Strange question!!

[Crackerjacker]

Hi

You think this is a strange question. Does anyone know how to remove the ball bearings from the screw in a ground anchor?

I am wanting to move my ground anchor but when I originally fitted this, the instructions said to hammer a ball bearing into the top of the screw once it had been fixed. This is to prevent people being able to unscrew the anchor and take off with the bike.

Does anyone have any ideas of how to remove the ball bearings? Or am I gonna have to admit defeat and buy a new anchor?

[AlanH]

Getting the ballbearing out is not easily done. It would be simpler to weld a nut to the top of each bolt and unscrew them with an appropriately sized socket - or just buy a new ground anchor.

[davsato]

your ground anchor is doing its job then, being hard to remove!

good one alan, i never thought of that, when i had to move mine i spent hours grinding through the bolt heads with a diamond studded rotary file. if its a good quality ground anchor the bolts will be toughened too just to make it harder for you.

the ball bearings get hammered in for security, and they are not only virtually impossible to get back out but also destroy the socket in the bolt, making it impossible to undo if you did manage to get the balls out. they perform their design criteria admirably!!

when i did mine i put a 1/2" spacer between it and the floor made out of hard plastic and painted to match the anchor. then next time it will take quarter of the time to hacksaw through it but still be secure.

[Crackerjacker]

thanks, jst thought anyway - even if i do get the bearings out i won;t be able to get the plug out from inside the concrete. Will just have to buy another one. Never mind

[barftone]

Ask your local bike thief. He'll know!

[AlanH]

Ask your local bike thief. He'll know!

...and kick him in the 'nads for good measure when you've tracked him down