Removing & replacing bar ends: Difference between revisions

Line 15:

*Make sure the screwdriver you are using is as nearly new as possible. Look at the tip of it and make sure you can see NO rounding or notching of any kind. The less it bites, the more of your force is wasted trying to press it into the bolt head in the first place.

*If the first step doesn't work, there are a lot of other methods listed below, but you could just save yourself some time right off the bat and drill the head off the bolt. Many people have tried some of the other ways and ended up doing just that in the end. You're going to replace the bolt with an Allen-head one, anyway. Yes, you are.

:Get a 1/4" cobalt drill bit (or any kind of bit designed for drilling in metal) from any hardware store, and drill straight through the head. The head will pop off and the bar end will slide right off.

:[[image:drill bolt head.jpg|150px]]

From there, clamp a vise-grips onto the remaining part of the bolt and turn it out, perhaps using one of the heat methods below to assist.

'''Other things to try'''

*An impact driver takes the force of a hammer and turns it into rotary torque. This is a very useful tool, especially for older vehicles with stubborn fasteners. Can usually be used for screws or nuts/bolts.

Line 29:

Line 39:

*If you do strip a bolt head during this process, [[I need to remove a stripped screw|see this FAQ page.]]

*You can always drill the head off a stripped head, slide the bar end weight off, and clamp a vice grips onto the shaft of the bolt. It's much easier than messing around with easyouts. If you snap an easyout, you're in a world of hurt.

*For the budget-conscious: Soak the bar end first for half an hour, using a ziplock bag filled with hot water. Turn the entire front end so the bar end you are working on is as low to the ground as it can go, and rubber band the bag onto the bar end. Next, cut a cross section of a bicycle inner tube and put it around the bar end. Attach vise grips very strongly and turn. This should get some movement. Now, impact drive with a sharp phillips head.

@@ Line 15: / Line 15: @@
 *Make sure the screwdriver you are using is as nearly new as possible. Look at the tip of it and make sure you can see NO rounding or notching of any kind. The less it bites, the more of your force is wasted trying to press it into the bolt head in the first place.
+*If the first step doesn't work, there are a lot of other methods listed below, but you could just save yourself some time right off the bat and drill the head off the bolt. Many people have tried some of the other ways and ended up doing just that in the end. You're going to replace the bolt with an Allen-head one, anyway. Yes, you are.
+:Get a 1/4" cobalt drill bit (or any kind of bit designed for drilling in metal) from any hardware store, and drill straight through the head. The head will pop off and the bar end will slide right off.
+:[[image:drill bolt head.jpg|150px]]
+From there, clamp a vise-grips onto the remaining part of the bolt and turn it out, perhaps using one of the heat methods below to assist.
+'''Other things to try'''
 *An impact driver takes the force of a hammer and turns it into rotary torque. This is a very useful tool, especially for older vehicles with stubborn fasteners. Can usually be used for screws or nuts/bolts.
@@ Line 29: / Line 39: @@
 *If you do strip a bolt head during this process, [[I need to remove a stripped screw|see this FAQ page.]]
-*You can always drill the head off a stripped head, slide the bar end weight off, and clamp a vice grips onto the shaft of the bolt. It's much easier than messing around with easyouts. If you snap an easyout, you're in a world of hurt.
 *For the budget-conscious: Soak the bar end first for half an hour, using a ziplock bag filled with hot water. Turn the entire front end so the bar end you are working on is as low to the ground as it can go, and rubber band the bag onto the bar end.  Next, cut a cross section of a bicycle inner tube and put it around the bar end. Attach vise grips very strongly and turn. This should get some movement. Now, impact drive with a sharp phillips head.