I boke the bolt that holds the cross shaft while trying to disassemble my rear end for a rebuild with new gears. Is there any "safe" way to get this thing apart without removing the cross shaft first?

 

Usually a magnet will end up taking it out after enough force has been applied to break it :-)

It sucks 90% of us have been there though.

No real good tricks, just some time involved.

If its broke flush/protruding, have someone weld a small nut to it.

later
Jeremy

 

If you want to buy the "correct" tool to extract it, go to Skyway tool's website. They sell a kit made specifically for this task. A guy posted a link on here a while back. The kit only runs about $25 and it's pretty slick. I wish I had that kit the last time I got in your predicament. I wasn't able to get it out with a magnet because there was a tiny bit of threads still on the broken end of the bolt. I was able to use a really small flathead screwdriver to rotate the bolt counterclockwise until the threaded part was out far enough to pull it out. That kit makes it easy though. It comes with a guide so you can drill into the bolt and then use an extractor tool that's also included to get it out. Good luck!

 

Thanks, I got it out after with the left hand drill bit that came with the extractor kit... once it got a bite the bolt backed right out. Thanks again..Ed.

 

Normally when it breaks, there's only about 1/2 thread holding it in. The torque holding it in is at the head so there shouldn't be any torque on the threads. All the ones I've had to extract, I've simply used a dental pick and unscrewed it.