How To Remove Rounded & Seized Bolts On A Bike | Maintenance Monday
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- čas přidán 25. 06. 2017
- The moment a tool rounds off in the socket, your heart feels like it stops. Simon is here with some bits of advice for removing rounded bolts from bike parts.
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Let us know your methods, hacks and tips for removing rounded bolts in the comments below
Ex-Professional Cyclist gives you advice and methods of removing those rounded bolt heads on components, using a shoe cleat bolt as an example in this case.
A hack we were sent in was putting a rubber band over the head of the hex/allen/torx key. The idea is that the rubber band fills the empty space in the rounded off bolt head. Let us know if that works for you
It is also possible to use a Torx key in the head of a rounded off allen/hex socket, you will normally need to hit the Torx key into the socket, and run the risk of damaging your Torx key…
Before attempting to remove a bolt with what looks to have a damaged head/socket it is worth soaking the threads in penetrating fluid. Visiting a local hardware store is best for this, as there are some great products out there. Also, Coca-Cola has been known to break down any corrosion too.
Drilling bolts out is a last resort, ideally a bench drill is used for this so that you get a clean drill through the bolt.
In this instance, the cleat can be sacrificed. Hacksaw the cleat away from the shoe, and use molegrips to twist/undo the bolt from the thread. Before you do this, soak the bolt in penetrating fluid or similar, overnight.
Lastly, to help prevent bolts become seized in place, presenting you with rounded off bolt heads/sockets. My personal advice (GCN Jon) is to use a high grade marine grease or copper grease on threads, this will help prevent salt from getting into the threads and causing a rusty joint between the two components.
A tip we’ve also heard of, on cleats, is to put some silicone sealant in the head/socket of the bolt, this helps prevent foreign objects interfering with the socket. The silicone can then be removed easily with a pick when it comes to time to remove the bolt.
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Watch more on GCN...
How & Where To Use Grease, Fiber Grip, Threadlock + Anti Seize On Your Bike 📹 gcn.eu/1uauKuI
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Let us know your tips and bits of advice for removing rounded bolts in the comments below 👇
I have a set of extractors for damaged bolts and screws. They work by drilling a small hole into the damaged bolt/screw (mine even have the drill bit on the other end), then using the extractor with has a reverse thread on it that works its way into the damaged bolt anti-clockwise and backing it out. You can pick up a set of them on Amazon for under $10. Super simple procedure.
@Global Cycling Network A handy tip to remove rounded bolts is using a screw extractor if available.
It's a tip that my mechanic friend Misaki-chan taught me sometime ago.
Penetrating oil sprayed on the bolt then take a Dremel slice through the bolt head to make a slot for a screwdriver use firm pressure on the bolt and go slow to avoid stripping the head. if that fails use a set of vice grips has worked for me every time so far had to removed 12 rusted disc rotor bolts with this method had to use vice grips for 2 bolts rusted clamp bolts
You can get a Screw extractor drill bit set from DIY stores like B&Q for around a fiver.
Drill a pilot hole in to the screw, insert the extractor bit, and use the drill to reverse it out. Job done in a few minutes
I have mountain shoes and recently had to tighten the cleat only to find the hex key didn't fit in bolt. What i did was get a flat head screw driver and a hammer and flattened out and expanded the edges until the key fit in bolt. Worked like a charm!
I have a feeling 'Park Tools' may sponsor GCN in some way, I can't quite put my finger on exactly how I know this, but the subtle hints are there.......
Haha, and this one is also so intrusive that I'm starting to hate Park Tools.
if you have to drill out your cleats, make sure you take your foot out of your shoe.
That's a very wise advise... :D
Why
I use a Dremel tool to cut a channel into the head of the bolt, then use a very large flat head screwdriver to remove the bolt. It's worked numerous times, especially on the heel pad for Sidi shoes.
is that a park tool rubber band
Isaiah Pineda no, then it would cost $5 per band
Best maintenance video in a while, methinks. Well done Si and GCN.
I had a rounded out chainring bolt on my Ultegra 6800 crankset. Nothing seemed to work, but the torx key did the trick! Thanks!
Torx key worked first time for me - thanks a mil, GCM!
I'm impressed by the rubber band trick. Works well on hex bolts.
The rubber band worked great! Used it to take off the subframe on my yz250, thanks!
