Rounded allen bolt - tips needed!

Anyone???????

Drill them out?

so the whole heads have fallen off? nothing for say one of these to grip on to?

http://www.screwfix.com/p/screw-extractor-set/18643?cm_mmc=GoogleBase-_-Datafeed-_-Drill%2520Bits-_-Screw%2520Extractor%2520Set

sounds like drill is your only option, be careful with the threads though (possible?)

Screw extractors need to be treated with caution. General advice I've seen from people restoring old cars and the like is to avoid them as when they break in use it makes the initial problem very much worse.

I've solve a similar problem before. Fecking tricky though. I drilled 2 tiny hole in the bolt. Hammered small nails into these. Place a thin screw driver side ways between them and try to twist and unthread the bolt. If its seized even slightly, this wont work.

Not entirely relevant to things stuck in alloy or in delicate bike parts, but there are some useful ideas buried away in this:

http://www.thebugshop.org/bsfqtool.htm

thanks a lot guys going to try this tomorrow ill probably be back on here for more help haha

So brand new set of campagnolo record pista cranksets. Install. Everyhting fine put on dust caps screw tight, one extra turn for because didnt look completely flush and it rounded in one second- completely. Incredible thing managed to do the same thing with the other side. Would like to check if those cranks are one up tight enough before i ride them but cant get these stupid campag dust caps off. The metal was soft as butter, no warning or mention of this in the instructions. never rounded a screw in my life. Tried the glued allen key didnt work. Cannot saw a slot because they are more or less flush.
Help please.

I have a screw extractor that doesn't break, BOA it think is the maker.

Shit Big R,

Did you buy the cranks from a shop local, if so I would be right back there avec bike.

What size are the dust caps ? Any idea what they are made from ?

Dremel a slot gently... flat-head screwdriver and gently prize out with a light mallet ?

Col,
Nah I bought them from a bike shop on the internet, they are speaking with the campag warranty ppl but its taking a while.
The dust caps are aluminium with a 5mm slot and the hole is really shallow so it literally rounded with one turn, the allen key was steel i guess.
The campag caps are 21mm diameter. Pretty annoying there was no mention of their delicacy in the instructions.
I could try this dremel idea. I guess that is maybe the next step, but i dont have that tool and it sounds a little hectic.

^^^ take a junior hacksaw blade (for metal) out of the saw (or spares), if its too big to fit the end of the blade into the 5mm allen bolt hole then just file the back of the blade down a bit, you want a bit of movement.
Then get sawing! you'll only have a few mm to move the thing and it could take 20 painful finger chewing minutes to get a slot made. Your aiming to make a slot opposite each other so that you can get a jumbo screwdriver (or other tool) into the cap and remove it. You won't hurt the cranks unless as the end of the blade will only be ramming into the front of the crank bolt head (can't hurt it). But would cover rest of crank in masking tape/ duck tape to protect it from scratchs just incase of butter fingered moments.

Good luck! I Had same thing happen with a crap chromed shimano dust cap, took a lot of cursing to get it out via that method, but worked and didn't hurt crank.

First off try a torx tool, and use one slightly too big (I think a no 40) and tap it into the rounded allen key hole and use it to turn the cap. That will almost certainly get the cap out, then replace the bolt with an allen key bolt with integral dust caps (as per the earlier strada cranks with the square taper BB).The pista caps are neat but fecking hopeless. Keep them fresh for when you want to sell the cranks on!

thanks for the help guys! Yeah i the end i used a dremmel and cut the slots, hacksaw blade sounds a cheaper idea as the cost 50 euros which im pretty pissed off about, i cant beleive how shit the campag dust caps were. Anyway done and now without dustcaps but cranks are secured nice and tight! cheers

cool, and as adroit says, the allen key bolts with integral dust cap... just the jobbie

(Actually need a couple myself.)

cool, and as adroit says, the allen key bolts with integral dust cap... just the jobbie

(Actually need a couple myself.)

+1 for those "self extracting" bolts. if you can't find campy ones then the TA ones are pretty- I think Spa carry then, or St John street too.

I've never tried the hacksaw trick to remove rounded bolts, I always tap a centre punch into the bolt to make a groove then knock it round with that

Help needed!

Building up a new (to me) Swift Ultravox frame, and previous owner has rounded off the "internal-gear cable-access hatch" under the bottom bracket.

Tried tynan's epoxy tip but it didn't work- something to do the tiny size of the 2mm heads?

Had a quick try at drilling down, but either my drill bits are shit, or the bolts are titanium, but they didn't to a thing..... any suggestions?

They are only holding on a plastic guard, which will give access to route the gear cables. I guess I could just break that? then work out a later solution?

http://s13.photobucket.com/user/punkrockpete/media/DSC_0446.jpg.html

Get a Dremel* with a thin cutting tool and cut slots in the heads of the bolts. Then use a flat ended screwdriver (impact if possible) to undo the bolts. Replace bolts.

• If you don't have a Dremel, buy one. Everyone should have one.
  

A bit of effort required: Get a left threaded drill bit and a pillar drill, line up and drill. It should come out. Failing that then get a broken bolt/screw extractor bit to remove it.

much easier (and doesn't prevent any of the more involved techniques) is the bashing in of a torx bit. I have removed a tonne of rounded screw heads using a slightly bigger torx tool driver tapped in with a hammer
Those screws^^ won't be all that tight, and easy enough to get out when the torx screws get some traction

My experience of screw extractors (one success, four failures) is that all too often they shear, leaving you with the delights of drilling out the hardened tool steel stud extractor along with the bolt. This is particularly a problem with very small bolts, as there's very little of the stud extractor to take the loads involved. It might work if the bolts are rounded but not seized, but I wouldn't take that risk.

As for the effort involved, the effort in getting a pillar drill (for those who don't already have one) is not inconsiderable.

Lamping in a torx driver might well work, but personally I'd be a bit wary of doing that when there's a carbon frame on the other end. It may well be fine, but I wouldn't fancy it myself.

^^ <<
I'll second that. A generic 'dremel' and a box of mini cutting disks is invaluable and inexpensive.

I rounded the bolt on my seat post clamp, was using a torque wrench so not sure how. It's one of these

I don't think the bolt is stuck, the head is just rounded.

Have tried using epoxy (araldite, evostick metal epoxy) to attach a disposable allen wrench to it for removal but it doesn't seem to stick well. Not sure why.

Should I try solder next?

I have a power drill so could try drilling out the bolt but am a bit of a novice & don't have anything to hold the frame with. Is it an easy job or am I going to damage the seat post clamp (not a huge issue) or frame (seriously bad) if I'm a bit cack handed. Do I need special drill bits?

I could get a dremel to make a horizontal cut in the head & use a screwdriver to remove, but can I check if there will be an appropriate cutting tool, as the bolt head is semi recessed and might be difficult to get at.

Thanks for any tips!

I did exactly the same on one of those Thomson clamps, I just cut the bolt wuth a junior hacksaw if you take your time there is enough room to do it without cutting into anything else