I would mount it in a drill vise under a drill press and use a left handed drill bit.
You say “no luck so far”, but don’t explain how drilling failed for you.
Pengozoid on
Carefully glue with epoxy an extra bolt and unbolt your bolt.
ReallyNotALlama on
It doesn’t look like you’ve drilled it at all. Are you using a spaghetti noodle as a dill bit?
th3_eradicator on
Or, pickup a new stem if you want to press the easy button.
No-Leek8824 on
a strong glue would probably work
Legal-Actuary4537 on
hacksaw to make straight line recess and then use a screwdriver. if that doesn’t work weld more metal on to it or reverse drill it after stressing it with a hammer and punch.
after all that if it still doesnt come out buy a replacement part. there are plenty of bikes out there with broken frames so replacement on ebay should be easy to find secondhand.
Top_Objective9877 on
I’d just go find a new stem
TheWitness37 on
Heat the affected area with a torch.
If you can get vampliers or vice grips on it, do so. If not, cut a slot in it before heating, heat it up and then use a flathead screwdriver to remove it. If that doesn’t work, use a center punch and make a good dent in it and use a left hand drill bit or a regular bit and extractor. If all else fails, stems are fairly cheap compared to the frustration and tools that may go into saving this one.
Substantial-Abies646 on
Find someone with a welder that knows how to use it, weld a nut on it it’ll back right out
wiggywiggywiggy on
When I read about drilling out metal screws it said you need tungsten drill bits
Id research drill bits more
Chahtadude on
Weld a nut to it
Ernest-Penfold on
Just buy a new stem! not overly expensive.
Even if you get the bolt out, it is a critical component and could be weakened. Not worth risk of sudden failure.
Kooky_Jelly3298 on
Cut a slit in the part that’s protruding and use a flathead. Person that suggested LH drill bit had a good recommendation, too. Pickup a small RH bit, drill a shallow hole, then hit it with the larger LH bit. If it’s stubborn knock er loose works well. Just let it sit for a bit before attempting to remove.
Edit: if you want to drill it out, you’ll more than likely need to pickup a cobalt, or carbide, bit. And unless you’re damn good, or at least have a set of taps that size and thread, you’ll likely just screw the threading up more.
Brimst0ne13 on
Those easy out drill bits work in reverse. Use the end that looks like it has 2 cutting heads first, and run it on high speed in reverse to drill into it. Then flip it around and use the spiral side (still in reverse) but back your drill clutch down to 10 or 12. If the clutch slips, raise the gears up til you get one that can grab and reverse it out.
Heating before doing this also helps
MintWarfare on
I’d try pliers. I think there’s enough room there to get a little bite.
Difficult_Limit2718 on
By replacing the stem.
weakness336 on
I’m sorry to say but I think getting a new stem is your best bet. You won’t want to play with this one and do something that could question the integrity of this one.
Get the center punched accurately. Easy out kit ought to have no problems removing that.
uzziboy66 on
Try using a pair of vice grips. Side clamp it on and twist.
Or drill a small hole in it and try using a bolt removal drill bit.
Throw some tri flow on it before hand.
ballsagna2time on
Take your pick.
Get a bit just slightly bigger than the bolt. Drill it out. Retap with a helicoil kit.
Craftsman makes a really good backout bit but I have forgotten what they’re called. They’re old.
Angle grinder. Barely tap the bolt and try to carefully make a groove for a flat head screw driver to turn the bolt out.
If you have a spring loaded transfer punch, you can sometimes slowly spin bolts out with them. Punch at an angle CCW. I’ve had this work on machines at my job and it’s really crazy that it actually works. Ping it enough times CCW until you can get a vice grip one it.
ell1217635 on
First, I would try slotting with a Dremel and very thin cut off wheel. Then use a screwdriver to remove. If that doesn’t work, a left-handed drill bit or easy out. If that doesn’t work, weld a nut on there.
Rider_of_da_storm on
I’d use a 3mm drill bit to make a pilot hole before using a larger reverse bit. That will work better than trying a centre punch.
