Out of ideas... Final drive u-joint bolt rounded. SOLVED!!!!

I'd just like to start off by saying awesome site, been in and out as a guest for a while.

Now to my woes.

Received a FREE '82 maxim 650 this week that was suffering from a trans. problem. Did a bit of research and narrowed it down to needing new gear selector forks, seems like quite a few people had bikes throwing gears (1st into N, 2nd into 1st)

So I decided to do the work myself as it didnt seem to be a super tough job, I was going good intill I got to the u-joint underneath the rubber boot. I locked up the tire and proceeded to undo the bolts when my wrench slipped and rounded the bolt a bit, tried again and rounded it even more. Now I can't get anything on it. Knowing the bolt is done for, I sent chacal a PM for some news ones and stuck a vice grip to it. Still no progress.

I'm now looking at a COMPLETELY rounded bolt with ABSOLUTELY no clearance for tools. Im surprised no one else has had an issue with these things.

Thanks.
_Tedd

 

Re: Out of ideas... Final drive u-joint bolt rounded.

Have you tried some EZout/ left-hand thread drill bit?

 

Re: Out of ideas... Final drive u-joint bolt rounded.

How about an air file or a Sawzall with a metal blade to cut/file the head off the bolt?

 

Re: Out of ideas... Final drive u-joint bolt rounded.

Chisel and hammer always does the trick for me.

 

Re: Out of ideas... Final drive u-joint bolt rounded.

There is about a 1 inch space for me to fit something on it, open or closed face wrench is about the only thing I can fit in there.

I don't have access to any air tools.

Now the chisel hammer thing. Are you saying to place the chisel on the bolt to create a groove? I wish I could draw a picture, or better yet if you could draw one.

Another thing these bolts looked spotless no rust, nothing. maybe some heat might have seized them.

 

Re: Out of ideas... Final drive u-joint bolt rounded.

They can be real tight & holding the wheel is awkward too, but where you are now is 4" angle grinder with cut off disc, if you havn't got one, easy & cheap to hire, turn the UJ so you can cut the head of the bolt off without cutting anything else. Good luck.

 

Re: Out of ideas... Final drive u-joint bolt rounded.

Well now, doesn't Sears have these EZ-Out type sockets for rounded-off bolt heads?

Why yes, they do.

 

Re: Out of ideas... Final drive u-joint bolt rounded.

yes they do but depending on the size of the bolt them extractors can easily be more than an inch long. I have thier bolt out set and they have worked very well for me.

 

Re: Out of ideas... Final drive u-joint bolt rounded.

+1 over here. Works like a charm. First whack a new groove in the bolt head, then hold the chisel (or an old screwdriver) under a slight angle in the loose direction. Then whack it again. With a little luck it comes loose.

"drawing"

O = round bolt head
/ = chisel under the right angle

1/
O

Try holding the chisel approx. around 30 degrees in the groove. Be careful not to scrape more material from the bolt head. Therefore an old screwdriver would do the trick for whacking it around.


grz Thijs

 

Re: Out of ideas... Final drive u-joint bolt rounded.

Got a Dremel and some cut-off discs? It might take some time and a few discs, but it'll get in there and do the job... Eventually.

 

Re: Out of ideas... Final drive u-joint bolt rounded.

SUCCESS!

Thanks to all!

I found some Craftsman extractor sockets that were low profile, normal sockets, I couldn't even get the socket itself in there. with a large wrench and the #4 extractor (for 10mm-11mm) I put alot of force on the back of the extractor and a closed end 3/8 wrench to drive the extractor and it came right out!

Below is a link to the extractors, moderate price and worth every cent. almost no effort to get them to bite onto rounded nuts, in my case this bolt was very very very round.

http://www.craftsman.com/shc/s/p_10155_ ... s+%26+dies

 

I got the same type of set but not in low-pro and they are worth the price. Good to hear you got it out and can now continue to make progress.