Ouch GCN! Im living in a stuck cleat bolt reality. Very timely. thanx
from someone who works in the marine industry where corroded bolts are the norm - I use the Wurth product ' Rost off : works extremely well for dissimilar metal corrosion
The rubber band trick just worked for me. Thanks Si!
Just tried the torx key tip. Worked lime a charm using a torx head and a ratchet screwdriver.
3 in one Oil plus filing a gouge to accept a flat head offered me enough purchase to unscrew my Shimano brake lever bleed port!! Thank you for the epic save!!
Liked and saved to a playlist before the video even started. I still have a pang whenever I think of the seized bolt on my old front disc caliper, which eventually required me to replace the whole mechanism as my untrained intervention only made it worse.
The sooner the bike industry transitions from hex bolts to torx bolts, the less stripping anyone will do.
Apart from the Mrs
Them car payments ain't cheap.
triangle drive is even better. Can be turned with triangle bits, hex bits, tri-wing, and y bits.
I managed to round some torx bolts once. Bought a second hand mtb that was old and barely used. Tried to clean the brake disks which were held on to the wheel with torx bolts. I had sprayed them with wd40 but hadn't left it long enough to work its magic so it rounded straight away
The problem I have is the head of the torx bolt coming off, leaving the rest of the bolt stuck in the hole.
Thanks for the video, some great advice as always there. Drilling the head of seized vintage handle bar stem works well if all else fails. Thanks again Andy
Thanks mate. Used the spiked drill bit with a hammer into the bolt, then used a power drill to take it out. 👌
I had a rounded crank arm cap but came up with the idea of drilling 2 holes either side and using a pin spanner. It worked really well and was so easy I’m surprised I haven’t seen it been done anywhere while I was searching for solutions. I hope this helps anyone with the same problem.
The rubber band trick worked!!! Life saver!
Was waiting for this one! Thanks Si
a pleasure, Jon.
Thanks GCN a great video, really useful as I have been in the same situation before 😝
What can sometimes help is to remove all the other bolts apart from the stuck one, then spin the whole cleat (in this case) relative to the shoe. Often the bolt will turn with the cleat (in this case) and loosen. I've done it with many things - planks on Formula 3 cars where the bolts have touched the track at high speed, arms on spinny office chairs I was dismantling, even parts of fluorescent light fittings that have gone a bit rusty in a garage.
Only works if you can remove all except one fixing, and that it isn't mechanically restraining from spinning in some other way though.
This works in my cleats shoe
Thanks !
Great idea but my sweat has really welded the bolt right in there! Time to get the angle grinder out....
+1 option: screw extractor with a powertool.
+0.5 hit it with a hammer (breaks the tight contact between inner and outer threads).
I think drilling through the whole bolt would be the last resort. I would definitely go with the screw extractor.
I sailed as a merchant marine engineer for nearly 3 decades, and every ship I was ever on used PB Blaster as a penetrant oil. Soak the seized thread/part, give it a few good hard taps to break loose the corrosion, and there's a good chance you can work that part free if you can get a purchase on it. A best last resort to drilling
Great item to have in our weekender horse trailer!
thanks!! the torx key (and a lil silicone based lubricant) saved me!!
Use a screw extractor instead of drilling through your screw and re-tapping the threads. a.co/hZrKUSB
I've never used one, are they any good? Jon
these work so well!
Yes, they work. We use them on certificated aircraft all the time.
Also, you can use an impact driver www.amazon.com/dp/B000NPPATS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_dp_T2_IEtuzbTR19XZK
And lastly, you can use a chisel and a hammer, striking around the head
Sometimes. It's worth it at least to use a reverse-threaded bit (usually included in the extractor), put your drill in reverse and hope for the best.
Yes, but you have to get a good one (or set of them). If you use a cheap one that is softer than your screw head or too dull to cut into, the extractor might work only once or not at all because it'll dull/round as well. They are also still subject to threads being seized though, so some of the un-seizing techniques/chemicals may still be needed.
I see others have said the same, but use a screw extractor rather than drilling it out. Took my over-tightened top cap bolt off a treat.
How would you fix a rounded thread inside forks hold for brake caliper? I tried my luck with repair kit which is two component plasticine like mass that hardens after 5 minutes. If that fails I'll try with M7 thread cutter but I'm affraid it might take off too much material.
