KDXRIDER.NET

So I am trying to remove my skid plate, and one of the 3 Allen bolts is stripped. I tried using an EZ out drill bit, but it just seemed to make the hole even rounder and wider.

Should I :

1. Just cut the head of the bolt off? It is flush against the skid plate, and I am afraid I will damage the plate.

2. Try to cut a groove in the head, and use a screwdriver? The head is pretty messed up, and Im not sure that I can cut a propper groove.

Thanks for any advice!

David

In situations like that, what I usually do is drill out the bolt head. Even if you can't keep the drill bit centered exactly, it will be weaken the bolt head enough enough to pop it off. If the bolt head spins (as it might be doing) you can jamb something around it to hold it. Try a smaller bit first as a pilot and go from there.

Agreed. Use a drill bit of slightly larger diameter than the shaft of the bolt. Drill through the head until the head of the bolt falls off.

I'd notch it before you fugg it up any worse

Use a dremel with a fiber cut off wheel

Socket Head cap screw (Allens bolts) are most of the time graded to high to be drilled, just do what Mr. Wibbens said, use a dremel with cut off wheel!

I would try a chisel to un screw the bolt enough to get some type of pliers on it. You will want a sharp chisel and cut in to the side like you were trying to un screw it. If that will not work then the drill bit method should work. Allen head bolts do tend to be harder but a good bit should go right thru it. (Not a cheap Habor Freight bit. A REAL drill bit.) If it doesn't want to drill out you might have to hike up your skirt and set down your purse so you can push harder.

Mr. Wibbens wrote:I'd notch it before you fugg it up any worse

Use a dremel with a fiber cut off wheel

Yep, that would be first move. If that doesn't work I would grind the head of it off. Remember, it's a skid plate. So what if it gets some scratches or nicks on it?

rbates9 wrote:I would try a chisel to un screw the bolt enough to get some type of pliers on it. You will want a sharp chisel and cut in to the side like you were trying to un screw it. If that will not work then the drill bit method should work. Allen head bolts do tend to be harder but a good bit should go right thru it. (Not a cheap Habor Freight bit. A REAL drill bit.) If it doesn't want to drill out you might have to hike up your skirt and set down your purse so you can push harder.

agreed, the good old chisel pretty much always works.

If the bolt thats stripped is the one in your photo, it looks like you have enough space to get a vice grip on it and then unscrew it. All the options the others have suggested are realistic. By the way you don't need to use a bolt extractor unless you snap the bolt off flush, if that happened I'd still cut a straight slot with my Dremel before using the extractor since they have a bad habit of breaking unless you get it dead centered on the bolt. If you just wanted to drill of the top of the stripped bolt head so you'd be able to get a better grip with vice grips that would work too. Good luck, it's not as bad as you think, at least it's not one of those water pump cover bolts snapped off!

I have had to grind the head off a couple of these button head bolts already. You can get the remaining part of the bolt out with vice grips. Replace with new. Done. It works pretty good. I have a couple grinder marks in my skid plate here and there, but that's just part of it.