Help with stripped bolt
 

finally got round to cleaning my clutch out today, went out to get a T handled allen key tool and set about removing the clutch spring bolts.

All was going well and then I got to the last one and found the head had been stripped (no it wasn't me it was already like this hence why I bought the correct tool in the first place)

Does anyone have any solutions to getting it out? It is the allen bit thats stripped, in other words its as good as circular inside the bolt head.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated as I'm a bit stumped as to what to do.

You don't say where you are - cos you might need someone to come round and help - seeing it is sometimes the only way to _know_ what will do the job.
Heat will often help to move something that is siezed - but you do have to have a grip of the bolt :D
Have you tried an allen bit in an impact driver ?
I've done things like saw a slot then use an impact driver, and sometimes I've found an imperial allen bit that can be persuaded to fit.

I told you they were made of pasta didnt i!! Why is it always the last one that won't come out!

I broke one and managed to drill the end off and then very carefully turn the remaining bit with a small screwdriver. It eventually came out. I replaced them with stainless ones from Nelly soon after that.

You might be able to hammer a torx bit in but be careful you dont damage the post.

When you put them back in they dont need to be tight, about 6ft/lbs if your wrench will go that low i think it is.

Rockhopper's torx trick does work. You need to carefully hammer a slighlty large torx into the rounded head.

Thanks,

I did try the torx trick earlier but seeing it posted as a suggestion I may give it another go, main problem was it didn't go in far enough, might have to hammer it a bit harder.

Last option would be to drill the head off it but my main concern would be not being able to get the rest of it out.

Just peeved that someone left it in this state in the first place, especially seeing as all the others are spot on with no sign of worn edges.

Is there room to take a file to the edge so you can get a flat tip screwdriver in it? Or even two of them so you can get a phillips head in?

If you have access to a TIG or at a push a MIG welder you can weld an M6 x 25mm bolt or similar to the head of the allen stud and then use the "new" bolt head to undo the offending allen bolt.

Best to weld the new bolt to the Allen head by short "tack" wekds so as not to put too much heat in to the clutch.

Another option is get some grips around the cap, you'll muller the cap but you should be able to twist it loose and buy another one and a bolt.

I had one snap many moons ago, ran the clutch for a while with the clutch rebuilt, it soon vibrated out

Drill the head off with a 5mm drill bit. The head, spring cap and spring will come off. There's about 5mm of thread left behind in the spring post. This usually turns out by hand, but if not, grip it with some moles and screw it out.
The torx bit works to, but you need to use an impact drive. the heads are too soft and once stripped you'll just keep tearing metal out.

Nelly, as always you're a star, I'll need to do that tommorrow now as I have half my tools at work.

I tried again with the torx method but as you pointed out it just made an ugly mess, too tight to get any progress.

Hopefully get it sussed tommorrow anyway.

Thanks again guys, as always you show why this club is so popular.