Go to the hardware store and purchase a double headed bit that fits in your drill. Both ends are used with the drill in Reverse. The one side routes out the screw to make it completely round . The other side is threaded and is wider as it goes away from the screw hole. Keep the drill in Reverse and drill the threaded bit into the newly drilled round hole. As it bites into the screw it gets tighter and tighter. It will become one with the screw and take the screw out easily. After it's out, take a pair of vise grips and lock them onto the threaded end of the screw. With the bit still in the drill turn the grips as if you want to tighten the screw and it will un-screw from the bit.
What are the size of the brake mounts like a disc brake ones I may have stripped those
I failed to prepare my screws as you suggest in your videos and when I went to tight them one of the head just popped off leaving a headless screw inside my carbon fiber front fork. How can I remove it?
Torx Key!!!! who knew! thanks guys 👍
On my bmx I was trying to tighten my handle bars but I had stripped the head of the bolt I tried the rubber band did t work so I'm probably going to try and drill through it and use a Phillips head screwdriver to remove the left over thread would that work?
I did the torx trick but my torx key broke into the bolt now what any suggestions
Last time when I was changing my cleats, I've been able to take off 2 out of 3 bolts and I took pincers and rotated the whole cleat around the screw that was stuck and eventually I have removed my cleat.
well i have a rounded allen screw next to my gear changer (ik thats the wrong name) and i want to change my handlebars, but i cant, how can i unscrew my rounded allen screw?
Great video, but I have one problem.
Where is the sound effect for forward slash at 3:44?!
I have my aero seat post screw rounded.... can't find a way to un screw it. Any help?
For preparing the bolts before mounting them I suggest parraffine wax instead of grease because it remain clean, it does not crek over time, and is more water/dirt resistant. As a plus you get clean bolts forever that they will not mess your hand when you take them out!
Can you guys help me out? I've got a really rounded screw on my shimano tourney. I've tried to use rubber bands on it but it won't work.
For non-recessed hex bolts, cut a slot across face of the bolt with a cutting wheel on a Dremel tool. Then use a flat screwdriver. Worked for me to remove a stem after a the key fractured inside the bolt head.
When I found my first pair of cleats had seized bolts I ended up drilling them out. It is not always as bad as having to drill all the way through the bolt, sometimes just through the head. In that case the bolt and nut in the shoe had welded together so it did not matter if I drilled any more than the bolt head off. The nut was toast anyway. Once I had got the bolt head off I just replaced the nuts that the bolts went into. For most shoes they are called t-nuts. I found Evans in Manchester had some they kindly let me have. Now I always grease the bolts when I put them in and every so often I take them off and re-grease.
Something you can do is use a slightly larger drill than the thread size of the bolt so you can remove just the head of the bolt. After you pull apart the parts you can usually use vice grips to grab the bolt by the threads sticking out.
Without the preload they usually pull out pretty easily (penetrating lube/ hitting it with a hammer to break oxidation also helps loosten it once the preload is gone)
this is the video I've been waiting for
On the handlebar of my bicycle in the middle there is a bolt to remove the fork and the coach, I tried but I rounded it and now I do not know how to pull it out please help !!!
Before trying to undo it, take a little scrubbing powder like comet, get the tool tip wet, and dip it in the powder. The granules stick to the tool and give you more bite. Works well on screws in helicopters, so a bike bolt should be a cinch.
One of my my old speedplay cleat bolts (cross pattern) got stripped when I install it. Can not turn when I eventually need to remove the cleats. I pried and cut the plastic baseplate open leaving the bolt head sticking out of the sole, then I was able to grip the head with a pair of pliers and turn it. Very sweaty situation and never again!
Best penetrating oil, I've come across is PlusGas. Well worth searching some out at the local motor factors or garage. I know several car restorers / mechanics who swear by the stuff. Certainly got me out of a few tricky situations as well.
The torke rench worked for me thanks
One of my stem bolts are overtightend and I tried to undo it but the bolt is all messed up now , how do I remove it??
If you get down to drilling, try a left handed drill bit. Hopefully, having used penetrate before hand, when it bites into the metal it will back the screw out.
