Mechanics and Fixing Any Questions Answered

@Pifko that’s kind of what I was thinking. My optimism around getting them in a good state out are pretty low as I’m worried that the screw and thread are bonded by rust/corrosion. So I think that could be an option.

@Ndeipi that’s very kind of you to offer. I think that could be a good port of call before researching more into drilling.

Thanks all for your suggestions - as always, much appreciated.

For extra purchase try a rubber band between the bolt and the hex key. It's surprisingly effective.

It doesn’t look too bad to be honest, it’s not that badly rounded. I would focus on breaking the bond before trying to get it out.

Firstly get a screwdriver/bolt/something metal on the head and give it a sharp tap/loads of taps with a small hammer (not so hard that you do any damage to anything). That should shock the bolt and help break any corrosion bond in the thread. Then get some penetrating fluid down to the thread, plusgas is really good. Leave that to soak in for a bit.

That should help free it off.

The bolt head aspect, it looks corroded so much that the allen key isn’t going in the hole fully. You can usually clean it out with the rounded end of an Allen key but you don’t usually get that on a 2mm key. So try scratching out as much of the corrosion as much as possible with a pin or anything you can get in there. You should find you can get the key in much further and maybe able to undo the bolt by now.

If it’s still not coming out and the head is properly rounded you can fill the hole with lapping paste and that will give you a bit more of a go. Failing that you could try epoxying a nut on there to try and undo it.

Or get a soldering iron on it to get some heat in there. I wouldn’t recommend that though only if you’re desperate.

What do you need to get this off for though?

@Dogtemple Basically, my lbs said he couldn't get the internal cable routing done bc he couldn't take the hoods off. My rationale for taking them off right this moment is that it will probably only get worse with time and even harder to get off haha. I also generally hate things being stuck.

I've soaked bolt and creases with WD40 over the weekend and will give it another proper go today, I also just moved, meaning i've now got access to my proper tools again which will no doubt increase my chances of success.

Failing that, I'll try the epoxy route. Failing that, I'll try grabbits.

Thank you all, I'll keep you updated!

Ok cool, just keep in mind that wd40 is not a penetrating oil and won’t be loosening this up. Wd40 make a penetrating oil but regular wd40 will be doing very little to help here.

Anyone got a good source (& cheap?) for a few thin shims for a threadless headset? Or anyone have a couple spare they'd be willing to sell and stick in the post?

SJS sell em.

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/headsets/hope-headset-shim-black-04mm-hs127/

They are the kinda thing you wanna be ordering along with something else though so the postage doesn’t make em so much.

@Pifko @Dogtemple @Lolo @Ndeipi

Hey guys, just wanted to give you a quick update. So I was going at the internal cable guide with a really fine, small saw, basically cutting into it in order to get to the bolt better. Slowly started to get there and pulled off parts of the parts of the guide using pliers until finally I freed the screw. Tried a number of different avenues amongst others, torx, sawing a straight line into the bolt in order use a flathead, tried grabbing it with some pliers and turning. Anyway, the head totally came off so now I've got a rounded bolt stuck in there, so I'll just epoxy a new cable guide on top. Obviously not as great an outcome as getting the whole bolt coming out but all in all I'm actually quite happy with the result. Thanks for all your help and for anyone stuck with a similar problem - godspeed.

Epoxy will make it permanent. I would just leave it in there without a bolt or retention. As someone said before, cable tension will hold it securely in place

Oh fair, thanks for the advice!

Glue from a hot glue gun is a good compromise - sturdy but removable with some levering. Just don't use heaps.

LBS should have a bunch. I'd post, but not in UK anymore

Have a planet X pro carbon in with downtube cable guides that are lose. The old rivets were easily drilled out but my problem is that I can't get the rivet gun tight enough into the frame past the mount to operate.

Has anyone got any ideas of rivet tools with a small head or extension bars to allow clearance?

Looking to install a Cane Creek Forty Series 1" Threadless Headset EC30. Do I need also need a Cane Creek "Cup Installation Tool", or would any headset press tool work just fine?

Any will work fine

BMX question:
What do I do to get this rear wheel off?
The “cup” makes it so I can’t get the chain off the hub (usually I just put it on the seatstay and pull the wheel out.)

Any input very much appreciated, trying to swap tires.

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Derail the chain from the ring at the front then remove the wheel, unthread the nut entirely, remove hubguard, remove chain?

Take the chain off the cranks?

Thanks!

Chain is off the cranks but too short to let me slide the wheel off to then remove the hubguard - I’m new to BMX so trying to learn.

Chain is a halflink Cult one - seems great except its length (so no quick link)

If you slide the chain off the outside rather than the inside you should have all the slack in the world to take the wheel out

WD40 = basically shite, hasn't got a lot of uses, but lots of people buy it!

If you want a penetrating oil that literally pays for itself time and again, Kano Kroil, even PB Blaster from USA if you can find it. Or make your own, acetone + auto gearbox oil basically.

Kroil works out around £25 a can. It probably earns me a few hundred per can in the number of things it removes quickly and without me loosing my sanity (worth £25). In the USA its more like £10-14 a can, but import duties yo. Worth it.

Then follow what everyone else has said, having very good allen's helps too, Wera ones are slightly oversize in the corners to help with bite, PB allen's are perfect sized and made from very high quality metal, park tools are shite since around 2009, or tap a decent Wera/Wiha torx into it and work back and forth until free*

*After leaving for 24 hours soaked in Kroil.

WD40 = basically shite, hasn't got a lot of uses, but lots of people buy it!

It smells nice.

Yeah I tried that but this bashguard is in the way, and there’s not enough slack in the chain to get it over to the outer side.

Think I’ll just remove the crank arm to be honest - BMXes are weird :)

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Why not break the chain?

And get a proper one with one half link if needed.