ive done the same thing many times my first step would be a very small dremel cutting wheel cut a slot in the bit and try to turn it out with a screw driver. if that fails i try to grind the bit out with a very small diamond cutter it takes a lone time. next i try to drill a second smaller hole right next to it and use an easyout bad thing about this is it will get into the threads if your not careful

 

Yep tried those.

 

I'll try that when my buddy gets back.
He decided he needed his bike so we threw it back together so that he could ride it.

 

So you've got a bit broken off inside a bolt broken off inside some frame threads you'd rather not munge up?

Good luck.

I like the earlier suggestion of trying to grind a slot and getting a screwdriver in there. But I'm guessing the bolt is seized up good in the frame (which is how all this got started).

My second thought would be to grind the surface off smooth and hope you can get a nice punch in the center of the bit to get a new hole started. Problem is that bit is probably harder than all get out (way harder than the bolt its stuck in) and its the new bit is going to want to wander off center.

So, good luck.

 

The original plan was to drill it out and re-tap the hole.
I could tell it has been broken for a while due to the rust in the hole.

 

We used to have a tap removal guy in our area. He removed broken taps and bolts, try looking under tap removal. He removed a broken exhaust stud for me on my FXR.

 

If you don't mind spoiling the paint on the frame, some heat on the area might help break the old bolt free.

 

You are not in a good position right now. I would suggest you go at it with D giver,s advice with the diamond cutter on a dermal. As he stated, it will take a long time, but you should be able to slowly grind the drill bit away. The problem being, it wil be hard to keep the bit on centre without some sort of pilot guide.Though it is a slow, and I mean slow process, you should be able to get the bit out as a end result.

The big challenge will be starting to grind on centre of the drill bits core. And if you slip off centre and snap off the diamond bit, your really screwed. All the more reason to get a pilot guide rigged up for the diamond cutter.

I would not drill beside it and use a easyout. If you snap that in there, then your dealing with a very hard material that's harder than the drill bit. You should also use extreme caution when trying to move the drill bit with a ***** punch and the like, you don't need to ad to the hardend metal that's already in the hole. I don't know if it has been mentioned yet, but in case it hasn't, don't try to drill with a carbide bit. Those things are harder than the gates of hell, and very brittal, and break very easy.

You didn't say if the drill bit jammed when it snapped?
If it did, its usually tough to get it to move. If it just snapped off , then you can assume the bit is very hard and brittle, and pounding on it with a punch will many times break it up enough to remove it.

You also might do a search on dissolving a drill bit chemicaly. I have heard of this,but never tried it. But it does take days to happen. Being your working with a broken bolt/ bit that is vertical it maybe a option for you. In the end you will probably end up with a nut sert/ time sert or at least a heli-coil once the offending bits are removed.

Another way I have removed broken bolts is to hold a nut over the broken bolt with needle nose and mig weld in the centre of the nut then back it out after it cools.

A standard drill bit cane be removed, but remember if you snap a carbide bit in there,it will be a real bitch to get that out. Diamond bit is just as bad , but you want to use it to grind the drill bit away. Hope this gives you some ideas.

 

Talked to a guy this morning mentioned the situation here. Kinda went the the usual question thing. I mentioned you are dealing with a blind hole. he asked was there a chance the 1/4 in bit was at the very bottom? In a way that the 1/4 bit was almost through the the frame and all. If so a very good punch and BFH might drive the bit on through. I can see some real damage coming with this method but as mentioned this ain't a good place to be.
Any chance ya can get a pic on here of what your dealing with ?

WP

Ok another ? Are the threads recessed into the frame or are in a boss ( my term) attached on top of the frame ?

 

I'll look into this.