I have Tiger blood and Adonis DNA! I finally did it! Three days of drilling, 1 broken hardened steel ez-out, 2 broken cobalt bits, and one seriously numb drilling hand... @&$! Bolt!
After the original pilot hole and my failed ez-out fiasco, two days of drilling (well mostly nights after 9) I was about to call it a day. The cobalt bits chewed through the bolt, but were barely marking the hardened steel of the ez-out. Last night I read a post somewhere of somebody who had a similar problem and they used a masonry bit. So for another $3 it couldn't hurt to try.
Well, took over an hour bit the masonry bit finally chewed through the ez-out. Used lots of cutting oil to keep it cool. Alternated between that and the cobalt bits and worked a nice large hole through the bolt. I tried a solid square extractor but stooped when I saw it flex. That bolt was a permanent part of the frame.
So I started working up the cobalt bit ladder and drilled a nice clean hole through. Used a tap and rethreaded the hole, which took quite a while since the primary is right next to the hole and there was no room for the tap tool, so I used a crescent wrench and worked slowly. Finally got it through and got the floorboard on, though the left front inside bolt is really difficult to get to. Couldn't use a socket with a hex bit - had to resort to the allen wrench from the HD tool kit.
Good news is that it is all set now, and I had a bonus of my new Cee Bailey shield arriving today just in time to ride tomorrow!
Thanks for all the suggestions and moral support here!
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Topic: Broken bolt for floorboard extenders (Read 1646 times)