GibbsMalinowski on
New stem day!
beretta_vexee on
Google: Left-Hand Drill Bits + screw extractor
Bright_Weekend32 on
Left-hand cobalt bits. Start with a small one, then step up to a size that’ll take a bolt extractor. It’s a good skill to practice and worth the time to learn, even if the part itself isn’t—and you’ll still have the bits and extractor for the next time.
26 Comments
I would mount it in a drill vise under a drill press and use a left handed drill bit.
You say “no luck so far”, but don’t explain how drilling failed for you.
Carefully glue with epoxy an extra bolt and unbolt your bolt.
It doesn’t look like you’ve drilled it at all. Are you using a spaghetti noodle as a dill bit?
Or, pickup a new stem if you want to press the easy button.
a strong glue would probably work
hacksaw to make straight line recess and then use a screwdriver. if that doesn’t work weld more metal on to it or reverse drill it after stressing it with a hammer and punch.
after all that if it still doesnt come out buy a replacement part. there are plenty of bikes out there with broken frames so replacement on ebay should be easy to find secondhand.
I’d just go find a new stem
Heat the affected area with a torch.
If you can get vampliers or vice grips on it, do so. If not, cut a slot in it before heating, heat it up and then use a flathead screwdriver to remove it. If that doesn’t work, use a center punch and make a good dent in it and use a left hand drill bit or a regular bit and extractor. If all else fails, stems are fairly cheap compared to the frustration and tools that may go into saving this one.
Find someone with a welder that knows how to use it, weld a nut on it it’ll back right out
When I read about drilling out metal screws it said you need tungsten drill bits
Id research drill bits more
Weld a nut to it
Just buy a new stem! not overly expensive.
Even if you get the bolt out, it is a critical component and could be weakened. Not worth risk of sudden failure.
Cut a slit in the part that’s protruding and use a flathead. Person that suggested LH drill bit had a good recommendation, too. Pickup a small RH bit, drill a shallow hole, then hit it with the larger LH bit. If it’s stubborn knock er loose works well. Just let it sit for a bit before attempting to remove.
Edit: if you want to drill it out, you’ll more than likely need to pickup a cobalt, or carbide, bit. And unless you’re damn good, or at least have a set of taps that size and thread, you’ll likely just screw the threading up more.
Those easy out drill bits work in reverse. Use the end that looks like it has 2 cutting heads first, and run it on high speed in reverse to drill into it. Then flip it around and use the spiral side (still in reverse) but back your drill clutch down to 10 or 12. If the clutch slips, raise the gears up til you get one that can grab and reverse it out.
Heating before doing this also helps
I’d try pliers. I think there’s enough room there to get a little bite.
By replacing the stem.
I’m sorry to say but I think getting a new stem is your best bet. You won’t want to play with this one and do something that could question the integrity of this one.
https://preview.redd.it/knafdostlnjf1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dd0147862aaf20579f22c01b850a720227d4ef0d
Use these
Get the center punched accurately. Easy out kit ought to have no problems removing that.
Try using a pair of vice grips. Side clamp it on and twist.
Or drill a small hole in it and try using a bolt removal drill bit.
Throw some tri flow on it before hand.
Take your pick.
Get a bit just slightly bigger than the bolt. Drill it out. Retap with a helicoil kit.
Craftsman makes a really good backout bit but I have forgotten what they’re called. They’re old.
Angle grinder. Barely tap the bolt and try to carefully make a groove for a flat head screw driver to turn the bolt out.
If you have a spring loaded transfer punch, you can sometimes slowly spin bolts out with them. Punch at an angle CCW. I’ve had this work on machines at my job and it’s really crazy that it actually works. Ping it enough times CCW until you can get a vice grip one it.
First, I would try slotting with a Dremel and very thin cut off wheel. Then use a screwdriver to remove. If that doesn’t work, a left-handed drill bit or easy out. If that doesn’t work, weld a nut on there.
I’d use a 3mm drill bit to make a pilot hole before using a larger reverse bit. That will work better than trying a centre punch.
New stem day!
Google: Left-Hand Drill Bits + screw extractor
Left-hand cobalt bits. Start with a small one, then step up to a size that’ll take a bolt extractor. It’s a good skill to practice and worth the time to learn, even if the part itself isn’t—and you’ll still have the bits and extractor for the next time.