Help, stripped flats off Center Bolt

[Old_CA_IT_Rider]

I was rebuilding my son's '99 RM 125 forks and when I tried to loosen the right center bolt it wouldn't budge. I tryed everything including an impact wrench until I ended up with a round bolt head. Usually at this point I would just get out a monkey wrench and crank it out but its recessed in there and I can't get to it.

Any suggestions that might leave the part functional? I hate to spend $103 for a new one but I guess I can always use the cut off wheel on my dremel and just slice it up until it falls out.

Thanks,

 

[junkjeeps]

Sears makes a special tool that will "bite" down on stripped bolt heads. They sell them as a set for around $40. I have a set and have used it more than once. Well worth the money and they really work.

Mark

 

[WaltCMoto]

I'm not sure im visualizing your problem correctly. An idea that might work is to drill out the head with a drill bit. When the head falls off, then perhaps you can dissasemble whats being held together.
Good luck

 

[j_freak]

If I understand correctly, you rounded off the head of a bolt that's hard to get to. If you can't get a pair of vice grips in there you'll have to kill the bolt head or try that special tool that I have never used.

If you decide to kill the bolt head, you have several options. The easiest, but probably not usable in your situation, cure would be to weld something to the top of the bolt (like another bolt) that you could then use a socket wrench on. Your best option would probably be to drill a hole in the top of the bolt, then use an extractor. The basic idea is that you drill down into the bolt, then take the extractor (just a square rod of hardened steel that's tapered near one end) and pound it into the hole you drilled. You then use a wrench to turn the extractor, which turns the bolt and takes it out. If all else fails, drill through the bolt completely, then run a tap through the hole to rethread it for a larger bolt.

 

[oldguy]

An easyout would probably work. Sears or most hardware stores have them.
To use you first drill a hole into the stripped bolt then the easyout goes into the hole and as it turns itself into the center of the stripped bolt it starts biting in and eventually locks. Then as you continue turning it it should back the bolt out.
Take your time and good luck

 

[TravisP]

regardless of how you get it out it needs to be replaced and should not have been so tight that you had to mangle it in the first place the tops of forks should get about 6 to 9 foot pounds of torque. and when they go back in the triple clamps the top clamp bolts get 16 foot pounds and bottom clamp 15 foot pounds

 

[Old_CA_IT_Rider]

Thanks for the input so far, I've used these techniques for "regular" bolts with great success; however, this is the bolt at the bottom of the fork with the rebound adjuster in the middle that holds the piston rod and damper rod to the lower tube.

The last owner must have used super glue instead of lock-tite and/or more than the 52 ft/lb of torque this calls for because it won't move.

The oil seal is still OK so I don't have to get the bolt out immediately but one of these days it's going to go and I guess I'll be buying a new part for $103 unless someone has a spare used one I can buy for less.

Thanks

 

[SULLY]

Any stuck bolt I have I use a good penetrating oil + time(leave to soak overnight) + a little heat (not too hot on forks, dont want to damage any internals) Usually works.
To avoid rounding in the first place, ensure all is clean so you can get the socket fully on the nut, and use a good quality correct size socket.

 

[Old_CA_IT_Rider]

To make sure it was fully engaged I ground the leading edge off my 6 point socket before starting and soaked in WD40, but the part is only aluminum so it took a lickin and kept on stickin.
I haven't tried heat yet. What do you use? I have a heat gun or a propane torch (a little worried about flame and all of the oily fork parts).