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Removing a bolt that snapped inside carbon fiber wing
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.clu...ad28c3e07e.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.clu...4a70134df0.jpg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.clu...3ab4d38a69.jpg I recently attempted to install a Seibon CF spoiler on my RCF. While the bolts that came with the Seibon were useless, the stock bolts are too long it seems. I took it on and off twice initially because after each install it had probably 1/2" to 3/4" of play vertically. I found this thread here: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rc-...r-removal.html and tried turning down the "knobs" as was mentioned...but they only go down so far. If I turn them up, then you don't get a flush install. I tried to clean the OEM bolts because, as someone had mentioned in the thread above, they had a red material (loctite?) dried up in the threads, so I spent at least an hour scraping it out from each one with a tack + exacto knife. At this point they finally started to go in a bit deeper, but it still wasn't enough. I added the two washers to each bolt, and nope...it still wasn't quite there. At this point I tried using the socket wrench on it even though I was concerned that it might be too much torque, and while 3 out of 4 finally allowed for a proper fit/install, as luck would have it, my 4th bolt snapped and now a piece of it is stuck in the spoiler. Any thoughts on how to get it out? All of the ways I'm familiar with would probably not bode well for the carbon fiber... :( |
Originally Posted by 46750
(Post 10440542)
I recently attempted to install a Seibon CF spoiler on my RCF. While the bolts that came with the Seibon were useless, the stock bolts are too long it seems. I took it on and off twice initially because after each install it had probably 1/2" to 3/4" of play vertically. I found this thread here: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rc-...r-removal.html and tried turning down the "knobs" as was mentioned...but they only go down so far. If I turn them up, then you don't get a flush install. I tried to clean the OEM bolts because, as someone had mentioned in the thread above, they had a red material (loctite?) dried up in the threads, so I spent at least an hour scraping it out from each one with a tack + exacto knife. At this point they finally started to go in a bit deeper, but it still wasn't enough. I added the two washers to each bolt, and nope...it still wasn't quite there. At this point I tried using the socket wrench on it even though I was concerned that it might be too much torque, and while 3 out of 4 finally allowed for a proper fit/install, as luck would have it, my 4th bolt snapped and now a piece of it is stuck in the spoiler. Any thoughts on how to get it out? All of the ways I'm familiar with would probably not bode well for the carbon fiber... :(
yeah i have no idea why seibon included those bolts. as well as the torx bits holding the stock wing to the mechanism strip easily where the torx bit attaches and the design leaves you no room to extract it. Luckily i had another mechanism that i had bought to have a company make me a carbon wing . do you have a photo of your problem? im having a hard time following where the problem is |
There are screw extracting kits where you drill down into the bolt and it basically threads into the broke bolt and you back it out. This would be the only way to do it without using an adhesive or tack weld, which i imagine you are trying to avoid. You can pick up extractors at Home Depot, Walmart for the sake of time. Shown below is an example of one i found on google. Over and above, it's going to be a nightmare either way unless you "get lucky" again but in the opposite direction :D
https://www.grainger.com/product/WES..._vc=IDPPLARECS |
I took the spoiler off when I got home this evening in hopes that the bolt had potentially broken in such a manner that it would allow me to grip any protrusion with a pliers and twist it out...unfortunately, it is virtually flush. I added a few photos to my first post to give you guys a better understanding of what I'm dealing with. I'm not sure if there would be a screw extractor small enough to work on this size bolt, and I'm open to any other clever solutions as well. Thanks for reading my thread and presenting some solutions!
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Take a drill bit and drill it out from the center. |
Buy a left hand drill bit and drill it out. Very small extractors like to break more than anything because they're small and very brittle metal. I have not had good luck with them. Anything smaller than M6 is really challenging to extract without something like a drill press or a mill to stabilize the part and the tool, AMHIK.
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Originally Posted by lobuxracer
(Post 10441844)
Buy a left hand drill bit and drill it out. Very small extractors like to break more than anything because they're small and very brittle metal. I have not had good luck with them. Anything smaller than M6 is really challenging to extract without something like a drill press or a mill to stabilize the part and the tool, AMHIK.
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I worked in a machine shop doing cylinder heads for a while and invariably there were two or three heads a week needing broken bolt extraction.
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Quick update to bring this thread to closure, I had initially reached out to Seibon primarily to inquire as to why they include bolts that don't really work on this particular application, and to see what their stance was on how deep the OEM bolts should thread, and they actually ended up sending me a replacement (on the condition that I cut the original one with the broken bolt in half, aka "field destroy", and provide them with photo proof). Pretty cool of them...although I'm losing out on the cost of the PPF that I'll have to have redone, I did appreciate how quickly they took care of the issue. Considering how lackluster customer service can be these days, I was really impressed by them, no arguing back and forth, just a rapid response and resolution.
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Originally Posted by 46750
(Post 10446472)
Quick update to bring this thread to closure, I had initially reached out to Seibon primarily to inquire as to why they include bolts that don't really work on this particular application, and to see what their stance was on how deep the OEM bolts should thread, and they actually ended up sending me a replacement (on the condition that I cut the original one with the broken bolt in half, aka "field destroy", and provide them with photo proof). Pretty cool of them...although I'm losing out on the cost of the PPF that I'll have to have redone, I did appreciate how quickly they took care of the issue. Considering how lackluster customer service can be these days, I was really impressed by them, no arguing back and forth, just a rapid response and resolution.
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Great to hear they stand by their products, that type of loyalty goes a long ways. Congrats on the replacement, much easier than extracting and/or drilling out that bolt :D
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Yes, I actually attempted it before they told me they would replace it, and the extraction/drilling efforts were not yielding any positive results. Sawing through the pristine carbon fiber was heartbreaking though... :cry:
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.clu...178ad1887a.jpg |
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