call me dumb but... [Archive]

jlang002

January 13th, 2005, 08:41 AM

i got torque happy and stripped the hex off one of the bolts on my pivot while changing out my bushings last night. i just wasn't thinking and really cranked down on it, i know i'm a retard. i'm thinking maybe i could take a dremel with a diamond disk and flatten two sides of the bold so i could get a wrench on there? or maybe just drill the bolt out, but i don't have a spare bushing if i damage it? it's a gary fisher sugar 3+ and the pivot is the one that attaches the sybil link to the frame....any suggestions for stupid?

riderx

January 13th, 2005, 10:33 AM

Use the dremel to cut a slot in the head and use a large flat-head screwdriver to remove it.

DKEG

January 13th, 2005, 10:39 AM

what does the bolt screw into? the frame, linkage,Or does it have a nut on it. Let me know and I can give some ideas. Can you get to the sides easily. There are several methods of bolt extraction. Drilling out the bolt should be a last resort. If you can get to the sides of the head of the bolt you could flatin them or try a pair of vise grips. You will run the risk damaging the surrounding area's so be carefull. If you cannot get to the sides, use a bolt extractor. You have to drill a hole into the head of the bolt then thread the extractor into the hole. I have had pretty good success with an extractor in my trade. the extractor will be your best method if the bolt screws into the frame or linkage. But it is does not work 100% of the time. You may be able to get it at home depot. Make sure you get the right size. You do not want it to be to big or small. And read the instructions

DKEG

January 13th, 2005, 10:43 AM

Also Buy a tourqe wrench. I am a little heavy handed. And with a tourqe wrench it take the guess work out of it.

2big2ride

January 13th, 2005, 10:47 AM

At work we sometimes have socket-head cap screws come in stripped out. If you have a set of torx wrenches (like the ones on disc brake rotors) you may be able to use one slightly larger and tap it in the stripped hex hole with a small hammer, (then slowly back it out..) Its worth a shot if you have the tools...
Good luck!

jed

January 13th, 2005, 11:17 AM

I had a similar fit of stupidity with the main pivot on my Fuel. Too much torque + red Locite = no way that thing was coming out by ordinary means.

Since the main pivot on the Fuel has a axle that the bolt threads into, I went ahead and drilled it out after ordering a new pivot axle and bolt to replace the ones I was about to destroy. It wasn't too expensive a mistake besides the blow to the ego and the hassle of drilling out the bolt.

I think the Sugar has similar pivots to the Fuel, based on my passing glances at the Trek book (which also has all the Sugar suspension diagrams). They have an Al axle that passes through plasitc bushings and a bolt; the main pivot uses a larger diameter axle and Al bushings with a platic coating. Go to a bike shop and order all the parts you think you will need prior to performing the surgery. Try to get them to let you look at the diagrams in the book so you can see exactly how it goes together and which parts you will need.

Moral of the story: watch your torque, and in my case, don't use red Loctite when blue will do (even though those parts were assembled with red at the factory).

drevil

January 13th, 2005, 11:50 AM

I used red Loctite to keep a track cog on a non-track Surly hub. Two broken chainwhips (using cheater bars) and one blowtorch session later, I gave up and brought it to the LBS. They removed it by using a blowtorch as well.

If you use red, make dang sure you never want to take it off again.

hophead

January 13th, 2005, 03:27 PM

jlang002

January 13th, 2005, 09:59 PM

after all that, it wasn't as difficult as i'd thought it would be. ended up using a dremel with a thin diamond disk that i "borrowed" from the dental office. felt like a welder, sparks flying everywhere...i tried to attach a few pics to show the final massacre - wasn't pretty but got the job done. sorry if the files are so huge.
now my shock isn't holding air and i just replaced the seal! hmmm...tempting to upgrade now. :D

bikerRob

January 14th, 2005, 04:09 AM

...now my shock isn't holding air and i just replaced the seal! hmmm...tempting to upgrade now. :D

1/14/05 >> ...and on the subject of air shocks...this is a question I've been wondering since I bought my Manitou Mars Elite a couple years ago...I've noticed that when I fill the shock to suit my riding style, the pressure drops after sitting a couple days to maybe a week or so. Is this normal? When I say it drops, Oh, not much, maybe 5 or 6 lbs. Because of this I always make sure I have my shock pump on me when I drive somewhere to ride just in case I forget to check it at home. Now my second dumb question...I'm gettng ready to have some new wheels built and am thinking about a new rear hub. My current one is a Shimano 96' XT version which I had rebuilt last year..it works great. I'm thinking about buying the current Shimano XTR rear hub to use with the new wheels. My only worry is, "How much noise does the free wheel make"? You know, that tic-tic-tic noise when you coast. I ran into someone a couple years ago who had a rear wheel built with a Hugi hub. You wouldn't believe the noise that thing made. I've got the bucks for a good hub I just don't want the thing to make more noise than normal. Any comments about the XTR hubs?...this ends the dumb questions :p

DaveG

January 14th, 2005, 08:48 AM

Connecting a pump to an air shock will lose a few PSI as it fills the pump chamber with air.

Dave

jlang002

January 14th, 2005, 12:17 PM

Connecting a pump to an air shock will lose a few PSI as it fills the pump chamber with air.

Dave
well, i discovered mr ad-5's problem. there's a slow air leak from around the bushing?? seals are fine. at least it's raining and i can't ride anyways.
you can see the bubbles pretty plainly on the picture i took...sucks