R6 rotor bolt repair

[freezer16801]

ok, I bought an R6 wheel for a spare that came with the wrong sized rotors for $100 on fleabay. My intentions were to sell the rotors for a few bucks, so I could get the wheel for real cheap.

The wheel had four stripped rotor bolts on one side. I was able to pound a standard sized allen into one of the bolts and remove that one. I drilled the tops off of the other bolts and removed the rotor. Typically, there isn't much holding the bolt on once the part is removed. I usually use vice grips on the explosed bolt material, but they must've used red llocktite on the threads or something. I did apply PB blaster and heat with a propane torch to loosen the locktite, but that didn't help

I was able to extract one more of the bolts.

I tried to drill another out with a cordless drill. I couldn't get the damn thing to extract at all till there was basically none of the bolt left. I was going to retap the hole and helicoil it, but I think the hole is too large now for right sized rotor bolt.

Does anyone have any methods of how to repair this? I was thinking of tapping and helicoiling the hole and running a larger bolt in it, cutting off that bolt and drilling that bolt out to fit a rotor bolt.

I still have one more rotor bolt to attempt that still has the undrilled bolts inside. I am going to wait until I get some new bits and some more balls before I attempt it.

[jcctx]

With out a picture, only thing I could think that might work would be an EZout. It's like a drill bit but the thread is in reverse. You punch it in then turn it. Ive used it to get out all sorts of bolts on AC before.

[freezer16801]

I tried EZ out, I called it an extractor. EZ out is a brand name for extractor bits, kinda like velcro is a brand name for hook and loop fasteners. I used the recomended sized drill bit and the EZ out wouldn't turn anything. It actually chewed the hole larger than the bit.

thanks for the advise, keep it coming. I can post a pic when I get home.

[freezer16801]

here is a photo of the bolt hole that I tried to tap and helicoil

here is a photo of the bolt that I haven't messed with much yet

[racejmac]

with the first hole, you may be able to use a pick and get out the piece that is in there... I'd steer away from a helicoil, go with a keen cert or time cert... the hole is small enough to do any of the three... Helicoil is cheaper...

As for the last one... The issue is dis similar metals and corrosion... the corrosion is bonding the bolt much like loctite but worse... get a good die grinder bit and take off the broken top portion and grind it flat... that way you can use a center punch and drill the bolt dead center... use several sizes to step your way up and then use that pick to pick out the thread portions... It's a pain but really the only way when a bolt seizes... extractors work great but not in this case... I've snapped extractors and they are case hardened... drilling them is like drilling a tap... even bigger pain...

[freezer16801]

ok, good advice. I don't know what a keen cert or a time cert is. Someone else also recommended to weld the enlargened hole shut. Would you do that?

[08hyper]

If you ever have a valuable piece of aluminum with a broken steel stud, and can't get it out with regular means, there are companies that can disintegrate the steel out using a mini carbon arc, removes the broken stud without damaging the aluminum, the company I use is called Tap-X Aloha Alex

PS: If the hole is damaged I'd use a time cert.

[racejmac]

can't weld aluminum when there is still steel in the hole...

[hyp08]

Have you considered spark erosion?
I have seen repairs done using this method, on dissimilar metals and the results are very good.
Just my 2 cents worth.

[freezer16801]

boy, time sert kits are expensive. I am going to take the wheel to a machine shop to help out before I do too much damage that the wheel will be unusable. At this point, I don't have the right tools to do the job right.

I gotta get me a welder and take a course one of these days!