stripped headset bolt removal

[ivanooze]

saw a thread about how to take off a stripped bolt here from a while back but it was mentioning to use vice grips. in the case of a headset bolt, it is in line with the headset cap

-so does anyone have any ideas on how to remove a stripped headset bolt at all?

[rustychisel]

not sure I follow you, without a picture for reference, but...

turn the bike upside down and shake it?

[ivanooze]

1. the headset bolt is flush with the headset cap so i can't use vice grips to remove it.
2. the headset bolt is obviously threaded into the compression plug.

3. my idea is to drill the head of the bolt off, thus removing the headset cap and hopefully using vice grips to remove the rest of the threadings from there

[Cicli]

1. the headset bolt is flush with the headset cap so i can't use vice grips to remove it.
2. the headset bolt is obviously threaded into the compression plug.

3. my idea is to drill the head of the bolt off, thus removing the headset cap and hopefully using vice grips to remove the rest of the threadings from there

That will work and should be a piece of cake.

[ivanooze]

i was sweating bullets while drilling the screw out but i got it. now my next task is figuring out why the headset is so loose. will post a seperate thread on it

[Joxster]

Stripped headset bolt = New bike

Problem solved :beer::beer:

[SPOKE]

If the head of the bolt just has the corners of the internal hex socket rounded off you should be able to simply use an "easy -out" bit. Since the "easy-out" works by turning it in the direction to loosen the bolt it should simply spin the bolt out.

[Steve in SLO]

What Spoke said. Easy-peezy

[oliver1850]

Stripped headset bolt = New bike

Problem solved :beer::beer:

We must be related. While it's a perfectly logical answer, I'd still want to fix the old bike.

I've taken the next size larger hex wrench and ground a slight taper onto each flat surface, then gently tapped it into the damaged internal hex. I've removed fasteners as big as 17 mm thread diameter this way, so should work for most bike sized bolts.

[foo_fighter]

Torx bit would be another option.

[guyintense]

Or drill it with a left-handed drill bit. Sometimes the act of drilling and the heat generated will back the bolt out. If not you're all set to use your ez-out.