Cleat help

you might want to try a screw extractor...you can find them at a hardware store...it's kind of like a reverse drill bit that acts like a corkscrew...drill a small hole in the bolt/screw(if it's an allen head just find a extractor that fits in the stripped hole) and then turn it out....don't know if this will work for what you want but I think it probably would.

Sometimes with stripped allen heads, I'll try an SAE hex that might wedge in the stripped head enough to twist it out. If that doesn't help, I use a dremel tool to cut a slot in the head for a screwdriver. The screw extractor is handy too.

graphixgeek said:

Sometimes with stripped allen heads, I'll try an SAE hex that might wedge in the stripped head enough to twist it out. If that doesn't help, I use a dremel tool to cut a slot in the head for a screwdriver. The screw extractor is handy too.

Be careful using a screw extractor though since the cleat is presumably on your shoe while drilling...

Yeah, the screw extractor is usually last resort because the cleat bolts are so small. Any method you use, should be tempered with caution. If you're careful, everything should be alright, but if you sacrifice something, sacrifice the cleat so you don't damage the shoe.

For use as a last resort: Try a dremel tool to cut it out. Using a high speed (don't forget safety glasses) you should be able to cut the bolt right out of the shoe by making a v-type cuts. Like cutting down a tree with an ax.

But I would wait for more replies to see if someone else has a better method. Like I started this post: use as a LAST resort. try it if ALL the other methods have failed. Once you do more damage to the bolt there is no turning back. You will also have to "JAM" the head to keep it from spinning.

graphixgeek said:

Sometimes with stripped allen heads ... I use a dremel tool to cut a slot in the head for a screwdriver.

Yes.

I have used a dremel tool + mini-cutoff wheel to cut a slot in more than one rounded allen head bolt head. The thing is that you want a REAL screwdriver (i.e., bigger than the screwdrive in the average toolbox unless you inherited your father's tools whose tools had belonged to his father) that has a blade that is large enough to fit snugly in the slot you cut ... OR, a "screwball" screwdriver which has an oversized, "ball" handle which will give you more leverage -- the right size "blade" is still beneficial. Don't forget to drip a couple of drops of any/(penetrating) oil on the threads a few minutes/hours before you start.