removed grab the shank of the remainder with a pair of vise grips and spin it out. It should come out easily once the tension is removed.

I'd like to second this approach. If it can be made to work it'll save you a lot of pain. I also agree that welding something to the bolt head is probably NOT going to work and would likely cause more problems anyway. If you must try that idea, make sure your ground lead is as close to the bolt as possible.

 

[s32k1]

I tried to drill it out and the drill angle wont work right. I tried to remove the bolt with one of those removal bits and ended up with a 1/4 inch chunk of metal blocking the hole i drilled. I now have to try and drill THROUGH both the headbolt AND the piece of bit. I returned the kit about an hour ago for a full refund.

 

[kartstar]

I tried to drill it out and the drill angle wont work right. I tried to remove the bolt with one of those removal bits and ended up with a 1/4 inch chunk of metal blocking the hole i drilled. I now have to try and drill THROUGH both the headbolt AND the piece of bit. I returned the kit about an hour ago for a full refund.

Oooooh - that sucks. That piece of metal broken off in there will be hardened, and probably will just eat drill bits until you commit suicide. You can try to shatter it (make sure you have eye protection) with a (hardened) pin punch and hammer, but while that works in theory, it rarely works in practice - usually the chunk of bullshit chinese case-hardened potmetal ends up completely wedged in place and you chip off the end of a nice punch.

Make sure whoever welds it grounds their welder ON the bolt head, if possible. You may need to stand there and hold a screwdriver bit wedged against the bolthead with the ground wire clamped to it. Good luck, my man!

...At least you got your money back! :

 

[etachell]

Before you weld, try these:

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&pid=00952162000&cat=Hand+Tools,+General+Purpose&subcat=Bolt-Out,+Taps+%26+Dies&vertical=TOOL&ihtoken=1

I've had them save my hide a couple of times. If these don't work, then weld. Sears sells them.

 

[StuckInKansas]

If the bolt outs from Craftsman don't work (I too have had those things save my ass) and you have to weld a socket to the head, I can't stress enough how important it is to ground under the head of the bolt. The screwdriver with the ground attached to it is a good idea. The current is more than enough to tack weld all kinds of shit inside the engine that you obviously don't want welded. Good luck!

 

[milq]

I tried to drill it out and the drill angle wont work right. I tried to remove the bolt with one of those removal bits and ended up with a 1/4 inch chunk of metal blocking the hole i drilled. I now have to try and drill THROUGH both the headbolt AND the piece of bit. I returned the kit about an hour ago for a full refund.

We have some methods in the machine shop for this.....but most require fixturing the entire engine in the drill press or mill. I WOULD NOT attempt to drill out the remainder of the tool you were using, even the cheap tools are hardened (many times too hard) and you'll probably damage more stuff. I'm not trying to jab at you, but I've had plenty of experience due to my own mistakes and trying to help you avoid similar problems.

I have seen a high frequency sonic machine that shatters hardened tooling but won't harm aluminum, etc. Perfect place for it...but it's so expensive no one I know has one (I saw it at a trade show and supposedly UNC Chapel Hill has one).

I haven't been into my engine and my manual isn't handy, so I can't offer much at this point. If the bolt isn't in a recess, maybe you can saw off the bolt-head (someone else mentioned drilling off the head earlier, prior to the hardened tool problem) and then lift off the part, removing bolt remainder later.