Tapping question

[Headsup]

Ok so my exhaust bolt broke off and i need to cut it and drill and tap i got the #7 drill bit thats for my tap.

No how do i do it, Never done it before.
Just drill a hole then send the tap on threw?
here is a pic of my exhaust snappage



tryign to cut the bolt even with the head there so i can send the bit in it to tap it?

[HONDA_ATC_FREAK]

Ask dirtcrasher this is his specialty, he removes the existing studs and replaces them with stainless steel I believe. If you decide you don't want to mess with it he can do it.

[Headsup]

Link to his profile maybe??
Idk how to begin waiting for some advice first.
Hard to hack off the ed of the bolt on the upper exhaust bolt.. using a haxsaw blade.

[HONDA_ATC_FREAK]

here ya go just PM him and he will get back to youhttp://www.3wheelerworld.com/member.php?406-Dirtcrasher

[tri again]

yeah, take a deep breath and wait for stories with experience
behind them.
No sense in making it worse.

I am NOT recommending this, but to keep you occupied while waiting for
better info,
I usually walk around all my stuff once a month with pb or liq wrench and hit all the hot spots,
exh studs, front axle bolts, swing arm locknuts etc.
I guess people also heat stuff up to boil penetrant down in the threads.
Some use nail polish remover or acetone and atf.
See where I'm heading with this? It really IS rocket science.

Warm head to expand and liq nitrogen to shrink the bolt? or that freeze wart remover stuff.

Sometimes a left handed drill bit is better than an ez out.
It might just bite and spin the sucker out and you're done before you start.
EZ outs are tapered and never made sense to me, in that sense.
If (and when) they do break, remember they are hardened steel and
impossible to drill out.

We had some guy, actually in aerospace, who had some set up to
melt or vaporize, or electrolysis steel out of aluminum .

But he WAS working on priceless parts.

Welp? I guess I'll post this and hope someone has come up with a
perfect answer for you in the time I've been blabbing.

HA! I have one on deck that needs 2 studs too but I'm
also too smart to take my own advice.

Good luck

[Headsup]

Thanks going to coles to see if they have anything that might help, I am going to try and get some liq nit, or wart remover to try and spray on teh Bold end, This sucker is corroded, I will use acetone nail polish remover and soak it and wire brush it and try turnign it again.. I doubt it though,, Not sure what to do if i cannot get it out or re tap it myself..
Maybe look for a top cylander with good exhaust bolts? idk
Thanks for advice though, Keep it rolling. going to soak it now and run to coles, Brb with a reply.,

Was thinkin gi should have never took it off to sand and respray the exhaust, But i think it was leaking anyway, Or it was already snapped just corroded over so it didnt fall off. It didnt take near anything to break it.. Leads me to think it was already snapped.
idk,

[tri again]

Thanks going to coles to see if they have anything that might help, I am going to try and get some liq nit, or wart remover to try and spray on teh Bold end, This sucker is corroded, I will use acetone nail polish remover and soak it and wire brush it and try turnign it again.. I doubt it though,, Not sure what to do if i cannot get it out or re tap it myself..
Maybe look for a top cylander with good exhaust bolts? idk
Thanks for advice though, Keep it rolling. going to soak it now and run to coles, Brb with a reply.,

Was thinkin gi should have never took it off to sand and respray the exhaust, But i think it was leaking anyway, Or it was already snapped just corroded over so it didnt fall off. It didnt take near anything to break it.. Leads me to think it was already snapped.
idk,

see? you missed my 'don't try this at home' disclaimer.
They are just ideas I found when I used the search key for
broken studs.
I mean, some have even suggested ultrasound and
vibration/tapping to force penetrant into the threads.

There is also info about using dc current and acids like lemon juice or vinegar
to dissolve the aluminum oxide that is created around the threads.
If you think of the 'sacrificial anode' used on boats, they dissolve over time
to take the electrolysis away from the boat itself.

I'm not sure which electrode + or - goes to which part but I'm sure someone does.
The periodic table of the elements will tell us the net charge of aluminum
and an oxide is usually a ++ charge so the negative terminal
would want to be the one to drive the ++ away.



I'd really wait to see what DC has to say.
and gives me an excuse to NOT fool with mine either.

[Headsup]

Well i got the bottom one tapped out. Ready for a bolt, Just the top one there is no room to cut it off.. Im taking little bits at around half inch at a time with a haxsaw blade, Just hoping i can get this other one cut off..

