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2020 Triumph Street Triple Snapped Bolt Help

BurntMars

New member
Joined
May 9, 2021
Location
Danville
Moto(s)
2020 Street Triple R
2017 Vespa LX150
Hello BARF-ers
While removing a bolt that connects my cockpit to the frame (circled in diagram), the MF-er snapped on me. I have tried extracting the thing with bolt removal tools and even vice-grips. I think its to the point where it will need to be cut flush, drilled and re-trapped. I don't have the skills to do this correctly. Any recommendations on where to take it? Anybody in the forum have the skills and want to make a few bucks?

Its one of for and it doesn't seem to be a safety thing at the moment, but I'd love to get this fixed.
Screenshot 2024-07-11 072448.jpg
 
i looks like you can completely remove the cockpit (i assume you mean instrument cluster?) to gain access to the part of the bolt that sticks through into the cavity in front of the head tube. you could use pliers to screw the bolt the rest of the way into that cavity. if you try to unscrew it the direction it was installed you risk damaging the threads in your frame with the plier marks you'll be making on the protruding threads

s-l1600.webp
 
i looks like you can completely remove the cockpit (i assume you mean instrument cluster?) to gain access to the part of the bolt that sticks through into the cavity in front of the head tube. you could use pliers to screw the bolt the rest of the way into that cavity. if you try to unscrew it the direction it was installed you risk damaging the threads in your frame with the plier marks you'll be making on the protruding threads

s-l1600.webp
On the inside when fully installed it sits flush and doesn't protrude. I have completely removed the instrument cluster during my efforts to remove it. The outside part sticks out about .75" but I was not able to get enough purchase on it to remove it. When I feel like braving the heat, I will take pictures of what I am trying to describe and add them to the post.
 
ok. drag
have you tried a little bit of heat and lube?
my favorite method is heat up the offending fastener, and melt some wax into it. crayons, chunks of candle etc. doesn't have to be all that hot
 
I did try heat, but not heat+wax. I'll see if I have tools to try that. Ideal for me is if I can find somebody that can remove it for me, either by actually getting it to come out, or drill/tap/thread whatever.
 
If pliers can't get it this may not help, but if you're gonna drill it anyway, maybe try grinding a slit in the middle and using a screw driver, or grind some flats on it's sides to give better grip for vice grips. And then of course, hit it with penetrating oil (both sides) of some sort, let that sit and then heat the frame and attempt to get it out.
 
I would go with the penetrating oil let it set for an hour and tap it several times with a hammer, more oil-sit-tap a couple of times, res over night. Using a small tourch heat all around the bolt, apply vise grips are hard as you can and hopefully that bad boy will come out. If not, I would drill it out starting with a small sharp bit after a center punch to make sure you're centered. Even if you muck it up there is always a helicoil repair.
 
that looks like plenty to get with vise grips, and the wax is a game changer. i've used it with success to

the trick to using vise grips is that you have to be sure one of the triangle teeth is actually sinking into the thread/bolt. it can't be between the valleys or it'll just spin and you have to SQUEEEEEEEEZE as hard as you can to prevent the spin also. like so hard you might pass out, that's when i know it's probably tight enough.

also try Tightening it just a little to get it moving, then go backwards.

the above is something i'd try on your behalf but you'd have to get the bike to me in santa clara and if you're going to do that you might as well take it to a real mechanic
 
I'm always down to try new methods, so the wax sounds really interesting. Otherwise, I'd heat the surrounding aluminum and then hit it with penetrating oil and let it sit overnight, then heat it up again and try vise grips back and forth, but not getting too frisky with the channel locks because it's bad to get into that "I need it out now" mentality, instead going into it more thinking that it could take a week or even longer. Then I'd just repeat that daily cycle, or maybe a couple times a day, until it loosened up. The heat cycles with oil will eventually do it as long as you don't go nuts with the vise grips. I'd do some reading about the wax though, because it probably fits into the aforementioned process just the same, just try not to totally cook it with the heat.
 
I'm always down to try new methods, so the wax sounds really interesting. Otherwise, I'd heat the surrounding aluminum and then hit it with penetrating oil and let it sit overnight, then heat it up again and try vise grips back and forth, but not getting too frisky with the channel locks because it's bad to get into that "I need it out now" mentality, instead going into it more thinking that it could take a week or even longer. Then I'd just repeat that daily cycle, or maybe a couple times a day, until it loosened up. The heat cycles with oil will eventually do it as long as you don't go nuts with the vise grips. I'd do some reading about the wax though, because it probably fits into the aforementioned process just the same, just try not to totally cook it with the heat.

I'll second the heat cycles. The aluminum will expand more than the steel with heat, and you want the hole to get a little bigger than the bolt. There is probably either corrosion or some kind of LokTite in the threads, so the repeated heat cycles over time and penetrating oil will be your best bet.

The paraffin thing could work too. What I read about that said that it works best for getting a stuck nut off a bolt. You heat one side of the bolt, then apply the paraffin to the cooler side. Evidently it gets drawn towards the hotter side. That isn't really the situation you're in, though heating the aluminum might accomplish the same thing.
 
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there is also such a thing as a left-handed drill bit with the flutes cut in the other direction, such that the act of drilling applies force in the direction to remove the threaded part. if the drill bit doesn't work directly, it leaves a hole for an easy-out remover tool (kinda similar to a wedge shaped thread tap)

but with that much metal sticking out of the hole, your option to use vice grips (plus heat) is much more promising
 
Penetrating fluids shoot out discovered SeaFoam best...


Your vise grip attack lost the chance to double nutting... so you might succeed employing the Best screw extractor... Grab It Pro is best...


Your extraction options and Double Nutting are explained in this video...

 
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Long weekend. Did ya get it?
 
Nope, wife's birthday was this weekend. And I appreciate all the tips from others in the chat but, I believe its at the point where it needs to be drilled and retapped or helicoiled. I do not trust myself to do that. I am looking for recommendations of shops or persons that I can pay to fix this SNAFU for me.
 
Heat the frame up with a torch and that thing will come right out with your vise grips.
 
They loctite the F out of those bolts and the heads are soft - a common failure. Have to use heat. Best of luck.
 
Nope, wife's birthday was this weekend. And I appreciate all the tips from others in the chat but, I believe its at the point where it needs to be drilled and retapped or helicoiled. I do not trust myself to do that. I am looking for recommendations of shops or persons that I can pay to fix this SNAFU for me.
Well, Danville, is it? Call Lawrence at LG Moto. Any shop should be able to get that out. I’d invite to mine, but I’m busy this week and he’s way closer.
 
Well, Danville, is it? Call Lawrence at LG Moto. Any shop should be able to get that out. I’d invite to mine, but I’m busy this week and he’s way closer.
ain't he in Richmond in the jacuzzi center?
 
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