seized bolt on front forks

fanopj1
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fanopj1
Edited Date/Time 8/6/2015 1:05pm
Okay guys. Looking for ideas. One of the bolts that clamp the front axle in place is seized and now rounded off. Tried heating it up. Tried hammering smaller sized 6 and 12 point sockets on. Tried PB Blaster. No luck. Obviously I do not want to damage anything at this point. Would drilling it out be the best bet? Kinda tight area. Might have a hard time keeping the drill bit straight. FYI this is a 10mm bolt. Looking for any insight from anyone who has experienced this. Thanks in advance





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jtiger12
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jtiger12 8/5/2015 5:23pm
8/5/2015 5:23pm Edited Date/Time 8/5/2015 5:24pm
Looks like a Honda. At this point I would go heat and a really really tight very large set of vise grips. Smack the bolt head several times with a punch and a hammer to break the threads loose. That's my backyard idea.
Junebug833
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Junebug833 8/5/2015 5:26pm
8/5/2015 5:26pm
I wonder if taking a small hand grinder or something of that nature and cutting a slit in the bolt head and taking a very big flat head screwdriver and some heat and trying to break it loose that way?
BAMX
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BAMX 8/5/2015 5:26pm
8/5/2015 5:26pm
1. You could have another nut or bolt welded onto that bolt.
2.. You could use heat at the bottom and a pair of vise grips.
3. You could use heat at the bottom and a cold chisel on the edge of the bolt.
4. You could use heat on the bottom and one of those stripped bolt sockets.
Starcrossed
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Starcrossed 8/5/2015 5:27pm
8/5/2015 5:27pm
Let the penetrating oil soak in overnight then give it the heat. Bang a 12 point socket on as tight as you can get it then hit it with an impact gun.

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fanopj1
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fanopj1 8/5/2015 5:30pm
8/5/2015 5:30pm
Sorry. It's a 07 kawasaki kx 450. I heated the he'll out of it with a propane touch to no avail. Tried large vise grips and a small pipe wrench. Used brass punch to shock it. Nothing worked. Stubborn SOB.
fanopj1
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fanopj1 8/5/2015 5:32pm
8/5/2015 5:32pm
Starcrossed wrote:
Let the penetrating oil soak in overnight then give it the heat. Bang a 12 point socket on as tight as you can get it then...
Let the penetrating oil soak in overnight then give it the heat. Bang a 12 point socket on as tight as you can get it then hit it with an impact gun.
Yeah. I gave up for the night. Letting the oil soak in. Hopefully that will help.
jtiger12
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jtiger12 8/5/2015 5:32pm
8/5/2015 5:32pm
Maybe try a c clamp on the pinch to take the "spring" pressure of the clamp off the bolt head
bvm111
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bvm111 8/5/2015 5:36pm
8/5/2015 5:36pm
jtiger12 wrote:
Maybe try a c clamp on the pinch to take the "spring" pressure of the clamp off the bolt head
damn that might be crazy enough to work.... or put the other bolt back in and crank it down to achieve the same affect???

Motoxtombo
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Motoxtombo 8/5/2015 5:36pm
8/5/2015 5:36pm
Also put the other bolt back in and tighten it down to take a little pressure off the seized bolt while you try the good suggestions the other guys gave you.
fanopj1
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fanopj1 8/5/2015 5:38pm
8/5/2015 5:38pm
jtiger12 wrote:
Maybe try a c clamp on the pinch to take the "spring" pressure of the clamp off the bolt head
I have to say. Never would have thought of that. Going to try that. Thanks a bunch.
ButteryWaffles 8/5/2015 5:40pm
8/5/2015 5:40pm Edited Date/Time 8/5/2015 5:41pm
Worst case weld (if possible) a bigger nut onto the bolt head and crank on it with a breaker bar. I'd just drill it out and get a new bolt if none of the above work. Try relief cuts in the bolt head first if you plan to drill it out.
Starcrossed
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Starcrossed 8/5/2015 5:59pm
8/5/2015 5:59pm
Reshape the head of the bolt by filing or grinding the mating surfaces (the six sides) until you are able to get a good snug fit with whatever S.A.E. or metric 12 point will fit best. Once you have a tight fit, with the socket tapped on until it bottoms out flush with the flange, heat it up and then use your impact gun. Use the impact gun, as the hammering action will provide the best chance of loosening it. You should be able to get it out without having to drill anything.
Gbizzle
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Gbizzle 8/5/2015 6:06pm
8/5/2015 6:06pm
Like stated before, and most importantly put the other bolt back in tight first. Spray it with oil overnight, Use a 6 point socket and a small bar and using a hammer or impact rap it until it comes loose.
PADDY'S LAD
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PADDY'S LAD 8/5/2015 6:08pm
8/5/2015 6:08pm
I have worked the same situation. I used a nail set and small hammer to get mine out . Worked for me , just tap in a counter clockwise motion and you should get it out.
fanopj1
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fanopj1 8/5/2015 6:09pm
8/5/2015 6:09pm
Thanks for all the suggestions. Will give it another go tomorrow after work. Thanks again
crusty_xx 8/5/2015 6:11pm
8/5/2015 6:11pm Edited Date/Time 8/5/2015 6:12pm
First of all I would fasten the other screw you already took out of the fork all the way so this one takes the most force.
You will probably need way less torque to losen the seized one then

