Help ! Bottle cage bolt stuck in frame.

[Flixton]

Good grief! Bitterness at the online market, and perhaps even a touch of schadenfraude!

As for a DIY solution, @robgul has got the right idea.

As you quite rightly say " Bitterness at the online market". I wonder where would be the first port of call should the staff in this shop need a new TV, DVD player, kettle etc. etc.

 

[Flixton]

My take would be to super glue a thin rod into the errant spinning Rivnut so that you (or better, another pair of hands) can hold it still ... and then VERY CAREFULLY use a small-disc angle grinder or even a Dremel type machine to cut the top of the Rivnut. Difficult to describe how to do it ... but work at an angle to cut it into bits that can be squeezed off with a pair of pliers. Assuming the residue drops into the frame it should be no problem to fit new Rivnut. [I have a Rivnut gun here - where are you?] Looking on the black side ... you might scratch the paint around the Rivnut with the grinder, but the new cage frame should cover that.

Rob

Thanks for the ideas, I can at the moment hold the Rivnut still because I can hold the bolt that's still suck in it ! I would be really nervous of trying to grind it out as I would certainly make a mess of the frame. My idea is to try and hold the nut head and drill down the shaft of the nut with progressively bigger drills until it's sufficiently week and then try to crush the flange of the Rivnut until small enough to push into the frame. Once done then fitting a new Rivnut seems easy enough with the correct tool. I would probably just buy the tool use it and then stick it on ebay for the next person who cross threads their bottle cage ! If I could find a way to get the bolt out easily the process would be so much easier as the rivut would quite easily drill or crush but there is so little meat on the flange of the Rivnut you cannot get hold of it.

 

[Flixton]

Thanks to Chris-H and Young Ed for their kind offers...........I may take one of you up on them !

 

[Flixton]

Look up a small engineering firm and give them a call, should be a simple job for them.

I had thought myself that an engineers would be the place to try. I suppose it is really nothing to do with cycling it's just a bolt stuck in a nut which needs a certain amount of precision to remove. I just need a friendly engineer now !

 

[Flixton]

To all those who have mentioned the warranty issue. I think that as it quite clearly isn't the original bottle cage bolt that is stuck and is just a random cross head bolt I had in my garage that is now stuck in the frame then the retailer is just going to say that it is my own fault. There may well have been an issue when the bike was originally delivered but I know that I should have reported it to them straight away and not fiddled with it myself. Although sorely tempted to try to blag a warranty claim, I wouldn't be comfortable doing it..............but I did have a real wrestle with my conscience !!!
A big thanks to all for the advise,any more ideas welcomed or indeed anyone know any engineers in Merseyside ?
PS. Not sure of the forum etiquette, should I be clicking like under everyone's post to thank them ?

 

[young Ed]

Thanks to Chris-H and Young Ed for their kind offers...........I may take one of you up on them !

£35! At that can you afford not to sell it I mean I only want it for silky little things like the seat post etc as the rest of it is definitely just scrap
Cheers Ed

 

[Flixton]

£35! At that can you afford not to sell it I mean I only want it for silky little things like the seat post etc as the rest of it is definitely just scrap
Cheers Ed

£35 ................I am definitely taking the pump and lights off before you collect it !

 

[young Ed]

£35 ................I am definitely taking the pump and lights off before you collect it !

no worries i am free this after noon so see you then
Cheers Ed

 

[stevede]

Thanks for the ideas, I can at the moment hold the Rivnut still because I can hold the bolt that's still suck in it ! I would be really nervous of trying to grind it out as I would certainly make a mess of the frame. My idea is to try and hold the nut head and drill down the shaft of the nut with progressively bigger drills until it's sufficiently week and then try to crush the flange of the Rivnut until small enough to push into the frame. Once done then fitting a new Rivnut seems easy enough with the correct tool. I would probably just buy the tool use it and then stick it on ebay for the next person who cross threads their bottle cage ! If I could find a way to get the bolt out easily the process would be so much easier as the rivut would quite easily drill or crush but there is so little meat on the flange of the Rivnut you cannot get hold of it.

If you're worried about damaging the frame, go with a small file to take the lip off rather than a grinder, it will more than likely be soft alloy or very thin coated steel. Either way you should be able to file it away easily. Using the drill method will probably see the drill catching and the bolt complete with insert turning, at best damaging the paint or at worst damaging the hole. (no need to ask me how I know this). If you do buy a rivnut tool (it will come with some inserts) hang onto it, you'll be surprised how useful it can be in the tool box.

Manchester is probably a bit far for you, but if you do ever head over this direction, I'm happy to assist.

Best of luck

Steve

 

[young Ed]

in kent i have got a rivet gun and am happy to help you
Cheers Ed

 

[screenman]

A large washer or piece of metal with a hole the same size as the outer diameter of the rivnut, tape on one side, slip this over the rivnut and your frame is protected, from you drill, grinder etc.

 

[totallyfixed]

I had thought myself that an engineers would be the place to try. I suppose it is really nothing to do with cycling it's just a bolt stuck in a nut which needs a certain amount of precision to remove. I just need a friendly engineer now !

Having something rattling around in my frame would drive me insane, I would have to remove the headset and try and shake it out.

 

[young Ed]

Having something rattling around in my frame would drive me insane, I would have to remove the headset and try and shake it out.

same
Cheers Ed

 

[young Ed]

PS. Not sure of the forum etiquette, should I be clicking like under everyone's post to thank them ?

not everyone..... just mine!
forum etiquette is to accept every one takes the mick in a friendly way and you also have to take the mick
just like the best posts
Cheers Ed

 

[stevede]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PROFESSIO..._Material_Nails_Fixing_MJ&hash=item53ed463916

Cheaper than 1/2 hour labour at the LBS.