Mechanical issues - stuck freewheel and seatbolt

[sylvain]

#1 - the ti bolt in my ti Sunn singlespeed seat clamp snapped while tightening it - half of the bolt is now stuck in the integrated seat clamp.

Any ideas as to how to get it out? There was some ti prep in there, so it shouldn't be too tight, but there's absolutely no way to get any grip - from inside or outside. A mechanic suggested trying to drill the bolt, but then I said it was ti ... Or to try superglue another bolt to it, and try unscrue it ... which I haven't tried yey, but not too hopeful as bolt ends are not flat and there's not much area for the glue to stick onto.


# 2 - this is actually the wheel which freewheel gave up on the first Leith Hill retroride last year - I'd put it aside and forgotten the freewheel wouldn't engage when pedalling, then the other day I needed a back wheel for my computer so installed it but soon realised my mistake (that at 7.30am just about to ride to work ...).

It's a Hugi hub on which the freewheel is easy to take apart - just unbolt the axle end and pull - I have another one which I did today without too much effort (that's the one which I've had to take off the commuter- three spokes pulled out from the flange ...) - but this one just won't come out. I've applied tremendous force to it (the most was using the cogs on the photo to clamp the wheel in a wooden chair, and torquing the wheel from side to side with both arms). Then I let the freewheel rest in some brake fluid for a few hours, and tried again - it just won't come out.

The reason for taking it apart is I hope greasing the internals will restore the ratcheting action of the freewheel.

Thanks for your help.

 

[jimihendrix]

Oh hell :shock: , not sure what to do about the freewheel but i'd tackle the seat bolt with a small sharp nail punch or centre punch, try to first knock a dink in it for the tip of the punch to grip, if it's threaded all the way along you could knock it round counterclockwise to screw it through but if it's got a plain bit of the shaft left on then you will need to knock it round clockwise back through the way it came.

Used this method before for plain steel bolts, never tryed it on ti but i thought i'd suggest it anyway.

 

[pete_mcc]

Try drilling a hole in the bolt, the rotation of the drill is often enough to get it out (did it once with a similar situation and once on my car!).

Again, dunno about the freewheel

 

[hamster]

Drilling will be fun with Ti...I would try first to epoxy a nail head or similar to the end of the bolt (the liquid metal / Selley's stuff is good) and then leave it on a radiator / airing cupboard for a day so the epoxy cures well.

Then grip the end with mole grips and twist gently at first - be very careful to twist not bend the end off. If that fails, then try to drill. If you get a couple of turns out of it you will have enough bolt end to grip with mole grips and the rest is easy.

There are two engineering solutions:
1 Drip a smaller hole and then wind in a stud extractor (left hand thread) after it goes in a bit the bolt will turn,
2 Get it spark eroded out (a very specialist job)

As for the freewheel, I've hear that heating up a bean tin of light oil and leaving it to soak in the hot oil may help free it. Heat the oil up outside on a camping stove or something, not indoors, for obvious reasons.

 

[sylvain]

THanks. I've now actually managed to get the seat bolt moving round 1mm, so I know it's not stuck which is good news. Can't get it to move any more though, so I'll try the superglue tip before anything drastic which involves a drill.

Forgot to say I'd also tried pouring oil into the thread.

Edit: just seen your reply hamster, thanks I will try the hot oil tip for the wheel