In the Past in my younger years of riding I have used a Vice grip tool or a locking pliers. With a bit of testing you need to get the correct pressure on the head of the bolts and put your shoe or what ever in a vice and extract the bolt..
My favourite method is welding a nut to the bolt head! It gives you a nice hexagonal interface to grip, and it unseizes the thread with a thermal shock. Not sure it's useable with plastic shoes though...
RE spd cleats You could cut away the cleat with some wire snips and remove the bolts with a mole wrench and even file the bolt and make to flat side on the head to give better grip.
When using penetrating oil, occasional taps with a hammer will assist the oil migrating into the joint.
As for tapping, one thing you can try is drilling a blind hole (i.e., not all the way through) then inserting a left handed tap. You then turn the tap as if you are cutting left handed threads, and when the tap hits the end of the blind hole it will stop cutting and start turning the whole bolt. This is a less drastic option than actually destroying the existing threads and re-tapping.
Sometimes if the problem is rust, drilling out the bolt will cause it to crumble.
Water pump pliers if you can get it on the bolt ect works a treat....... Especially on disc brakes bolts.
I would ad that if your cleat bolts are not already slotted for a flathead scredriver then you can slot them yourself using a dremel and cutting wheel or a hack saw. Aditionally, you can grind down the ends of old hex keys to keep them in working condition, other than that bang up job Si.
Omg this video just saved me a lot of stress lol
The torx-tricks works better if you have 1/4" bits (e.g. Proxxon T25)
They are easy to hammer into the thread. Make sure the bit is far in before starting to loosen.
My Proxxon T25 have done the job a few times without getting damaged.
Sometimes an impact driver(those loud cordless tools that resemble a drill) with a torx or allen key bit will do the trick. This requires you really lean into the driver as you try to reverse the bolt so you have to firmly hold the shoe, perhaps in a vice.
I would increase my odds of success by doing the penetrating oil thing a day or so beforehand. If this doesn't work, invoke plan B.... whatever that might be.
I just fixed destroying the old cleats with saw and vice and taken out the screw with a big plier. Very easy. Then, retapped the thread and put some copper antiseize grease (not lithium grease) . Done on sworks 2009 old shoes
Drill a hole in the bolt that is smaller than the size of the bolt i.e. a 3 mill drill. Then use a left threaded bolt remover, this always works. the cone shape of the remover bytes itself in the bolt material.(sorry for my van Gaal english, i'm dutch ;-).
Or use a centre punch to punch a hole in the rim of the bolt, then hold your punch at an angle of 45 degrees and jam it in the hole counterclockwise, works all the time
No wonder your bolts are rounded, you're going righty-tighty at 1:36.
lol good spot
What is the usual bolt size for bike caliper?
What about a bolt requiring a wrench? Trying to remove a 3-gear conversion, which has a pissy little half-thickness bolt that I can't get a grip on
Thank you for that !
As a car mechanic, I work with rounded fasteners on a daily basis.
I prefer to grind off the head of the bolt, remove the part you're changing and using a vise grip pliers to remove the rest of the bolt.
When the head is gone, the tension leaves with it and you can unscrew it easily.
How about using an impact driver? Although you'd have to clamp your bike or shoe in a solid vice.
Some great ideas here. I actually needed to know how to undo a snapped bolt that has been left in my bike to screw the kick stand. I really want to avoid drilling into the frame. Does anyone have any ideas?? Thank you ☺️
I had a bottom bracket that was rusted. I took it down to the bike shop because I figured I'd rather pay someone to remove it than to do it myself. They gave up on it and told me I should just buy a new bike. I took the bike home and removed it myself. Vise-Grips can do some amazing things.
Use a left hand drill bit a size or 2 smaller than the bolt, run the drill in reverse and aply pressure, drill the bolt back out without mangling the threads
gcn hack to replace hex cleat bolts with torx?
you could also weld on a blob of metal onto the head of the bolt so that there is something to get a purchase on. while it is still hot, clamp on a locking pliers. wait until it has cooled and then twist off (hopefully). the heat from the weld may also help separate the fused screw from the shoe.
Is this work with chainring nut
use a dremel hand tool with a cutting disc on the end to either cut the head of the bolt off or use it to enlarge the groove so a larger screwdriver can be used.
