Stripped Torx bolt head removal help
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Joined: Nov 2013
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From: Kansas City
Stripped Torx bolt head removal help
I was removing the Torx 3/8" X 16 factory button head bolts on my triple tree upper bracket that cinches down the fork tubes and replacing with chrome bolts and one of the bolt heads stripped. I have tried everything to remove the darn thing.
I tried drilling it out and using a ez out, but discovered the bolt is hardened and it just eats the drill bits. I tried to get a hold of the bolt head with vise grips but can't get a hold of the rounded button head. I tried heating and penetrating oil. I tried cussing, but that didn't help either.
It's still tight and I'm not worrying about my fork tubes slipping, but it looks like crap and I'm mad at myself for not using penetrating oil at first.
I'm wondering if I took it to a machine shop if they would have a trick to remove it. Anyone have any ideas?
Thanks, Ralph
I tried drilling it out and using a ez out, but discovered the bolt is hardened and it just eats the drill bits. I tried to get a hold of the bolt head with vise grips but can't get a hold of the rounded button head. I tried heating and penetrating oil. I tried cussing, but that didn't help either.
It's still tight and I'm not worrying about my fork tubes slipping, but it looks like crap and I'm mad at myself for not using penetrating oil at first.
I'm wondering if I took it to a machine shop if they would have a trick to remove it. Anyone have any ideas?
Thanks, Ralph
Cruiser
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 112
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From: Minnesota
I would take a chisel and on one side of the bolt, smack the chisel with a hammer. Hard to explain so look at my picture. Make sure you are hitting it in the right direction.
Last edited by little5150; Apr 5, 2014 at 08:52 PM.
Tourer
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 426
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From: CT, USA
I had the same problem with a floorboard torx head. EZ-outs did not work, I drilled the bolt per spec but the EZ-out threads wouldn't catch....In a last ditch effort, I drilled the bolt a little deeper, then hammered a T-hex key into the hole until felt it catch and solid up. At this point I torch heated the key as much as I dared and a little of the bolt tract, I clamped a vise-grip on the key..with a little pressure **crack** the bolt turned and I was able to turn fully out
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Carbide tipped drill bit and bolt extractor.
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Joined: Nov 2013
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From: Kansas City
No, I used the right size torx wrench. The idea of cutting a slot in it with a dremmel, then a hand impact wrench sounds like a pretty good idea with a flat blade. I have a dremmel, but need to find small diameter diamond cutting blades.