Edit: sry didn't read the other posts Wink
Crush
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Crush 8/5/2015 6:15pm
8/5/2015 6:15pm
BAMX wrote:
1. You could have another nut or bolt welded onto that bolt. 2.. You could use heat at the bottom and a pair of vise grips...
1. You could have another nut or bolt welded onto that bolt.
2.. You could use heat at the bottom and a pair of vise grips.
3. You could use heat at the bottom and a cold chisel on the edge of the bolt.
4. You could use heat on the bottom and one of those stripped bolt sockets.
They do this for engine sumps–weld on a bolt. The heat will probably loosen the thread a bit also. I'd go that way before you completely torque the shit out of it with grips etc
Starcrossed
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Starcrossed 8/5/2015 6:17pm
8/5/2015 6:17pm
Gbizzle wrote:
Like stated before, and most importantly put the other bolt back in tight first. Spray it with oil overnight, Use a 6 point socket and a...
Like stated before, and most importantly put the other bolt back in tight first. Spray it with oil overnight, Use a 6 point socket and a small bar and using a hammer or impact rap it until it comes loose.
Don't understand why you would use a six point socket if you're banging it onto a rounded off bolt head. A 12 point socket would give a much better bite. Granted a six point socket works best on an undamaged bolt head, but in this case the advantage of the 6 point is already lost. Sometimes an eight point socket will work in this case, but not everybody has them. The key is to have the socket as snug and straight as possible before applying force.

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TXDirt
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TXDirt 8/5/2015 6:30pm
8/5/2015 6:30pm
Step 1: make sure you are turning it the right way!! Woohoo
Panic_Rev
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Panic_Rev 8/5/2015 6:39pm
8/5/2015 6:39pm
could you JB weld (if you don't have a welder handy) the largest allen wrench you can fit in there then unscrew it? I'm not sure if the JB weld would set up hard enough.
fanopj1
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fanopj1 8/5/2015 6:44pm
8/5/2015 6:44pm
TXDirt wrote:
Step 1: make sure you are turning it the right way!! Woohoo
Been there done that.
Starcrossed
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Starcrossed 8/5/2015 6:47pm
8/5/2015 6:47pm
Panic_Rev wrote:
could you JB weld (if you don't have a welder handy) the largest allen wrench you can fit in there then unscrew it? I'm not sure...
could you JB weld (if you don't have a welder handy) the largest allen wrench you can fit in there then unscrew it? I'm not sure if the JB weld would set up hard enough.
If it can't be removed by banging on a socket then using an impact wrench, the next step would probably be to secure a hex nut to the head of the bolt with Loctite Epoxy Weld, then using an impact gun on the hex nut. If you can fit a hex nut over the bolt head, so that the head of the bolt fits inside the threaded center of the hex nut, this would give the best bond and provide the most leverage.
TeamGreen
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TeamGreen 8/5/2015 7:08pm
8/5/2015 7:08pm
It's an M8 axle pinch bolt. Pull the fork leg off of the bike, yes, even with the wheel still attached, and use penetrating oil for the bottom (flip the ass'y up-side-down). Keep putting oil on it for a few days & see if it soaks in.

Worst case: take it to a machinist.
bigal285
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bigal285 8/5/2015 7:36pm
8/5/2015 7:36pm Edited Date/Time 8/5/2015 7:45pm
I'd try hammering a socket or a good vise grip on the head of the bolt. Put pressure on it by turning counter clockwise an tap with a hammer on the area were the bolt is threaded into. Try going the opposite way an then tap with a hammer also. Working it back an fourth helps too. Sometimes the shock from hammering breaks the corrosion loose. Lots of PB Blaster or something like that. My experiences welding a nut to a smaller bolt usually rips off the head. I've used broken stud remover sockets also for removing stripped out 6 or 12 point bolt heads. Gotta get creative sometimes.
MR. X
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MR. X 8/5/2015 8:02pm
8/5/2015 8:02pm
If you decide to drill it out ,can you get a hacksaw blade in the slot to cut the stripped bolt? The top half of the bolt will come out ,10 mm bolt is a 8.5 tap drill I think. Wrap some tape around the tap drill til it's a slip fit in the top part of the pinch bolt hole,that will get you on center of the threaded part so you can start drilling it ,keep replacing the tape as it get worn out.
MX4EVR
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MX4EVR 8/5/2015 8:03pm
8/5/2015 8:03pm
I can fix this for you


Irwin bolt grip
Google it and go buy them
Your welcome
racin mason
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racin mason 8/5/2015 8:37pm
8/5/2015 8:37pm
when you put it back together, use a dab of anti-sieze on the threads
Radical
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Radical 8/5/2015 9:22pm
8/5/2015 9:22pm
Penetrating oil
Irwin bolt grip looks pretty cool. I'd try it with an impact wrench.
File the bolt head so the next smallest socket fits tight.
Try with an Impact wrench.

If none of those work:
Center punch the center of the bolt head and drill OFF just the head of the bolt. You don't need to drill any deeper.
Once the bolt head is off, center punch a divot close to one edge of the remaining part of the bolt, then rotate the bolt out by putting the corner of a chisel into the divot and tap it with a hammer in a counter-clockwise direction.

I was a machinist once upon a time, and this works far better than an EZ out.
If you have a question on the technique, please ask.

harescrambled 8/5/2015 9:55pm
8/5/2015 9:55pm
He's probable going to have to cut the bolt at the split, and drill out the threaded end. If that bolt hasn't come out with all the abuse that's been thrown at it, the threads are almost certainly galled. If so, an impact may still get the bolt out, but it's going to take the threads with it. It'll be heli coil time then
Spydee
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Spydee 8/6/2015 12:38am
8/6/2015 12:38am
Same thing happened to my RM years ago when I stopped riding it for a while, in desperation I ground the bolt head off damaging the lug in the process. One of the biggest regrets I ever made as that fork will need replacing now... Running 3 out of the 4 bolts at the moment. If yours is anything like mine was, a grinder will most likely be your only option I'm afraid.

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