Was ratcheting rad back onto mounting whilst listening to radio (big mistake - lack of concentration) - over tightened and snapped bolt - broken bolt lodged tight in mounting - no prob I thought, i’ll drill it out. Except Suzuki appear to have sourced a bolt made out of TITANIUM to keep the radiator in situe. Used a drill bit designed to go through steel but it’s like trying to drill the channel tunnel with a black and decker e.g. I appear to be going nowhere.
Anyone got any drilling experience/advice - the bolt is made out of UNFEASIBLY tough metal - (very hard metals tend to be brittle and break easily - which probably explains why it snapped rather than just stripped the thread).
At the moment I am thinking FECK IT! The bolt is only for the side mounting and designed to pull the rad back a few degrees (not load bearing or anything) - instead i’ll keep it in place with a bit of wire - not pretty and a bodge etc but bike has seen 40k in all weathers, been dropped etc and ain’t gonna win any beauty contests. If the bike was newer/in better nick etc I’d pay a pro to drill it out.
Any old, even crap, screw (it’ll be one of those if it’s an original part) will embrittle at the shear plane. In English - were it broke.
You need to give it a nice starting point with a centre punch to expose the original metal, then start with a small diameter SHARP drill bit. Keep the drill speed low and speed up till you find the point where things happen. (This will be the cutting speed for the metal, but let’s not go there. Lifes too short.)
After that, just work up a mm or 1/2 mm at a time to get the size you want.
Footnote: The theory is pretty damned easy. The practice is a pain in the *rse.
Indeed…patience is reqd for this job…sometimes, the end of the snapped bolt can be driven out with a punch or grabbed by a pair of grips if enough is showing…and depending how/why it snapped. I presume you crossed the thread and it broke…in which case, as mentioned allready, you’ll need some sharp good drills and a tap/fluted easy out…depending on outcome of drilling.
A variable speed drill is a good thing to…so you can gain control and not cook the drill bit…
If you’ve never attempted this before, get it done by a workshop, being a mechanic, i know how easy it is to f8ck up!
Cheers for your advice chaps! (all excellent) - the mounting point (with the broken bolt stuck in it) is located on top of the cylinder head cover (it’s part of the casting). There’s nothing protruding to get any purchase on or to cut a slot for a screwdriver. Therefore i’ll remove the cylinder head cover and drop of it off at a local engineering firm (as advised above) where they can stick it in a vice and drill it out properly! Thanks again chaps, much appreciated.
Hi Gray C - I’m in Surrey, but I’m regularly out and about in the Greater London area - would be keen to hear about anyone that does this type of stuff both for now and the future - Cheers - Sid ;).
I live in Hornchurch and work in Bow E3, I helped solve a similar problem a while ago and I thought that if you could get it to me I might be able to help. Hmmm that reminds me Im owed a coffee or two a the BM:)
Cheers Gray C! - I’m gonna see if there’s someone that can do it in my manor - but i’ll definitely keep your offer in mind! - thanks;). I’ll buy you a coffee regardless if I see you at BM/Ace etc!Kind regards, Sid.
Cheers Stig VR - Much appreciated I may well be popping round!
P.S. That’s a great idea Oldguy! - I reckon we all know people who do stuff really well (mechanics etc) or a have a particular speciality (bespoke engineering/electrics etc.). Compiling a database of this stuff could be exceptionally useful. Perhaps you could call it ‘The Knowledge’ or something similar!
