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Stripped Hex Head - How do I get it out?

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Jammin

Jammin

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I got me some new wheels! This sexy DRZ. Rich's old bike. Poor thing has been sitting for 2 years and the carb needs a deep clean. Just took delivery of the bike and see that one of the seat bolts has a problem:

The hex head has been stripped - how do I get it out?

i-NNDJjFM-L.jpg


I thought initially about drilling a small hole (slow going) then putting a self-tapping sheet metal screw? Not sure that's going to work. Welding might be another idea but she's not running well now and not sure I could ride her to a shop, also don't have a trailer. Ideas?

i-PHhpG5n-XL.jpg
 
left hand drill bit 1/4" that should be a 6mm fastener. So the left hand bit will either back out the fastener, or remove the head leaving you the fastener body you can remove with pliers
 
Oh, and replace those reduced size drive socket head cap screw with a standard head cap screw or a reduced drive size hex head screw as found commonly on Japanese motorcycles.
The reduced drive size button heads or tapered head like you have there are commonly rounded out after they get just a bit of corrosion or use of thread lock.
SS fasteners make these issues worse due to the softer material than a more standard black oxide or cad plated
 
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Great, thanks for that, Eric. Will try that.

Yeah, going to replace these bolts with standard hex heads.
 
Might be able to hammer a torx bit in there also and use a hand impact to remove it also.
 
E.Marquez said:
Oh, and replace those reduced size drive socket head cap screw with a standard head cap screw or a reduced drive size hex head screw as found commonly on Japanese motorcycles.
The reduced drive size button heads or tapered head like you have there are commonly rounded out after they get just a bit of corrosion or use of thread lock.
SS fasteners make these issues worse due to the softer material than a more standard black oxide or cad plated
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Sears Craftsman has one also that would help. Think they were $10 and have three extractors in the little red case.
 
I got it out! Hammered this square bit that came in my drill bit case (what's this used for?) and then slowly backed it out with the drill. Phew.

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Thanks for all the other tips.

Now onto the serious fun of cleaning this carb out.
 
Jammin said:
I got it out! Hammered this square bit that came in my drill bit case (what's this used for?) and then slowly backed it out with the drill. Phew.

i-VvhB3vZ-M.jpg


Thanks for all the other tips.

Now onto the serious fun of cleaning this carb out.
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(Just another drive, like Phillips or standard/straight slot.)
 
Campers and enclosed trailers use square bit screws. Not sure why.
 
Recently worked on a very similar predicament. Tapped in the closest sized Torx bit and that did the trick this time. Past problems have resulted in 50/50 success before resorting to drilling it out. Which I consider a last resort. Too easy to goof things up getting off alignment.

Glad you got that one out without much more drama.

Square drive: I have also seen it in very old furniture. For such a limited application, I find it odd there are sq drive bits in every set I have. I don't think I have properly used them but once.
 
mitchntx said:
Campers and enclosed trailers use square bit screws. Not sure why.
Click to expand...

hey, I have lots of these, but no camper. Well I got a Big S vise for my Big S table. You need to bring your 650 back by and we will clamp it in. I only got a 6 inch, but I figure it is an interim solution.

I am glad I got a new way to pull out stuck bolts, thanks.
 
E.Marquez said:
Oh, and replace those reduced size drive socket head cap screw with a standard head cap screw or a reduced drive size hex head screw as found commonly on Japanese motorcycles.
The reduced drive size button heads or tapered head like you have there are commonly rounded out after they get just a bit of corrosion or use of thread lock.
SS fasteners make these issues worse due to the softer material than a more standard black oxide or cad plated
Click to expand...


Agreed. Also when you put the stuff back, if you are using a stainless screw, put a little anti-seize on it. I've found even on steel subframes stainless bolts tend to gall a little. I guess its the slight difference in metals.
 
rpcraft said:
Agreed. Also when you put the stuff back, if you are using a stainless screw, put a little anti-seize on it. I've found even on steel subframes stainless bolts tend to gall a little. I guess its the slight difference in metals.
Click to expand...



You’re dead on with the Galvanic corrosion that happens because of dissimilar metals
when you need that insulation for Galvanic corrosion and vibration resistance anaerobic thread lock will address both issues.
Something like the seat bolts a drop of Loctite number 222 which is purple in color and light weight is perfect
vibration resistance and seals the thread
 
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dukey33 said:
Recently worked on a very similar predicament. Tapped in the closest sized Torx bit and that did the trick this time. Past problems have resulted in 50/50 success before resorting to drilling it out. Which I consider a last resort. Too easy to goof things up getting off alignment.



Glad you got that one out without much more drama.



Square drive: I have also seen it in very old furniture. For such a limited application, I find it odd there are sq drive bits in every set I have. I don't think I have properly used them but once.
Click to expand...



Upfront let me say if it works it wasn’t wrong
I find it so interesting that one person’s last resort is another person’s first way

For me hammering a tool into a screw to remove it would be my last resort.

