I have managed to shear the bolt that attaches the shock to the suspension linkage on my 2004 Enduro. The obvious solution is to drill the bolt out, but according to Specialized, there are no more linkages in stock for that model bike so if I slip, I've screwed my bike.
Can anyone suggest how best to approach the job, or the likely cost if an engineering shop or LBS has a go at it?
I'm not really familier with the frame any chance you can post a picture to give us a beter idea of the problem?
Details on how to post pic are [url= http://singletrackworld.com/forum-help/ ]here[/url] if you have never done it before.
So do you mean you have no nut left on the bolt. If so you can use a bolt extractor - dont take it to your LBS, take it to a machine shop.
You need to screw in a quality extractor and make sure it goes in stright, which is very hard with a hand drill.
If you cant get the bolt out then i;d suggest speaking to BETD about your bike, they have some real nice after market Suspension linakges for spesh's.
Here's the best pic that I can find:
[img] http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTRgTzZvi6bha9v1BtlSVsoGiIvu7N6QjyukFnBNShER_knzJhb_wBJ-RsLZA [/img]
The M6 bolt that locates the shock has sheared just below the bolt head, I have about 2" of bolt still threaded in the rocker link which I need to remove. It's looking a lot like me finding a machine shop somewhere.
Oooh thats a bugger!
Did you shear the head off when trying to undo the bolt or did it just shear off?
If the head just sheared then the threads hopefully arent seized, so the remaining bit should just screw out. You could try drilling the exposed end of the threaded bit and screw a bolt or similar into it, as it bites the bolt in the linkage should start to unscrew.
Or if youre careful you could get a hacksaw and go through the shock mounting bush as close as you dare to the shock iteslf and cut the bolt off, then you can remove the shock. There should still be enough bolt remaining to get a pair of molegrips on it and unscrew it that way.
An easy out may work, some thing like this
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5-PIECE-DAMAGED-BOLT-SCREW-STUD-EXTRACTOR-REMOVER-EASY-OUT-/260885652248?pt=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item3cbdff2318
you dril a pilot hole in the centre of the damaged bolt then tap the easdy out into it, it has a reverse tread so as you tighten it into the broken bolt the bolt should begin to come out of the rocker link.
Thanks chaps. It was a classic JRA, I didn't realise that there was a problem until I was lifting my bike onto the train (after riding down two flights of concrete steps not two minutes beforehand). I assumed that it was a loose bolt or worn bushings until I tried to tighten the bolt and it came apart.
Anyone have any idea how much it would cost a machine shop to put it right?
If they seem like a friendly buch of chaps i'd go armed with biscuits and a box of beer. with the correct tools it should only be a matter of minutes to remove it. It will definately help if you have your bike stripped down so they can easily move it about if they want to use a pillar drill or similar.
you really want to use an extractor like this:
[url= http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=all&item_ID=10523&group_ID=1262&store=&dir=catalog ]Snap On Extractor[/url]
or even better these:
[url= http://toolmonger.com/2007/01/16/reader-find-ridgids-screw-extractor-sets/ ]RIGID Extractor[/url]
The easy out extractors tend to expand the bolt as the go in increasing it's grip in the hole, so I've only found them good for large strong bolts or bolts which are locked up.