Suggestions for removing stripped stem bolt???

"Zilla" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have a stem bolt that I may have stripped, not realizing that
it was rusted frozen when I was trying to remove it. I can a
slightly oversized English wrench to remove it, and if that
fails, I'll take out the old drill and reverse bit. Any other
suggestions? I can take it to the LBS before I try the drill
bit but...

It's not clear from what you post exactly what the problem is.

Usually by "stripping" what is meant is that the threads of a nut or bolt
have become destroyed to the point that turning the nut (or bolt) has no
effect - they remain mated; or if separate, refuse to mate.

From your post it seems possible that you have instead rounded off the flats
on the head of your stem bolt.

If the first is what has occured you can remove (by drilling through from
the top, or sawing from the side) the head of the bolt, whereupon careful
application of a punch to the top of the bolt shank should dislodge the
wedge at the bottom of the stem.

If the second is what you face, then you should apply a comercial
rust-penetrant ("Plus-Gas", "Kroil" and "Liquid Wrench" are common brands)
to the bottom of the bolt hole in the wedge and let it sit for some hours.
To hold the top of the bolt you can either use a pair of Molegrips or file a
new set of flats for a standard spanner.

"jtaylor" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]!nnrp1.uunet.ca...

Quoted message said:

"Zilla" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have a stem bolt that I may have stripped, not realizing that
it was rusted frozen when I was trying to remove it. I can a
slightly oversized English wrench to remove it, and if that
fails, I'll take out the old drill and reverse bit. Any other
suggestions? I can take it to the LBS before I try the drill
bit but...

It's not clear from what you post exactly what the problem is.

Usually by "stripping" what is meant is that the threads of a nut or bolt
have become destroyed to the point that turning the nut (or bolt) has no
effect - they remain mated; or if separate, refuse to mate.

From your post it seems possible that you have instead rounded off the

flats

Quoted message said:

on the head of your stem bolt.

If the first is what has occured you can remove (by drilling through from
the top, or sawing from the side) the head of the bolt, whereupon careful
application of a punch to the top of the bolt shank should dislodge the
wedge at the bottom of the stem.

If the second is what you face, then you should apply a comercial
rust-penetrant ("Plus-Gas", "Kroil" and "Liquid Wrench" are common brands)
to the bottom of the bolt hole in the wedge and let it sit for some hours.
To hold the top of the bolt you can either use a pair of Molegrips or file

a

Quoted message said:

new set of flats for a standard spanner.

Thanks, it's the second case - the hex head cavity is rounded off.

--
- Zilla
Cary, NC USA
(Remove XSPAM)

Zilla said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I have a stem bolt that I may have stripped, not realizing that
it was rusted frozen when I was trying to remove it. I can a
slightly oversized English wrench to remove it, and if that
fails, I'll take out the old drill and reverse bit. Any other
suggestions? I can take it to the LBS before I try the drill
bit but...

and further clarified:

Quoted message said:

...the hex head cavity is rounded off.

Stem bolt can mean a few things... holding the handlebar in the stem,
clamping stem to steerer (threadless), or stem expander bolt (threaded
or quill).

In any of these cases, you may have a steel bolt in an aluminum part. If
that's true, and the bolt is stuck, you're probably left with
destructive disassembly such as drilling the bolt.

The problem is called galling (search the web for details if you care).
Aluminum threads sometimes gall, and in my experience there is not much
you can do once that happens. Galling is more probable if a thread is
used several times. In most bicycle applications, threads are used only
a few times, so galling is not a problem.

--
Dave
dvt at psu dot edu

Zilla said:

Thanks, it's the second case - the hex head cavity is rounded off.

Assuming we're talking about the wedge bolt on a threaded headset
stem, here's a creative solution I've seen used (but not on bikes).
Find a welding shop that does TIG welding. Have them build up an
extension on top of the stem bolt with welding rod/wire. It doesn't
have to be pretty and needs to be about 3/4" tall. If done carefully
the stem itself won't even be damaged.

