Seized bolt please help

carl_p

I have a seized tension adjuster bolt in the horizontal dropout of my steel frame. The top of the bolt has broken off but as you can see there is a fair amount of metal to grab hold of. I've given it a spraying of PlusGas, but no movement whatsoever. I've cut a slot down the middle and attempted to unscrew it with a flat blade screwdriver but it quickly broke off as there's not much material to work with. I don't currently own any vice pliers so this might be an excuse to get some, but are they likely to be that much better than standard pliers? Would really appreciate any ideas to get it out. I don't have access to a heat source so that option is not available.

webboo

Mole grips.

peteco

Can you immerse that part of the bike in a light penetrating oil for a few days ?
Then try small mole grips.

Pete

step83

Yep mole grips and penetrating fluids your best bet.

Don't use WD40 its not a penetration fluid, seafoam is amazing if you can get hold of it.

david7m

50% acetone, 50% automatic transmission oil is the best penetrating oil you can get/make.

Alejandrosdog

another vote for mole grips here.

plus penetrating fluid and if ou can get in there a bash or two with a hammer. Also try a hair dryer to warm things up

crankycrank

david7m wrote:

50% acetone, 50% automatic transmission oil is the best penetrating oil you can get/make.

+1. If you can get some "Kano Kroil Oil' this works as well or better but I noticed it's crazy expensive in the UK.

rafletcher

PlusGas is pretty good - good most of my Landrover apart! Mole grips are your best chance.

keef66

You say you don't have access to a heat source but could you pour a kettle of boiling water over it?

Could you arrange the frame so the dropout is sitting in something so you can submerge it in penetrating oil for a few days?

Mini mole grips or a baby stillson wrench are your best bet for gripping the remains and turning it. Drilling it out or using a stud extractor would be tricky given the size of the bolt and restricted access to it

Do you want to remove it so you can chase out the threads and fit a new bolt to use at it was intended, or do you have the option of just grinding off the remains and aligning the wheel / adjusting tension some other way?

carl_p

Thanks for all the replies. I got some Mole Grips today and will keep spraying on the PlusGas and give it a go at the weekend. It is on the non drive so won't be the end of the world if I have to hacksaw it off but would prefer to get it out cleanly.

Matthewfalle

any chance of locking two nuts together and using that method? or even welding a nut on and using that?

Alejandrosdog

Matthewfalle wrote:

any chance of locking two nuts together and using that method? or even welding a nut on and using that?

#nutthestud

No chance now he’s had the mole grips on it

Matthewfalle

very true - just chewed up now.

cut remains of bolt off, drill out, re-tap