Fairing nut rounded off

[BuckarooBanzai]

Knew I shoulda replaced those corroded hex head fairing nuts ages ago. Now the one holding my LHS fairing cowl in place is stuck solid.



Any top tips for getting the pesky thing out?

[btbloke]

short of drilling and using a reverse thread self tapper i can only think of cutting a groove in it and using a flat headed screwdriver or tapping it loose very carefully with a chisel, could try getting it loose from the rear with a set of small molegrips though it worked for me once.............................best of luck

[BuckarooBanzai]

Cheers - i'll get me some screw extractors and see if they'll do the trick. If I had a dremel or similar, i'd try cutting a slot for a big screwdriver (but I don't).

[Tarka]

You could simply drill the head off,leaving the stud in place.
Remove the panel and the threaded stud should spin out easily by hand or with a pair of grips.



Another option is 'Metrinch' spanners or sockets.

These grip on the flats rather than the corners and fit Metric and Imperial equivalents for that reason.
I`ve filed every corner off a nut as an experiment,and they still unfastened it.

Decent car accessory places usually sell them...pity you`re not local as you could have borrowed mine.

[BuckarooBanzai]

Thanks Tarka, but I don't think I trust the steadiness of my hand enough to try drilling the bolt head out. I tried this with a mullered philips screw on my brake fluid reservoir a while back and wound up needing a new cap for the reservoir as well as a new screw!

Not sure how the metrinch spanners you mentioned would work in this case, cos it's a round headed bolt with recessed hex head - the kind you'd undo with an allen key.

[Tarka]

Not sure how the metrinch spanners you mentioned would work in this case, cos it's a round headed bolt with recessed hex head - the kind you'd undo with an allen key.

You confused me by referring to a hexagon head.....so I thought you meant a hexagon bolt head.

What it must be is a 'hexagon socket head'.... or 'Allen head'.


I`d still try drilling the head off first,especially as it`s going to have a recess for the Allen key,which will help with centering and holding the drill within the head area.

Use a slowish speed....a battery drill being ideal with variable speed.
The head will be a greater diameter than the threaded shaft,so just carefully drill down a few millimetres with a smaller drill bit first,then work up one or two sizes to maximum of maybe 0.5mm over the thread size (meaning 6.5mm drill if it`s a 6mm thread) and the head will be drilled off.

[BuckarooBanzai]

Cheers Tarka - I got there in the end by first by drilling it as you suggested, then I hit it a few belts with a hammer and chisel and off popped the head.

[Tarka]

Result !

Well done fella !

Put some Copaslip (copper grease) on all the threads when you reassemble....and don`t overtighten the fasteners.