I found the best way to remove a stripped stem bolt (steerer clamp) is the get a hacksaw blade and slide it inbetween the clamp and cut the bolt by hand. Then the head of the bolt can be taken out with an allen key even if its stripped as there is nothing holding it in. Then drive the spare stem bolt through the back to push out the other half of the broken stem bolt
Use a left-hand drill, and there is a good chance the cutting forces will loosen the fastener. If it doesn't, buy a left-hand tap and the corresponding bolt and tap the core of the bolt left-hand, then screw in the left hand bolt into the seized bolt and tighten till it loosens it. There is a size limitation here though, the bigger the seized bolt the easier the job. And make sure you create a nice flat spot on the the fastener head with a die grinder or file and carefully center punch before drilling so you stay on center.
When bolts get rounded I pull out my good tools... Hammers, cut-off wheels, torches... and if those don't work, kicking the bike almost never frees the bolt, but it sure makes you feel better about it being rounded off to begin with!
try to use imperial hex keys as a second step, worked for me
The sickening challenge I face right now is to loosen the hex bolt that retains my front brake caliper. On by BMC Teamachine the bolt is in a recess (round hole) about 25mm (1 inch) deep and even with a torch very difficult to see. The caliper desperately needs either replacing or cleaning up thoroughly as the front brake is very difficult to centre. If I get it wrong I fear I could easily ruin the thread and write off the entire fork. I'm tempted to go down the Torx route. Happy days.
Thank you so much. I should probably be ashamed to say that the last bolt from my look cleat required a hacksaw to expose the bolt and some locking pliers.
Typically, once you have drilled the bolt head off and removed the part it was holding on all of the tension is then removed from the threads and it will be much easier to remove the rest of the bolt. Just grab the protruding bit of bolt with a pair of vice grips and turn. No need to re-tap the bolt hole.
you can also use easy out screw extractors. They work remarkably well.
Kirn
So, you didn't show us how you actually remove the rounded off bolts...........you just talk about it for 6 minutes. Really helpful.
And u can use angle grinder to remove cleat material and use flat head plieers to grab the screw ends and untighten them.
What you could do alternatively, is get a angle grinder and grind a small slot in the rounded head of the bolt - then remove with a flat head screwdriver!
Hi guys, i've seen u talk about taking nutirition and drinking electolytes for long bike rides... what about Red Bull (the drink)? Would it be ok to drink a couple of cans/bottles of it as a pick-me-upper when feeling low on energy? #torqueback
I assume the cleats are to be replaced with new ones.
1 Use penetrating oil
2 Take an angle grinder and grind a slot that fits the biggest flat screwdriver you have, and try to losen it, if that fails, go to step 3. (if the penetrating oil hasen't caught fire, if so , enjoy the view)
3 Grind away the whole cleat, and use a small pipe wrench, you should be able to get grip on it now.
For a headset or where the bolts are exposed or easy to access grind a thin channel down the centre of the bolt head then take a flat head screwdriver. A small dremel blade or a bit of s hacksaw blade will do the job
did Si just hack/bodge the wrong way at 3:45 ???
How do you remove a worn crossed threaded pedal nut?
Always use penetrateing fluid first.. before u trie any other stuff... it also works if u tap it with hammer but tap must be quick and with descent power.. ive noticed that working raly god many times.. it just somehow breaks the seaze up and leaves cracks for penetrateing fluid to go in further.
Use a set of ease-outs or a set reverse cutting drill bits.
Surely rainwater washes away the grease from the bolts over the course of a rainy few months in the UK?
Did Si lose his WD-40 sponsorship? I thought for sure he would be plugging that product in this video for the penetrating oil!
WD-40 actually makes a dedicated penetrant!
When using a Torx wrench on a rounded Allen bolt, I would suggest dipping the Torx key head on some carbon grip paste before whack it in with a hammer.
left handed bit on a drill with a rotary hammer function. the drill bit is turning the same way as the bolt wants to loosen, so when the mechanical shock from the hammer impact loosens the threads, the drill will bite in and spin out the bolt.
also what i periodically do is simply loosen my cleat bolts, then re tighten them. (one at a time to maintain cleat placement). i do this to a) verify none of the bolts have seized and b)if a bolt has only just started to seize, removing the bolt will break the bond, which eliminates the problem before it becomes an issue
yep, the periodic re-grease one by one is a great trick. One of my very own! Jon