Allen bolt heads stripped out, HELP!

[Tri-Z Pilot]

Went to take the sidecase off the tri-z to replace waterpump seal. and first off my kicker gear case has broken a little piece off around one of the bolts (pretty common I hear). Well any ways I got most of the bolts off the sidecase with a little effort, but on about 3 of the bolts I stripped the heads of the allen bolts out (almost completely round). What do I do in a case like this? The bolts are in there tighter than a mutha, and I cant get the vice grips around them. Any suggesstions would be great, my seals will be here shortly.

[TRI-Zbrian]

i dont no about the striped out allen bolts but i have a kick starter gear case in good shape that ill sell yah for 10 bucks plus shipping if you want it to replace your broken one.

[Darius1502]

Dude that sucks. I was worried about that happening with my Z too...but it did not. One thing you can try to do is get a hack saw blade or the blade and saw and try to cut a slit in the allen bolt.

You want to make it look like a regular head screw with one slot ('-'). Then make sure you get a regular blade screw driver that is wide enough to fit the entire size of the bolt. Get it on there in the slot, then get some vice grips and lock them to the handle of the screw driver.

Push the screw driver into the allen bolt slot and then turn.


You could also try hammering a regular sized screw driver (again one that just has one slot) into the rounded area. If its just larger than the indention where an allen wrench would go then it will dig into the sides. Use the vice grips to give you extra leverage to turn the screw driver.

Remember right is to tighten and left is to loosen.

Change all those screws when you are done!

Good luck...it happens to us all!

Darius

[Tri-Z Pilot]

I dont know these suckers are in there TIGHT! Whenever I would slip with the allen wrench, sparks flew. and you could see smoke rising up. I may try that slotted technique though, got any other ideas. Oh yea, Tri-Z Brian I may just need that cover so I'll get back to you on that.

[TRI-Zbrian]

yeah if you need it just pm me and we will work soemthing out.

[Beer_Smurf]

The first thing I think I would try would be "easy-out" style extractor.
Get a good one that will fit the allen socket.

or

Another option may be to drill the heads off.
Choose a drill the size of the shank of the bolt and drill till the head pops off.
Remove the case half you were trying to get off.
Then you can use a torch to heat the case and get at them with vice grips.


Now go get the best set of allens wrenches you can find (Snap-On) so you don't do this again.


Good luck.

[Tri-Z Pilot]

Will do Papa Smurf. LOL

[smokinwrench]

I would get the next larger size of allen wrench (metric or standard) that I could get driven in it. Socket style only and use a impact driver with it. If that don't work the drilling the head off method sounds damn good to me.

[Howdy]

I would get the next larger size of allen wrench (metric or standard) that I could get driven in it. Socket style only and use a impact driver with it. If that don't work the drilling the head off method sounds damn good to me.

That is exactly what I do is a case like this. 90% of the time ( for me ) a impact wrench will help to get it loose.
Howdy

[Tri-Z Pilot]

I was using t-handles, that is probably why this happened. How much does a descent impact driver, and allen socket set cost?

[Trikeaholic]

The first thing I think I would try would be "easy-out" style extractor.
Get a good one that will fit the allen socket.

or

Another option may be to drill the heads off.
Choose a drill the size of the shank of the bolt and drill till the head pops off.
Remove the case half you were trying to get off.
Then you can use a torch to heat the case and get at them with vice grips.


Now go get the best set of allens wrenches you can find (Snap-On) so you don't do this again.


Good luck.


this is the correct way to do it.

[Dirtcrasher]

Craftsman at SEARS has a new outside extractor. My buddie has a set, I had an exhaust nut as round as my eyeballs on my 69 Dynahoe Backhoe and one of these socket type extractors took it off REAL well! If you break them you get a free one!! I do like the idea of dremeling or grinding the heads off and then just dealing with a stud once the cylinder or head is off. Good luck!

[gasoline and whiskey]

I got a good impact at sears last week for 25.00, comes with extra bit's
really does the trick!

[speed20]

I'm with beer_smurf on this one...ive done that numerous times and its work great!! no problems....but make sure your drilling it straight.

[KASEY]

I have this kool set of drillout extractors,, they are designed to take out stripped screws,, they are real aggresive and turn backwards ,50% of the time they break the screw loose before they drill the head off,,,, i got them at a local tool supplier ,,they work great too,,,,,,

[TeCaTe_MaN]

a drill, a tap and some heli-coils :D

[85_ATC_110]

When a bolt gets stripped out on me, I take my dremel and cut the head into a square and used a socket wrench on it. You'll have to get new bolts after that though.

[Tri-Z Pilot]

Thanks for the replies everybody. As it would turn out my dad had some e-z outs in his old work tool box, gave it a try and the bolts came out like a hot knife goes through butter.