[TxShadow49]

My sissybar is a Hondaline, I believe. It has 2 allen head bolts on each side. They are all rusted and I wanted to change them. 2 are welded in by the rust now. They are super hard. Any suggestions on drilling them out. I have gone through several drill bits and have only succeeded in shining up the stripped out allen head. The picture below doesn't show the bolts, they are the bolts that hold the bar to the bracket and they are on the inside. I just wanted to post the pic in case somebody could tell me what brand of bar it is.

 

[Big B]

You talking about the bolts where it's attached the the fender or the bolts where the backrest is attached to the brackets? I'm guessing since you started drilling you have already booger'd up the heads trying to remove them? Did you try using any penetrating spray before hand? If you can get a pair of vice grips locked down on there tight, you may be able to crack them loose w/ those.

 

[elfnyc]

can you get a hacksaw blade in between the bolt an bar ? chop it off then use vise grip to remove the rest
hmmm how about a step bit ? those go threw metal like butter -
what about an e-z out bit ?

use alot of wd40

 

[TxShadow49]

You talking about the bolts where it's attached the the fender or the bolts where the backrest is attached to the brackets? I'm guessing since you started drilling you have already booger'd up the heads trying to remove them? Did you try using any penetrating spray before hand? If you can get a pair of vice grips locked down on there tight, you may be able to crack them loose w/ those.

They are recessed. They were boogered when I got the bike. I soaked them in Liquid wrench for a week.

can you get a hacksaw blade in between the bolt an bar ? chop it off then use vise grip to remove the rest
hmmm how about a step bit ? those go threw metal like butter -
what about an e-z out bit ?

use alot of wd40

I can't use a hacksaw. The bracket is like a square tube and the bar slides down in it. The step bit you are talking about. Is that the kind like my electricians use that is like a cone? I'm hoping to get a hole started that I can use an ez out on, but if not I will just have to drill it all the way. I'm about ready to sell it on craigslist and get amother one. But then again, I;m too honest. I would end up talkin the buyer out of it.

 

[oconeedan]

Can you get some heat on it without hurting paint or upholstry? Heat from a heat gun or torch can often make stubborn bolts loosen, the metal moves around as it expands.
Careful!!!

You mentioned going through several drill bits. I suspect they were cheap bits. Get a good titanium bit, and drill slow. Do not get it hot, that is what burns up bits. Use cutting fluid or oil as soon as it starts digging.

If you can get a small drill bit to dig, then you can apply heat, use an easy out, and hopefully get it to budge.

Finesse is the name of the game here, not "hard, fast, big".
Dan

 

[gmck]

best drills I have used are cobalt. they are tough and very heat resistant. start with a small one

 

[randyd]

Plus one on going slow with a good quality drill bit. By "slow" I mean no faster than 100 RPM. And it helps if you have a bench grinder and know how to sharpen the drill. It'll come.

 

[TxShadow49]

Thanks to all. I am going to try the slower drilling with a harder bit.

 

[wvuhotrod]

Cutting fluid does wonders on drilling out hardened bolts. I use WD-40 because it's cheap and works great. Good quality bits like you'd get from Fastenal do well, step drill it out if you have to and keep spraying the cutting surface. If smoke comes off the bit, slow down, back off, and lubricate. Overheating a bit will kill it quicker than anything. Use caution if you decide to resharpen bits on a bench grinder, you can do more harm than good if you don't know what you're doing. Drill Doctor does an okay job, just follow the directions. That being said, as stated above, high torque, low RPM is the trick.

 

[TxShadow49]

Well got one of them out. Its amazing what happens when you realize that what was supposed to be a quality titanium bit turns out to be junk. Went to O'Reilly's bought a new bit and with some 3-1 oil it took about 10 minutes.