Removing Titanium bolt from split rim

[Dazanator]

I have an AC Schnitzer Type 3 racing split rim which needs refurbishing, however 2 of the 19 bolts have broken and the threads are stuck in the barrel.

I need somebody who is up for a challenge to remove the broken bits before any of the big refurbishers will touch it, I am very reluctant to try myself as I don't have a drill press and can only envisage any attempt ending in disaster. A new wheel with the correct size and offset would be very hard to find and a huge cost if ut all went breasts up.

Any suggestions of who would be up for the challenge in the Kent area?

Thanks in advance.

Daz

[rash_decision]

I reckon any decent machine shop could get these out for not a lot of money.... what diameter are they, is there enough meat to try a left fluted drill, see if the counterclockwise torsion and generated heat will screw them out? I've had multiple success with this method on other broken bolts... admittedly not a titanium bolt in a wheel!

[ian332isport]

With the bolt being titanium, I'd probably look at getting it spark eroded rather than trying to drill it out.

[drmike37]

Don’t know about wheels, but in human implants titanium is an absolute bugger for cold welding.
May be a case of drill a new hole in the right place and tap it!

[jeremyc]

In Kent: https://lepsons.com/split-rim-wheel-refurbishment/

[B'stard Child]

ian332isport said:

With the bolt being titanium, I'd probably look at getting it spark eroded rather than trying to drill it out.

^ This

I have a set of BBS split rims and one was horribly corroded and 3 titanium bolts snapped - I tried all sorts to get them out that I would do with snapped steel bolts in the end got a quote for spark eroding - would have gone with it but I found another single wheel so it's in the garage loft for one day if I need it

[donkmeister]

OP, from my limited knowledge of mechanical engineering, titanium work hardens when you drill it. So whilst that might work to the advantage of the left-handed drill trick, I wouldn't bank on it. Finding a machinist with fancy EDM approach is probably your best bet; he doesn't necessarily have to use the EDM, but it's another tool in his arsenal. He might look at it and decide he's got a better way.

Well done on leaving it be; I once had a machinist friend removed what was left after I broke a screw and tried a few things (leaving very little above the item it screwed into). He seemed to enjoy the challenge but I think it would have been a lot quicker if I'd just involved him from the outset.