Broken bolt in swingarm

[redmanrandyed]

I have just installed the 13 tooth front sprocket and love the difference it makes in the tight stuff. Thanks for the advice!!! ?

The darn chain adjustment bolt in the swingarm broke off although. It just seized up and broke off. We tried vise grips, hammer and chisel, heating up the swingarm with a torch, and easy outs. We eventually broke off an easy out trying to turn the da#$ thing out. It is in there good.

Any ideas of what to try next short of drilling it out and re-tapping? Can this even be done with aluminum? Anyone had this problem before on the BRP?

I did not want this to stop me from riding that day so i just used a socket and some duct tape.....that did the trick but I want this thing fixed right. Any ideas?

Thanks in advance

Redmanrandyed

[redrider650r]

hey redman,

I had the same exact thing happen to me a couple weeks ago. Started to drill it out, tried the eazy-out and broke it off inside the bolt. So, I shaved the bolt flush with the swingarm and drilled a new whole right underneath the one that was there, seems to work, haven't riden much with it like that though, so dont know if that will hurt or not. I think I posted this a couple weeks ago too, so there might be more info. Good Luck!!!

[drex]

Unfortunately this is a common mishap with the XR650R. Has to do with different metal types, bolt vs. swingarm. Good info about it at http://www.xr650r.us.

Mine is seized but I haven't yet broken off the bolt. First flat tire I'll have to. Excellent article in Dirt Rider last month about seized / broken bolts.

Good luck! Let us know what you do.

Dan in So. Cal.

[CJPilot]

Funny, I thought I was the only one who's had this problem! I snapped both of mine off two months ago, then proceeded to fill them with hardened steel ez-outs. Metal disentigration is the only way to get them out. I found a specialty shop that had one of these machines they removed the bolts without harming the aluminum around them. Pretty trick setup, but it cost me $140. ? No machine shop would touch it after I broke the ez outs off in there and one of the places said this was the only way to get it out without screwing anything up. I had it done at The Hole Shoppe in Signal Hill, CA. I forget what the exact technical term for the procedure was......electronic metal disentigration or something like that. Expensive but, I was out of ideas. I'm a firm believer in anti-sieze now! cheap insurance, I did almost every bolt on the bike!

Good luck,

D

[loufish]

This is a problem for quite a few other bikes also...

The term for the electronic removel of broken bolts/taps is EDM, Electronic Discharge Machineing....It uses a piece of graphite to "burn" thru metal, any metal, no matter how hard it may be!

http://www.polcraft.com/edm2.htm

This is a quick explain.

[redmanrandyed]

Guys,

Thanks for taking the time to reply to this and for helping me out. Thanks for the info on EDM, I did not think of that! My bro. works at a shop where they have a couple EDM's. I will have him work on it for me!

I too will definatley use anti seize on pretty much every bolt!!!

The bolt breaking off was a big bummer as we were just getting ready to go riding. I took the day off, the weather was beautiful and I needed to get out on some trails in a big way. Thanks to my calm and collective nephew and bro., we made it work. Nothing like a little million mile an hour tape. Duct tape saved the day!!!

I was surprised to hear that this was a common problem. I was mad at myself for breaking the bolt.

Thanks again guys, ?

Redmanrandyed