After it cools, grab the little knob just produced firmly in a
Vise-Grip, and twist. If this doen't work you're pretty well screwed.
;-)

If course the other solution is to drill the head off the bolt and
then tap the shaft (and wedge) free with a drift or center punch.

jeverett3<AT>earthlink<DOT>net http://home.earthlink.net/~jeverett3

John Everett said:

Assuming we're talking about the wedge bolt on a threaded headset
stem, here's a creative solution I've seen used (but not on bikes).
Find a welding shop that does TIG welding. Have them build up an
extension on top of the stem bolt with welding rod/wire. It doesn't
have to be pretty and needs to be about 3/4" tall. If done carefully
the stem itself won't even be damaged.

After it cools, grab the little knob just produced firmly in a
Vise-Grip, and twist. If this doen't work you're pretty well screwed.
;-)

Just weld on a short M8 or M10 bolt, and you have a perfectly good bolt
head to use rather than faffing about with vise-grips.

Jasper

It sounds like you have an allyn head bolt that is recessed into the top
of the stem, and the internal flats of the allyn socket are rounded off.

If this is the case there are three solutions that come to mind

1. Weld a stub onto the bolt as several others have mentioned
2. Drill the head off the bolt using the allyn socket as a center for
the drill. Then smack the bolt with a punch to free the wedge.
3. Get a properly sized "Easy out" at an auto store and use it to remove
the bolt. It should fit into the allyn recess fairly tightly, or you
will make the rounding worse.

In all cases soak the head with penetrating oil and let it set for
several hours befor trying to remove the bolt.

HTH,
EJ in NJ

Zilla said:

I have a stem bolt that I may have stripped, not realizing that
it was rusted frozen when I was trying to remove it. I can a
slightly oversized English wrench to remove it, and if that
fails, I'll take out the old drill and reverse bit. Any other
suggestions? I can take it to the LBS before I try the drill
bit but...

On Thu, 06 Oct 2005 14:00:10 GMT, Jasper Janssen <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

John Everett said:

Assuming we're talking about the wedge bolt on a threaded headset
stem, here's a creative solution I've seen used (but not on bikes).
Find a welding shop that does TIG welding. Have them build up an
extension on top of the stem bolt with welding rod/wire. It doesn't
have to be pretty and needs to be about 3/4" tall. If done carefully
the stem itself won't even be damaged.

After it cools, grab the little knob just produced firmly in a
Vise-Grip, and twist. If this doen't work you're pretty well screwed.
;-)

Just weld on a short M8 or M10 bolt, and you have a perfectly good bolt
head to use rather than faffing about with vise-grips.

This would work if you don't mind screwing up the stem. If we're
indeed dealing with a recessed allen head bolt in an aluminum stem,
how do you propose welding the short bolt onto the wedge bolt?

jeverett3<AT>earthlink<DOT>net http://home.earthlink.net/~jeverett3

John Everett said:

On Thu, 06 Oct 2005 14:00:10 GMT, Jasper Janssen <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

On Wed, 05 Oct 2005 17:54:08 GMT, John Everett
<[email hidden]> wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Find a welding shop that does TIG welding. Have them build up an
extension on top of the stem bolt with welding rod/wire. It doesn't

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Just weld on a short M8 or M10 bolt, and you have a perfectly good bolt
head to use rather than faffing about with vise-grips.

This would work if you don't mind screwing up the stem. If we're
indeed dealing with a recessed allen head bolt in an aluminum stem,
how do you propose welding the short bolt onto the wedge bolt?

Is that really much more difficult than welding on a piece of steel rod? I
admit, I'm not an expereinced welder so I could be misinterpreting
something.

Incidentally, are wedge bolts replaceable items? I'd think it'd be hard to
find one of the right size and threading.

Jasper

Jasper Janssen said:

John Everett said:

Jasper Janssen said:

On Wed, 05 Oct 2005 17:54:08 GMT, John Everett
<[email hidden]> wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> Find a welding shop that does TIG welding. Have them build up an
> extension on top of the stem bolt with welding rod/wire. It doesn't

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Just weld on a short M8 or M10 bolt, and you have a perfectly good
bolt head to use rather than faffing about with vise-grips.

This would work if you don't mind screwing up the stem. If we're
indeed dealing with a recessed allen head bolt in an aluminum stem,
how do you propose welding the short bolt onto the wedge bolt?