[Headsup]

man ol man, Drilling down there a bolt is not the easies thing, When i just bought my drill bit, it slammed there the first side, After that on this 2nd one, It just doesnt seem to want to go anywhere, I can push on the drill as hard as i can, nothing, Just sits there and spins, Freaking just bought that ((censored, lol))!! Brand new. Colses said they have one more.. Figures they would have just 2.. Should i go get the other one? and use that new bit on the top side?

The tapper i got sucks a bit.. But the bolt i bought screws right in there tight. Hoping to drill this other one out pop my old copper gasket out, Get a new one and throw exhaust back on.. Wish me luck!.

You think coles hardware would have the copper washer i need? Or ebay or something? Thanks guys, this is grueling.

[El Camexican]

I love posts like this. Of all the things you don't want to start "learning" on this near the top of the list. It's not hard, but it is tedious and there is no room for error. If you do this yourself, good for you, but if you farm it out there is no shame.

So, if you must be a doityourselfer (as it seems you are) what is with the "special" drill bit/hacksaw stuff? You never start with the pre-tapping sized drill bit and you never want to shorten that stud if you don't have to. If that was my head I'd flatten the stud with a Dremel, center punch it (once you have it centered, beat it hard a few more times to lossen it) Heat it red hot (just the stud, keep the flame away from the head) The idea is to make the stud "swell" in the tight head and then break free when it shrinks back to size (Do NOT put the head in water to enhance this or you could warp it. That should make the stud a little easier to drill as well as maybe free it up. Start with a small bit, like 1/16" and slowly drill taking care to pull the bit out to remove shavings which could break the bit. Then take the smallest easy-out you can find, determine what size hole it will need to go in at least 3 turns easily and re-drill with that size of bit. Use the easy-out try to remove the stud. If it wont go then drill in all the way with a 1/8" bit and again with the "special" bit that is recomended for your tap size. If you don't know how to use a tap be VERY careful, 1/2 turn in, 1/4 turn back, 1/2 turn in, 1/4 turn back or less if too much resistance is felt and lots of cutting fluid or oil. One last thing. After the beating with the punch and heading/cooling is done try turning the stud with a pair of good Visegrips before you start drilling, as you may luck out and be able to spin it out at this point. If you can get a good enough grip on it try tightening it slightly before trying to remove it.

Good luck.

[Thorpe]

I guess I just wouldnt have broken the stud! (jk) I found using a dremel, and cutting one side off the old rusty nuts, makes them come off with out effort... (Too little too late now...) But especially on old exhaust... (idea for future trikes)

[fabiodriven]

On the one hand there is no better way to learn than by just attacking it.

On the other hand, these trikes and parts are getting fewer and fewer and I'm thinking this project may end up botched just judging by what I've seen thus far. Don't get me wrong, I hope you get it right, but hand-drilling a steel stud surrounded by aluminum successfully is a chore to say the least. You are not going about this project the right way, but if it comes out right that's all that matters.

[Dirtcrasher]

Good luck, usually you don't line up 100% and you get half the stud out or 25% remains. That snaps drills and ESPECIALLY taps off very easy. #7 is for 1/4 20 or it may also be for 6mm x 1.0 which is only .014 thousands smaller; So, if there 6MM, your good. The reason I helicoil these things is as follow: I get to use a much larger drill bit than the original "tap" drill bit, so if I am off a few degrees, I'm good, all the stud and aluminum go bye bye. Take the 350X head as an example. If my mill head is trammed in to "0" thousandths, then I have one axis perfect as it bolts the gasket surface to my angle plate. Now the other angle is a crap shoot, unless there is something nearby that you can indicate in and make sure your at the same degree, your right back to possibly being off a few degrees, Eye-ing it is not good enough. So by using a larger bit and helicoiling it, I can get away with being off a hair here or there.........

If your gonna drill that by hand, have a ball. Have a friend tell you "up/down or side/side" to approximate the angle. Dremel it flush, center punch it, center drill it and then use a small drill bit till it gets thru the stud with plenty of oil. Then move up to #7, then snap off your tap

[Headsup]

Yea I know u guys Are going to be "i told you so"
I it up, Sorta upsetting But.
The hole i drilled, The new stubs i got for it just pop out when i go to tighten the nuts on it.

Just would you think i could Go to my local Machine Shop and have them Weld the studs i got in the holes i drilled? Lol

Thinking about saving for another Jug like that, But i really dont want to have To do that, Any ideas? Or just I told ya so?

[Dirtcrasher]

HELICOIL THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You used the wrong drill bit or tap or ovalled out the hole......