84/85/86 vf500 taillight/brakelight fix...ideas?

Hey gang-

Was riding the VF500 the other day, and a friend riding behind me said my taillight was bouncing a lot. Took it out and found one of the bolts broken (!?) Huh? How this happened is waaaay beyond me, as I'm the 2nd owner of this thing and I've never touched it.

Sure...I COULD buy another one off ebay (or perhaps off one of you fine people if you have one??) but I'd like to try and fix it first myself (just the way I'm wired).

Here are fotos. The tool marks are from me trying to pull it out, thinking I could re-insert/re-epoxy a threaded rod back in, but I could not budge it...ideas on getting it out? Could one weld a piece of threaded stock onto the broken one if it was cut off clean? Other thoughts?

 

Not a big deal to repair it.
Using the remaining metallic thread-less piece; drill a hole, taper the appropriate thread, plug in a headless bolt or alternatively screw a normal bolt and chop off the excess.
Might find useful a drop of thread locking compound, also use the tapering head with caution as the resistance point will be the plastic base.

 

....or you can keep an eye on Ebay. I got a spare taillight off there for cheap.

 

Drill a hole.....where? Down thru the shaft of the stub that's left? Then...get a fully-threaded bolt that's smaller in diameter and insert that in the hole? Is that what you're suggesting by "taper the appropriate thread"? Sorry...I'm really not following you here...if you care to enlighten me I'm all ears...and thanks!

 

I still can't figure out how this happened...been rolling it around in my head all day. That piece/those bolts are not under stress/tension of any kind, and the light might weigh half a pound, so how did this happen?

 

T-
Thanks for the clarity. I'll try it. PS Sold your 500? Wha??? What did I miss? Guess the lower cowl went with it, huh?

 

If you want to get it out, you'll have to heat it. I believe they're inserted using heat and the knurled texture of the metal holds it like barbs on a hook.

 

That was what I meant. I would keep the grinding for the end, gives a better starting thread.
Cannot think how the bolt break could possibly happen either.