NNAAARRGGGHHH!!! (broken bottle cage bolt...)

[Godwin_Austen]

So I picked up my 1994 Explosif frame freshly resprayed this morning (lurvely metallic silver), applied decals from Gil M (perfect), and started my build when one of the bottle cage bolts in the seat tube (top one) sheared off inside the frame two third of the way in. It must have been a dodgy bolt to do that as I wasn't even at the point of tightening. There's nowt sticking out so I can't grab it with pliers.

How easy will it be for a decent bike shop to get it out? Anyone have any experience with this?

:facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm:

 

[The History Man]

Stick a 3mm drill in an electric screwdriver, lots of wd40, slowly drill, bolt turns, screws through, drops into frame tube?

 

[bugloss]

You need the assistance of an easyout. You can find youtube videos explaining how to use one and you can probably pick one up a Machine mart or Axminster power tools. Get a good set as they have been known to snap.

http://www.axminster.co.uk/cobalt-drill-easy-out-set

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMrDYJvY0Ts

 

[Iwasgoodonce]

And rattles forever! If the bolt is firm perhaps you could do the gentle drill and as soon as a hole appears go for on of those backward thread things,

If the bolt is loose, can you epoxy resin something to it to turn it out?

 

[Dale cannon]

Use an ezy-out screw extractor.

 

[The History Man]

And rattles forever! If the bolt is firm perhaps you could do the gentle drill and as soon as a hole appears go for on of those backward thread things,

If the bolt is loose, can you epoxy resin something to it to turn it out?

Turn frame upside down? He said seat tube. :facepalm:

 

[Godwin_Austen]

Thanks - good youtube vid. Looks quite a careful job. I'm wondering on this one if getting someone who's done it before to do it for me might be a good choice. Is this the kind of thing that an LBS might be able to do or might I need to take it elsewhere?

The bolt wasn't going in as smoothly as I'd have liked, so I'm a bit worried it won't spin out easily using this method. But am spraying lube down the thread bit by bit to try to make it as loose as possible.

 

[bugloss]

Go have a chat to an old fashioned engineering shop and buy some taps next time. No not the bathroom type and clean out all the threads before you build.
Do your homework before you get your drill out coz if you snap the drill bit off in the bolt end you will be royally stuffed, as drill bits are high speed steel and super hard.

 

[Godwin_Austen]

Threads should have been prepped when I picked it up (I paid for a full frame prep as well as the paint job) - but they did feel a little gritty.

Have e-mailed the place that did it to arrange to take it back in. They do frame repairs so hopefully they can sort this. And re-tap the threads while they're at it...

 

[ishaw]

I had an issue with a small grub screw that had rounded hex fitting. I took a small drill head and drilled through the middle (I used a small bore head prior to this to create a guide hole). As I was drilling, the meat of thr screw lessened and eventually I was through and all thayvwad left was a small coil of metal that came out with the drill bit in reverse.

I was happy as I took it to my lbs who said they could not so anything without damaging the threads and would charge for the privelege. They also said they couldn't remove the shock bushings from a rear shock without damaging them and or the shock. I managed that as well without damaging either.

Sounds like you have it in hand, but worth a go yourself if you are confident you won't damage your lovely frame.