Originally Posted by
BCRider
A carbide bit may work but from what I saw with the small carbide drills I've used it is more likely to shatter. The looseness of the ball rattling around will make that almost a certainty I would think. Carbide bits are extremely hard but they are also extremly brittle.
I've got a couple of true carbide burrs I use but I only use them on fiberglass where the normal HSS burrs wear out quickly.
I think you'll also find that on hardened steel like the ball end that the grinding bits cut quite fast.
I agree . . . do not try to use a carbide drill bit. Use a carbide "burr" in a die grinder or other very high-speed tool [Dremel, e.g.]. The burr is available at Home Depot and other hardware stores.
The problem isn't that the bolt is too tight to remove. If the op had used the allen wrench properly this thread would not be necessary. Any attempt to drill out the allen bolt from the opposite end is silly and without the proper drill guide . . . very likely the drill will wander off the C/L and mess up the aluminum riser.
I've been fixing stuff like this in my machine shop for over 30 years, although I must admit not this exact problem. I assure you . . . with a die grinder and carbide burr . . . 60 seconds and you are done.