HCivicSi23

Have you ever been trying to extract a old rusty bolt either with a breaker bar or air tools, then find yourself with the bolt head popped off and in the socket?... seprate from the bolt which is still fuzed inside the threaded hole? Well you wouldn't be the only one that has had this issue... I have come across this many times and I have used every possible way to extract the bolt, but nothing ever seemed time efficient.

I have tried the pliers technique, drilling the bolt out and rethreading the hole for a new bolt, heating the bolt and attempting tp punch it out, any type of rust penetrant... basically everything and nothing ever seemed easy enough. There had to be a way.

After alot of searching, I have found the answer! This is the easiest solution to this problem, when come across, in my opinion. So heres what I have come up with and try it out, because it works!

Here we have a bolt that is broken, with a cored out center that I removed using an extractor... deffinatly not time efficient.



Some drill bits and extractors... looks time consuming.


Any way you look it... when you have a broken bolt, you know your in for a long hall. I did not believe that it had to be that way. There HAD to be an easier way... well there is! In my opinion, if you're left with a piece protruding from the surface, you're lucky. In this situation you can harden the stud and grab it with locking pliers, or you can build a new bolt head.

Find a flat washer with a hole size the same or just a little smaller than the broken bolt. The washer needs to be close to the broken-off bolt and if the bolt is broken off beneath the surface, a ball peen hammer can be used to "dish" the washer to make it fit close to the bolt.

Weld the washer to the bolt. I prefer using a wire welder because it is easier to see what you are doing; plus, on smaller bolts it is difficult to avoid melting the washer with the higher heat of a stick welder. Once the washer is securely welded to the bolt, weld a nut to the washer. The nut should be the same size as the broken bolt head or larger, depending on the outside diameter of the washer. Weld to the outside flats of the nut, grab a wrench and it should screw right out. If not, repeat the process. The washer is the key to this trick working right as it is very hard to get adequate penetration trying to weld down inside a nut by itself. Also, welding the washer first concentrates the heat on the bolt and this heat helps loosen the bolt.

A new bolt head!


This has worked on many occasions, and what have you got to loose for trying? If it doesn't work the first time, just weld a new bolt on there. It will eventually screw out. You can also heat up the surrounding surface to try and break the bond as well. Hopefully someone can use this tidbit of usefull information. I know it's helped me out a great deal!


Modified by HCivicSi23 at 12:08 AM 6/25/2007


Modified by HCivicSi23 at 12:14 AM 6/25/2007

motor_man

wait.....what? im not gettin it?

HCivicSi23

I have NO idea why this didn't all show up. What the hell

951BRO

drill it out
use piliears on the threads
use the 2 nut trick

motor_man

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by HCivicSi23 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I am going to try and repost it. How do you post pictures up in the thread? </TD></TR></TABLE>ok, there were pics..... now i get it

HCivicSi23

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 951BRO &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">drill it out
use piliears on the threads
use the 2 nut trick
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Perfect example... it never works... and who has the time?

qat727

I like this method and I have used it and similar welding ones before. Another one to try that is more accessible to someone who doesn't have a welder is to cut a slot in the top of the bolt. If it's protruding beyond the surface of the material it's stuck in, you can use a hack saw or die grinder attachment to cut a slot into the top of the bolt. You can then use a flat blade bit in an impact screwdriver to remove it.

Good information, though.

tumbleking

what about if you have a NUT that's stuck on a bolt? I have 1 nut stuck on a head bolt for the exhaust manifold.

akunamatta

nice man... i used this method yesterday, maybe at a more convienent time i'll use the washer trick also. props

slowcivic2k

I like to use a pointed punch and get at it straight on, and hit it like 2-5 times to make a nice dent in the stripped off head or the stud itself, and then angle it in the direction you want it to turn, and then hit it with the punch to loosen it, works like a charm.