Broken bolt

[Jim]

I have a Woodcraft frame slider bolt broken in my motor.

We used an EZ out today to extract it. The EZ out grabbed the bolt, but the tip broke in the bolt.

What are my options now?

[B440]

screwwwwed. Well, maybe a machine shop might be able to drill it.

[Eric Baker]

New bike?



You'll have to drill it out. Won't be easy, you'll need a really sharp carbide bit and go really slow with plenty of lube. Either that, or get a cut off wheel and cut into it to try and get it out, but if it's broken flush, that may not be possible. Good luck. If you were closer, I'd give you a hand.

[tsorfas]

Dibs on the bike

[Jim]

Ya, I'd buy another motor before that happens.

[joeswamp]

See if you can get a dremel in there. Another way to solve this problem (requires that you know what you're doing) is acid, although this is a last resort kind of deal.

I don't know why they call those things EZ outs, they oftentimes create situations that are not EZ to solve at all.

[tropicoz]

If there's anyway to remove the remaining engine bolts and wiggle the motor over some just to get a hacksaw blade in between the motor and the mount, you can try to cut the bolt to help drop the motor. Then drill the bolt out and clean out the threads. A lot of work for one sutpid bolt, but it might be your only option at this point. I've kinda lost faith in EZ outs for that very reason. Can't tell you how many of the smaller ones I've broken.

[Chippertheripper]

Your first step should be soaking it in pb blaster overnight or while you go to work. Pics
Of the broken ez out too. Is it flush? Or is there something to grab?

[ptk-napalm]

1. Take engine out bring to machine shop drill out bolt/EZ out.

2. Just ride it minus one Woodcraft slider (50/50 chance you will drop it on that side)

3. When you installed the Woodcraft sliders did you use "never seize" on the bolt threads? dissimilar metals IE. steel bolt & aluminum alloy creates a electrolysis corrosive action that cause the bolt threads to seize right up.

If you really have to have that engine bolt in there to keep the engine from cracking it's case, I would say you are in for alot of work to do it correctly.

Good luck Jim

I have a Woodcraft frame slider bolt broken in my motor.

We used an EZ out today to extract it. The EZ out grabbed the bolt, but the tip broke in the bolt.

What are my options now?

[Jim]

The bolt isn't flush, it's inside. But it's tough to photo because the boots go through a sleeve through the frame, then into the motor.

The bolt wasn't never seized. It most likely has blue loctite, but I can't remember if we used any when we put this motor in this winter.

[Chippertheripper]

Well pb blaster it every day anyways, is it broke in the motor, or at the sleeve, where the base of the slider would be?

[shortbus]

Dunno if this is possible, but take a dremel mutlimax with a metal blade and use it at an angle so it can get into the hole cut a portion of the bolt so a flathead can be used?

If you can use just the corner of the blade and get a good enough line it should work, depending on how "inside" the motor the bolt is, even if the motor gets cut some it won't really matter in that location.

[Jim]

Chip, I'll show you at the 7/30 track day.

Is there a way to break/remove that EZ out and try it again with a bigger bit?

[Chippertheripper]

You could try putting a bit a little bigger than the hole that's been drilled, it might knock the ez out loose, cuz they grab left, a normal drill spins right.

[csmutty]

Whatever you do the bit has to be carbide.

[gregp]

Sometimes, you can use a hammer and a sharp punch to knock the broken EZ out tip free. Be patient, and work at the broken bit from the edges, knocking it around a little bit at a time. Then you can try again...

[Tricky Mike]

Cleanse it in the blood of the lamb. It is the only way.

[island boyeee]

I've done this same crap before, including breaking carbide bits off in a bolt.

The best option I see mentioned is just load up on good bits, a corded drill, and WD40, and prepare to spend a while carefully drilling it out. Get as close to the threads as you can, and then use a tap and die set to clean it up.

[Jim]

Some good info here. Thanks everyone.

[SRTie4k]

A dremel with a carbide burr will grind that EZ Out head down in about 10 minutes. I've done a similar thing myself with a broken EZ Out.

[Svenny]

Like chipper said, soak it with PB, and use a bigger bit, that may be enough to knock out the EZout tip. Try using NEW (sharp) split points, the split point cutting edges may grab the EZout better than a regular point. SLOW rpm's. Use HSS bits for this instead of a solid carbide bit - for this application carbides are expensive and too easy to break (carbide is very brittle) - a 1/4" carbide bit is about $20.
Don't let the drill bit go off center too far or for too long...you don't wanna turn your threaded hole into an oval.
Dunno how hard it is to reach, but you can also first try smacking the EZout tip around the edges (away from the center) using an awl and hammer, this might skew it or move it enough that it comes out easier, or knock it out all together. .

[LN600K5]

Im assuming the EZ out is round? I know some have slots in them to give some extra grab...And i also know that some tool maufacturers make a tool to extract broken taps. If there are slots in the EZ out, maybe something like this would work? It basically just goes into the slots and allows you to back it out with a wrench. If not, i agree with advise given above. A few good bits, lots of lube, and TAKE YOUR TIME to drill it out. Its going to feel like its taking forever, and the bit is always going to want to dig into soft aluminum as opposed to a very hardened EZ out. But, were there is a will, there is a way. Good luck man

[WordTooYoMamma]

Had this happen on a buddy's jeep Jim. Those Ez outs are a bitch when they break. We took it to his dads machine shop and he broke 3 diamond bits trying to drill threw the EZ out + the bolt that was snapped before finally drilling the old bolt out perfectly. Good luck.

[Eddie]

Take it to Pete Kates Jim. As you might know Pete used to be a machinist in his prior life. He successfully remove a stuburn broken bolt from my fork.

[Woodcraft]

Just as a note as I follow this thread, motor mount bolts do not need or want Loctite. If anything, they need never-sieze on there for the previously mentioned dis-similar metals reason. When properly installed, they will not work loose by themselves. In the event that a bolt breaks in a fall, they are infinitely easier to get out if there is not Loctite gumming up the threads. If you have used Loctite, I would suggest using a propane torch to melt the loctite just prior to attempting any extraction (EZ-out or similar intalled and ready to go).

Lots of good advice on getting the first EZ-out removed on this thread. Worst case here is the the bolt gets drilled out until all the garbage is gone, trying again with a new EZ-out and then heli coiling the threads. Fun stuff.....