How do you guys handle stuck stripped and busted off BOLTS. This is something all of us DRED and has to deal with it from time to time!
FIRE AWAY!!!:hick::mullet::toilet:
Easy outs if no head, or craftsman makes these things that cut into the left behind nub and thread out the bolt. Other than that torch with lotta heat or just drill and crying.
If the broken bolt is at all near the surface of what is being worked on, I have had good results with welding on a larger nut thru the center to the broken bolt. Crank up the welder a little to get things good and hot, wait just a bit for the weld to cool, and see what happens. If it is not a heat sensitive area I always try this before the drill and cry method. I also have some left hand drill bits, sometimes they will catch and back the broken bolt out.
I have the "GRABIT" for flush stud work broken evenly with the surface area.
Like many have experienced, these wonders work better if you follow the instructions ***BACKWARDS***
yes, use the tool in the opposite fashion the manuf states to.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_299780-41877-8430P_0__
For stripped bolt heads...............
Every half way concerned or caring shop should make room for these revenue generating gizmos.. these have been able to save my butt at least a dozen times.
everything will yield to these guys.
Craftsman Bolt-out
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/shc-952061?seid=srese1&gclid=CJWR-PrApbcCFcFDMgodx18AsA
This is what I used last TIME (http://"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGV368BMip8").
Of course, I wouldn't work on my own junk in that manner..:flame:
thats a pretty big hammer!
Yep, it is! LOL!(http://l.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/21.gif)
"Drill" them out with a left-handed drill bit designed to get busted bolts out. And, no, these aren't your normal easy out. I can't recall what they're called, but they WORK pretty darned good.
This is pretty much what I do too...
Just wanted to know as i also use all the methods above. My machinist has a LAZER that burns the bolts out to the threads and does not harm them. I also make drill jigs to keep critical bolts centered when drilling. Anyway they are a bitch and all of us have had this nightmare in their encounters with the cars and work we do. Normally on bolts that are stuck the Flame wrench does the trick in most cases. But when i remove exhaust studs if they are not blind i replace them with nuts and bolts. And drill out the mating holes for extra room. Thanks for responding!!
depending on what is bad, i had gotten the knack of being able to torch out said broken bolt, and save the threads. takes alot of patience. especially to work in the rot belt.
if its like a water pump bolt on a 302, a little heat, penetrating oil (preferably well worth thunderbolt). a couple hours to soak, a little tap with the hammer. and have at it.
I knew a guy a welder that could burn out a manifold stud that broke off. And he burned out the busted piece without messing up the threads. I tried this many times on a sped manifold and could never do it. Can you do it!! That takes some know how. Wish i could learn the trick on how he did that.
i hate broken bolts .....the worst !!!!
My only input...on fox bird/cougars...buy a southern car...no rust...all bolts just come out.
Travis
Well, unless it's a coastal car that's been run on the beach. That salt and sand combo can sometimes be much worse on a car than northern road salt.
Imagine how bad we have it here - road salt AND sea salt. I've seen frames rusted through on Chevy trucks as new as 2008 (and this was also an issue on 1997-2003 Ford trucks, but they seem to have gotten better since 2004), and rear subframes on Dodge Calibers rotted beyond repair.
Another method I use to remove broken bolts is grind a slot into the broken bolt and turn it out with a screwdriver, but this only works on bolts that broke due to overtightening or from stress (such as Ford and Dodge manifold bolts)
i guess thats whats kinda neat about living in the rot belt, while it sucks when you run into these situations. sometimes a smoke, a break and having at it can be kinda "fun".