But a for a fastener like that that one here already has a perfectly centered hole and you simply need to run a left hand drill bit into it seems like the right idea

Unless it’s cross threaded or physically connected somehow the left hand drill almost always reverses it out or you now have a nice hole to use an extractor in or in this case you could simply grab the remaining bit of faster and unscrew it

One of the most unfun and tedious repair jobs a mechanic or machinist has to do is dealing with somebody else’s misguided attempt to remove a broken fastener like you mentioned and off-center drill hole that’s now destroyed the threaded part of the assembly or a broken extractor or drill bit that has to be removed first

There is another kind of extractor combination drill that I picked up from all places sears though just about all the Tool manufacturers make them as well

b347e4964f22277e4f53159212ac6cf6.jpg

This style from craftsman as well as this style
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Have done wonders it removing corroded and seized carburetor fuel screws

Not something you can do by hand but in a high-quality drill press or better a mill I’ve had really good luck at saving carburetors that have stripped out or seized if you’re screwed
 
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I'm surprised no one mentioned heating up a seized fastener. I have freed more seized bolts than I can remember using a plumbers torch.
 
Texas Mud Taco said:
I'm surprised no one mentioned heating up a seized fastener. I have freed more seized bolts than I can remember using a plumbers torch.
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The plastic seat and vinyl seat pad as well as the paint and plastic side cover might not work out well for this one with heat but your point is really valid as long as it’s not a physical cross thread bolt bottomed out etc.
 
Jammin, glad you got it out. IMO, if it didn't damage tools, work piece or you made a calculated sacrifice and succeeded, you're good.

Lots of ways to skin a cat. I've done several methods in situations on the truck...bolt extractor, hammering a bit into the rounded head, spot welding a hex nut...Just depends... Glad you got it.

Now, what's up with that carb?
 
dukey33 said:
Square drive: I have also seen it in very old furniture. For such a limited application, I find it odd there are sq drive bits in every set I have. I don't think I have properly used them but once.
Click to expand...
Yeah, strange that they're part of almost every drill bit set. I'm rebuilding my tool collection and was looking for a set that would come with flat and philips bits and hex bits but oh no, hex bits come separately but instead you get flat, philips and square bits.

Monica said:
Jammin, glad you got it out. IMO, if it didn't damage tools, work piece or you made a calculated sacrifice and succeeded, you're good.

Lots of ways to skin a cat. I've done several methods in situations on the truck...bolt extractor, hammering a bit into the rounded head, spot welding a hex nut...Just depends... Glad you got it.

Now, what's up with that carb?
Click to expand...
Hah, yeah, lots of ways to do this. Had so many square bits, was ready to sacrifice one but it didn't damage it.

This carb... so this DRZ has been sitting for the past 2 years as the previous owner didn't get time to ride her and she's not running smoothly. I guess the ethanol in the fuel has gummed up all the little circuits in the carb. It fires up and idles, sort of OK, but it sputtered, coughed and died beyond half throttle, in traffic on a test ride. So that's telling me the pilot circuit might be fine, but still going to clean it up and going to pay close attention to the main jet circuit, maybe the needle jet is gummed up.
 
Jammin said:
Yeah, strange that they're part of almost every drill bit set. I'm rebuilding my tool collection and was looking for a set that would come with flat and philips bits and hex bits but oh no, hex bits come separately but instead you get flat, philips and square bits.


Hah, yeah, lots of ways to do this. Had so many square bits, was ready to sacrifice one but it didn't damage it.

This carb... so this DRZ has been sitting for the past 2 years as the previous owner didn't get time to ride her and she's not running smoothly. I guess the ethanol in the fuel has gummed up all the little circuits in the carb. It fires up and idles, sort of OK, but it sputtered, coughed and died beyond half throttle, in traffic on a test ride. So that's telling me the pilot circuit might be fine, but still going to clean it up and going to pay close attention to the main jet circuit, maybe the needle jet is gummed up.
Click to expand...

Typically the smaller stuff gets plugged up first. Carb cleaner will swell rubber, so remove the slide before spraying. Remove pilot and main jets, and the pilot fuel screw. Make sure you get the washer and o-ring out of the fuel screw cavity. Focus your attention on the fuel screw circuit and transition ports (the small holes at the base of the throat, just in front of the slide).
 
cheez said:
Square bit is called "Robertson Drive" and is popular in Canada.

http://www.robertsonscrew.com/
Click to expand...
Yes they are.
My Kreg pockethole jig uses them with the wood screws. At first I didn't like I had to keep another bit in the box, but I'm over it now.

Jammin said:
This carb... so this DRZ has been sitting for the past 2 years as the previous owner didn't get time to ride her and she's not running smoothly. I guess the ethanol in the fuel has gummed up all the little circuits in the carb. It fires up and idles, sort of OK, but it sputtered, coughed and died beyond half throttle, in traffic on a test ride. So that's telling me the pilot circuit might be fine, but still going to clean it up and going to pay close attention to the main jet circuit, maybe the needle jet is gummed up.
Click to expand...
Yeah a good carb cleaning and a new spark plug to get started. You'll know those are a fresh starting point. Grab a multimeter and check resistance on the ignition coil. It's an easy check, just find out the specs from a manual. Those three things done will narrow down possible reasons for the bike acting up. And they'll be on your maintenance schedule now. If there's still trouble you can dig in.
 
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