Is that really much more difficult than welding on a piece of steel
rod? I admit, I'm not an expereinced welder so I could be
misinterpreting something.

I think you are. If the stem bolt is deep within the aluminum stem, it's
nigh impossible to get a welder in there. That's because most threadless
stems sold at LBSs these days are on comfort bikes, and they have a little
rubber plug that fits over the stem bolt for better aesthetics. Thus, the
bolt has to fit 5-10mm below the top of the stem itself. If it's one of the
older, classic stems, the stem bolt is near the top, making it easier to
weld something on top.

Quoted message said:

Incidentally, are wedge bolts replaceable items? I'd think it'd be
hard to find one of the right size and threading.

Jasper

They're pretty replaceable. Any established LBS will have gobs of threaded
stems left over.

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

Zilla who?

Quoted message said:

I have a stem bolt that I may have stripped, not realizing that it
was rusted frozen when I was trying to remove it. I can a slightly
oversized English wrench to remove it, and if that fails, I'll take
out the old drill and reverse bit. Any other suggestions? I can take
it to the LBS before I try the drill bit but...

The screw is shot and welding or other destructive means is
destructive to the stem and won't work anyway. So treat this as a
permanently stuck stem. Saw it off under the elbow after cutting two
verticals so that the top of the stem can be separated from the bottom
and the remainder of the botched expander bolt. Remove the expander
bolt with a pipe wrench or ViseGrip pliers loosening the expander
first by hammering the bolt down until it is loose in the hole. If
you are lucky, you can pull the rest of the stem out, otherwise it
will have to be drilled out and removed by Dremel tool, grinding away
one wall.

There is no recovery for this stem. Get it out of there, and if
possible, never use a quill stem again. To do that you probably need
a new fork with a longer and threadless steertube.

Do it!

Jobst Brandt

On Thu, 06 Oct 2005 21:29:40 GMT, Jasper Janssen <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Is that really much more difficult than welding on a piece of steel rod? I
admit, I'm not an expereinced welder so I could be misinterpreting
something.

Yes, you're misinterpreting. I'm not suggesting welding on a piece of
rod, but building up a "stalagmite" of welding rod/wire material on
top of the recessed bolt.

I once watched an experienced welder/automotive machinist use this
technique (go back up the thread) to remove the remains of a stud that
had broken off in an aluminum head. I asked him if it would damage the
head and he said that the aluminum conducts heat away from the area so
well there would be no damage. He was right.

jeverett3<AT>earthlink<DOT>net http://home.earthlink.net/~jeverett3

is it possible to turn the frame upside down, and tilt headpipe into a
container filled with kerosene? cover with aluminum foil and let stand
for severall weeks?

Quoted message said:

is it possible to turn the frame upside down, and tilt headpipe into a
container filled with kerosene? cover with aluminum foil and let stand
for severall weeks?

Have you ever had success loosening a galled thread with this technique?

--
Dave
dvt at psu dot edu

Quoted message said:

Have you ever had success loosening a galled thread with this technique?

i soak continuously-two detergent jugs with rusty tools topped by a
thinner oil mix maybe 10-1? thinner can be recycled chain wash with
either epic or valvo washed in. there's maybe 15 reclaimed tools 40-50
years and older in the box. road tools

if the prblem is serious, an expensive or rare item needing unglueing,
the thinner/diesel/kero bath is followed with an oilier mix-possibley
lubricating newly opened seams.

when the time comes to try to unlock the problem-then PC Blaster goes
in and if the mechanism budges after working it back and forth or to
and fro whatever turns you on then light synthetic oil is administered
seam up to increase gravity flow if the blaster isn't up to the job.
you feel metal gripping? then the synth goes in.

does that cure gauling? well not if the metal begins bonding if you
need a limitation but if the metal is jagged each side and puzzled
together as a joint then getting the dirt out opens the seams up for
lubrication.

that's the divider right? the solvent bath gets rid of metal that
became dirt and plain old dirt but gauling is a matter of inserting
lubrication and planning to get some sliding action into play.

and the difference tween gauled and seized?
ever find a solid white compound in your joint? metallic salts?
the PC blaster and diesel fuel(i hear) are corrosive to dissolve the
white layer and free the joint.