Removing smoothed bolt from shifter

Alison

Retrobike Rider
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I have an LX shifter LH and yes it's set up, functions beautifully, no probs there but the Alan bolt holding it in place is so smoothed out now there is no longer any way of adjusting the position anymore.

Is there a way of removing the bolt without damaging anything so I can pop in a new bolt. Some stupid prat, mentioning no Alison names, seems to have over tightened it :)

Alison
 
Oooh thanks, I thought I was asking too much, like saw through it and be done, but they might do the trick :)

Alison
 
Re:

They do work well and the ones I sent the link for have a drill on one end and the extractor on the other, it is a reverse action drill ;) :D

Mark :D :D
 
Re:

Yeah, used that sort of tool successfully. Can be fiddly with a small bolt head in an inaccessible place upside down close to things you don't want to damage, but worth a go
 
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Using a torx head Allen key can get you out of jail. You need to knock it in so it is secure and simply unscrew. Worth soaking in penetrating oil first to ensure its as free as it can be before unscrewing.
 
Rounded allen bolts are relatively easily removed using an allen driver bit, a punch, a small hammer, and a drill driver.

Basically, put your driver bit in the rounded out hole, use the hammer and punch to "reform" the allen bolt around the bit, then attach your drill driver and unscrew it. The tappety tap will usually unblock the bolt, and the driver gives enough "smack" to spin it out afterwards. That's pretty much the magic bit - whatever you do I'd recommend whacking it first.

You *will* need a new bolt, and if you're doing it on a rear mech, you'll want to support the part of the mech that the bolt threads into, to avoid bending the rest.

"Easy outs" are dogshit, IMO. Otherwise there is the option of getting a pair of mole grips onto the head of the bolt, or slotting it with a dremel or junior hacksaw in order to use a flathead driver on it. putting a pair of jump leads on it for a couple of seconds can help, too, one end on the head, and one on the mech (you *will* get sparks doing this), the corrosion inbetween the mech and the bolt will heat up resistively and "burn" out, which can be enough to make the bolt easier to remove.
 
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I would have to respectfully disagree about easy outs..... if you buy good ones they are amazing. I use them for wayyyyy more stubborn automotive purposes with excellent success.....
 
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