[Closed] Removing cleats that haven't moved for a decade

drill them out

Out of interest what shoes are these that have lasted ten years? I've never had more then 3 years out a pair.

Jez

I had this problem - once I'd destroyed the socket in the cleat bolts I had to resort to drilling them out. It worked pretty well, I now lubricate my cleat bolts and clean my shoes properly to stop it happening again.

If you haven't completely destroyed yours, try getting a longer lever arm on your Allen key.

Note, don't try picking up your drilled out bolt too fast, it gets damn hot!

Cant remember the exact model, but they're shimano's all-leather, gore lined, neoprene ankled (DH?) boots. Still going strong, but dont get a vast amount of use to be fair, just average.

Much akin to these, but imagine a red and black pair from around the turn of the millenium.
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Yep drill and Molegrips required....pretty easy really

assuming you can get the plate out from inside the shoe - drilling the heads off the bolts will be fairly easy.

ive got a pair of boots that the plate doesnt come out. If thats the case and the threaded part of the bolt remains stuck, a really small easyout may do it or use the 2nd holes? buy new booties 🙁

I'll investigate in greater depth later, not sure it has removable plates or spare holes - only time will tell!

use a small cooks blow torch just on the bolt head, shifted mine on some old lakes

Re-install with a dab of copper slip.

With those style of shimanos you can usually lift the foot bed and there will be a slot over the cleat plate which you can lift (prod from underside with screwdriver if necessary) and replace the plate.

I used WD40 then an Impact Driver on mine of a similar age.

Came straight out! 🙂

I drilled out the bolts on mine when this happened to me. I put the nice new cleats on and then next ride out I ripped the sole right off the shoe - my shoes hadn't survived 15 years being unused very well

Top tip.
Tighten the bolt first to break the rust and then you should be able to undo the bolt without mashing the head.

bigyinn - how does tightening it differ from undoing it (assuming any exposed threaded tip isnt rusted/causing the problem)? Surely you're just as likely to damage the head, if not more?

sound like SH-D100's to me.
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cracking boots, but not gore-lined?

CK
Because you wont damage the bolt contact faces needed to undo the bolt. And because it now moves you wont damage the contact faces undoing it if that makes sense?
The key thing is to break the rust seal.

Try using a dot punch and a hammer and tap the bolt in an anti-clockwise direction. Failing that drill the middle of the bolt with a small hole and use a stud extractor to screw it out. (I think you can get them small enough)

smiffy - thats the ones, not gore lined, my mistake. Great boots, always dry warm feet.

bigyinn - didn't work on both boots unfortunately, certainly did on the first though it didnt damage the "do" faces any more than would have been usable on the "undo" faces, enough force was needed on the second boot that the whole socket went circular in one go before the rust seal broke. Got it in the lab to drill out as we speak!

WD40 isn't really for this job. You need Plusgas.
I managed same by using a hacksaw to put a decent slot across the bolt heads and then using a BIG screwdriver to shift bolts. Worked twice for me. Copperslip new ones.

I don't see how getting to plate in shoe helps? Surely there is sole material between the plate and cleat, otherwise what stops em just falling off the boot?

But what do I know?