Drilling out the remains of a broken set screw

[toddz69]

I was in the process of removing one of the set screws in a steering u-joint a few days when the the exposed portion of the set screw snapped off. !#$@##. I had applied very little torque, and snap!

I've had some situations recently where I was drilling through titanium with a hand drill and I used carbide bits and with some lubrication, they did a pretty good job. So I stopped at my favorite local industrial hardware store and picked up a pilot bit and a bit close to the size of the set screw. They are either carbide or carbide-tipped (we couldn't tell exactly from the packaging).

Unfortunately these bits aren't making much of a dent. I figured that titanium would be more difficult to drill than hardened steel, but apparently not.

Any good recommendations on what kind of bits to use?

Last ditch effort will be to remove the steering column and steering shaft and take it to a machine shop and have them remove it.

Usual 5 minute job has turned into a huge headache!

Thanks in advance for any recommendations.

Todd Z.

 

[bigjhoov]

Can you get to it with a Drexel or small cut off wheel to cut a slot in it and remove it with a flat head screwdriver?

 

[BR549]

Persistence is the advise I can give. Take a break when you get fatigued ( that's when things get further messed up). I recently had to drill out a wheel stud on a jeep due to someone waaay over tightening capped lugs. It had expensive aluminum wheels and I had to drill it straight to stay away from the wheel.
Sorry that happened to you, but keep drilling

 

[Glass Pony]

I've found that certain cutting fluids can make a difference. I've had better luck with tap aids like Rapid Tap and Tap Magic especially when drilling material like stainless.

 

[Kwal]

https://the-original-rescue-bit.myshopify.com/

It worked for me

 

[ransil]

cobalt bits and or get a left hand bit and reverse drill it some times you get lucky and it bites ans the screw comes out.

 

[half cab]

What the ...../\

 

[Broncomt]

What the ...../\

Same thing when he answered an earlier post about shock mounts.

 

[toddz69]

Thanks for all the inputs, guys. Jerry - unfortunately I don't think I can get my Dremel bit in there to carve a slot - that's one of my favorite tricks to try if I can do it. Ransil - I also thought about a left-handed drill bit. Do you think cobalt is better than carbide?

Looks like a spamster added his $0.02 as well.

Todd Z.

 

[AZ69EB]

Todd,

My drill of choice for a hand Drill would be cobalt or high speed steel with cutting fluid. Carbide is a great tool choice, but not for hand use. The cutting edges chip easily causing the drill to perform poorly due to carbide being brittle. You can see this clearly using a minimum of 40X microscope. Try not to work harden the material.

Sam

 

[Wyflyer]

Have you considered welding a nut onto the broken stud?

 

[toddz69]

Todd,

My drill of choice for a hand Drill would be cobalt or high speed steel with cutting fluid. Carbide is a great tool choice, but not for hand use. The cutting edges chip easily causing the drill to perform poorly due to carbide being brittle. You can see this clearly using a minimum of 40X microscope. Try not to work harden the material.

Sam

Thanks for the tips, Sam! I'll search out cobalt bits.

Todd Z.

 

[toddz69]

Have you considered welding a nut onto the broken stud?

My friend and very-wise owl ntsqd recommended that too with a particular strategy on getting it attached since there isn't much 'meat' to attach to that I might try. My buddy just got a nice little 110 welder that might do the trick.

Thanks,

Todd Z.

 

[AZ69EB]

Todd,

I have a drill press & welder that is always available. Just a litle South in Gilbert. Door is always open for you.

Sam

 

[El Kabong]

x3 on using cobalt bits for hard drilling (not to be confused with Lowes's "Kobalt" brand). Be aware that they are more brittle than high speed steel bits, so avoid twisting while drilling or dropping them on concrete.

 

[toddz69]

I purchased some cobalt bits yesterday and last evening was able to drill out the majority (quite easily, I might say) of the set screw with the 1/4" bit. The screw is a 5/16" screw so I still have some metal in there that I need to get out somehow but the majority of it is gone.

Thanks for the tips.

Todd Z.

 

[NC_Pinz]

You might be able to get the remaining metal out with a tap of the appropriate size.

Now that you are almost done, I was going to suggest as someone else did left handed drill bits. Sometimes they will grab enough to just unthread the pesky remains.

 

[toddz69]

You might be able to get the remaining metal out with a tap of the appropriate size.

Now that you are almost done, I was going to suggest as someone else did left handed drill bits. Sometimes they will grab enough to just unthread the pesky remains.

Thanks - my next step was going to be cleaning out the hole with a tap.

Todd Z.

 

[AZ69EB]

Todd,

You can redrill a larger diameter depending upon how centered you drilled the first time. just stay out of the threads if needed. I have used a small screw driver, awl or pick to remove the remaining material in the hole. Once you can bend the material towards the center of the hole it will come out clean. Don't try retapping until all the material is removed. You can tear up the threads with the excess material in the hole. Worse case is redrilling and tapping to 3/8-24. I like find threads for all steering components. Good luck.
Sam

 

[Rustytruck]

If you drilled all the way through the set screw you should be able to pry the 2 parts apart as there is no tension on the set screw any more. That is if the screw isnt down in a dimple or something. Fo me this is easy out time clean threads, tension off the screw should be easy to get out unless you used lock tite on the screw. But i have been using them for over 40 years.