Shit. Front axle pinch bolt snapped. MOT Tommorow

mkjackary · Nitrous Nuisance Joined: 15 Jul 2016 Karma :

Front wheel has been out of alignment from the forks so I decided to fix it tonight, fairly simple job, apart from on my er5 the mud guard has to have the front wheel removed to remove it. Did that, sorted out the front wheel and forks being square.

Now going back tightening it back up, the pinch bolt was stiff, as it always has been, and the bolt had about a mm to go before it started to pinch, but as there always has been with this bike, the amount of torque you have to put on it to get it there is more than you would want to put on a normal pinch bolt. Then it sheered off.

MOT tommorow morning at 8:30.

What the fuck do I do. Can I drive without one, if not, what do I do.

There is about 1 turns worth of thread left on the pinch bolt, so I could put it in there and make it look like it is fine for the MOT and then drill out and replace the bolt after?

Do I get the MOT place to sort it, will it cost much? I can't ring up for a quote as I am the first person they are seeing.

Fuck

Ste · Not Work Safe Joined: 01 Sep 2002 Karma :

Glue it in place for MOT purposes and then work out what you're going to do about it.

Hahadumball · World Chat Champion Joined: 07 Oct 2015 Karma :

as above, just glue it on there and fix after
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mkjackary · Nitrous Nuisance Joined: 15 Jul 2016 Karma :

Worried the axle bolt might loosen it's self off whilst I'm riding if the axle is allowed to spin because it isn't pinched.
Is that a possibility or am I okay? (Relatively speaking)

Ste · Not Work Safe Joined: 01 Sep 2002 Karma :

You'll be fine. Thumbs Up

c_dug · Super Spammer Joined: 04 Sep 2007 Karma :

Sounds like the threads are a bit fucked on the forks (or the bolt, but I'm betting the forks).

Personally I'd take the risk and ride it to the MOT centre, but your bike = your gamble.
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mkjackary · Nitrous Nuisance Joined: 15 Jul 2016 Karma :

It is an 8mm thread, I'll try a new bolt after drilling it out, if the thread in the forks is fucked, and not just a bit corroded, I'll get a 7mm but and bolt and use that to pinch it. Just a case of not losing a front wheel in the meantime

Nobby the Bastard · Harley Gaydar Joined: 16 Aug 2013 Karma :

Chances are the reason it got too tight was ingress of shit on the other side of the fork.

When you have to give that much effort to tighten it, it's an indication that something is wrong, btw.
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c_dug · Super Spammer Joined: 04 Sep 2007 Karma :

You'd be better off attempting to clean the threads up with a tap first.

You likely won't fit an m7 bolt through a standard course m8 hole, as the tapping drill size is 6.8 (you'd probably also struggle to find an M7 nut and bolt in many places).

If a fix isn't easy I'd probably cut my losses and stump up for a second hand fork, parts for the er5 are cheap as chips.
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

mkjackary · Nitrous Nuisance Joined: 15 Jul 2016 Karma :

Pete. · Super Spammer Joined: 22 Aug 2006 Karma :

If you snapped it because it froze in the thread then drilling it out is about your only option.

I don't predict a happy ending though.
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c_dug · Super Spammer Joined: 04 Sep 2007 Karma :

Meh, cheap bikes attract cheap owners, most of us have been there at some point.

Like Pete. says, you'll almost certainly need to drill it out - most bolts are tensioned via the head squeezing down on a surface, if that is the case then when the head snaps (or say you drill it off because you've rounded the driver fitting) you lose the tension on the threads, and all being well you can back it out reasonably easily.

In your case the bolt has tightened up for some other reason, could be any number of things, none of which change the fact that despite the head being snapped off, the threads are still under tension, and you'll not get the bolt out without a fight.
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.