Seized screw in GT 2x4 forks, advice requested.

[Frankenorange]

The chances of successfully drilling this puppy out are very slim. Not impossible, but without the right tools etc the chances are not good. Novo's idea is good, but you need a welder(equipment and/or human who can).
These forks are hard to come by so if you want fully functioning original forks, another option is to hit up the forum metal wizard, Danson, and get him to make you a new dropout and braze it in.

 

[Spankyfart]

The chances of successfully drilling this puppy out are very slim. Not impossible, but without the right tools etc the chances are not good. Novo's idea is good, but you need a welder(equipment and/or human who can).
These forks are hard to come by so if you want fully functioning original forks, another option is to hit up the forum metal wizard, Danson, and get him to make you a new dropout and braze it in.

tbf, helicoils are piss easy to install.
They even sell them on ALI under "another" coil for pennies.

 

[novocaine]

tbf, helicoils are piss easy to install.
They even sell them on ALI under "another" coil for pennies.

It's not the helicoil thats the issue, it's the drill out. There isn't a lot of room to duck it up.

 

[Black_puma]

It's not the helicoil thats the issue, it's the drill out. There isn't a lot of room to duck it up.

Exactly the problem, there's not a lot of space and very easy to mess up!

 

[Black_puma]

These thin screws with a long insertion can be impossible to remove without something costly like spark erosion.

You don't need them anyway - they are just for rapid alignment in a racing wheel- swap situation.
The wheel is actually held in place by the qr, and can be aligned by eye.

You might end up filing it smooth and leaving the residue in there, if you can't get it out.

That would certainly be the easiest option, to be honest.

 

[Black_puma]

Carefully drill out the screw and re-tap the threads.

I hate to admit that i have never learned how to do this, which is obviously why I'm asking for advice on HOW to do this. Never have had to do this before so I'm rightfully nervous about screwing this up!
I could say I'm fortunate in a way that I've never encountered such issues before, but there has to be a first time for everything right?

 

[bikeworkshop]

If there's a first time for drilling a screw out, you really don't want it to be a hardened m3 screw stuck 10mm in a 30 year old fork dropout.

You want a nice soft m5 with 4 turns of thread stuck in a cheap frame.

... and even that will tell you you don't want to do it again!

 

[novocaine]

If there's a first time for drilling a screw out, you really don't want it to be a hardened m3 screw stuck 10mm in a 30 year old fork dropout.

You want a nice soft m5 with 4 turns of thread stuck in a cheap frame.

... and even that will tell you you don't want to do it again!

difference between learning to screw in prison or learning to screw in a comfy bed.....
no wait, that doesn't come to your conclusion, errr.

@Black_puma find yourself a local engineering firm and ask them for a price, it will be cheaper than buying a welding set.

 

[bikeworkshop]

find yourself a local engineering firm and ask them for a price, it will be cheaper than buying a welding set.

But more than the fork is worth...

 

[Black_puma]

I would like to thank you all for your input and I would think that the general consensus is to get the screw drilled out somehow, but I have no experience in doing this so I would personally not want to take the risk of doing this myself. I value these GT forks enough to not want to ruin them !

However, I have just remembered there's a bike repair shop in Sheffield, previously located in Dronfield.
https://vernonbarkercycles.co.uk/repairs_frames.html
I may take the forks there for them to have a look and see what they can do with it. I think for now they'll be the safest option for me to consider in order to make the forks useable.
I would also talk to them about repainting/respray as this needs doing too.