[GoneRiding]

Ok. I was changing the stator in my 98 FLSTS last night and set the torque wrench at 20 lbs on a new torque bolt. The bolt snapped off in my bike (stator area). I am going to try an easy out this evening and was wondering if there are any other ways to get the bolt out - just in case the easy out does not work. Feeling a little screwed here.

 

[Thealien]

Any shops in your area have EDM(electrical dicharge machining). Hardened bolt in an aluminum case could be difficult, good luck and I hope you easyout works.

 

[twincamzz]

left hand drill bit

There are left hand drill bits made for just this sort of thing. You have to drill a hole for the easy out anyway, right ? These cut in a counterclockwise direction , and there is a possibility that the bit will snag the bolt, causing it to loosen in the hole. If it doesn't , then you still have the hole to insert the easy out in.
You might also try to take a small center punch and drive it in the direction you want to go (CCW), out on the end of the bolt. Sometimes this helps.
Good Luck

 

[GoneRiding]

thank you.

 

[HIPPO]

Try the left hand drill bit. Be extremely careful and take your time, that's the left engine case you are dealing with.

EDM machining is a great option, but would require splitting the cases, as would most other type of machining. I'm sure you don't want to do that.

If the drill doesn't snag it, Sears has some screw extractors that sometimes work. Do not force anything, if you feel it may help take a torch and on a very low setting heat the engine case from several inches away from the bolt in little by little.

 

[hd2000fxdl]

An easy out should work. Just one bit of advice. Drill slowly and use a large enough drill, and do drill deep enough to get a good portion of the easy out in. The last thing you want to do is break the easy out in the bolt you are trying to take out. Take you time and all should go good.
Also make sure you let us know how you made out.

 

[GoneRiding]

Hey thanks for all the input on the snapped off bolt i got lucky with the large needle nose vise grips yee haa back at it

 

[twincamzz]

Awwwwright !!!!! Now maybe you really are Gone Ridin !!
Glad to hear it !!
(not saying you weren't riding before...)

 

[JFScheck]

Needle Nose Plyers, if there is enough to grap, always work. I was just going to go into my story about breaking off an "easy-out" in a busted head on a big block engine

 

[FLHP]

Since your problem came from the stator, I had a question about that too. Had a friend's bike out last weekend with the stator out. 99 FLT with around 30,000 miles on it. Anyone have any idea what the life span is on the stator? Just seem to have been a bunch of them out lately.

 

[FLHT]

When I bought my 2000 Ultra the stator had been replaced already . It had around 16,000 on it when I got it.

 

[GoneRiding]

My 98 FLSTS has 16,000 miles on it.

 

[harleyhog]

Any shops in your area have EDM(electrical dicharge machining). Hardened bolt in an aluminum case could be difficult, good luck and I hope you easyout works.

Spark Erosion we call that here. Erodes the bolt/Stud etc. away, and out by High Voltage Spark.........

Anybody in the the NW/UK do this? Would have saved me from new callipers! The localish engineering shop's stuff couldn't even Erode a Bleed nipple out!!!

 

[Nathan]

I come across snapped off bolts from time to time....and I tried this before. One the the drain screws on the front forks snapped off and it was deep down. Anyways, I used torx socket and stuck it into that small hole and pounded away.

The torx got a good enough bite and I was able to get the screw out.

Yes, I HATE torx with a passion...but I now I actually use them to get broken bolts, screws out of things.