Broken bolt removal

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elbowcarey

Well-known member
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Feb 3, 2012
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84
Can someone give me a lesson how to get a broken bolt out of the center of a splined shaft? I was removing a clutch and my manual showed a left hand threaded bolt, however after breaking it off I found the manual wasn't correct and now I need to get the rest of it out..............Thanks
 
Is the bolt siezed in? If not, you should be able to use a hammer and a centre punch to get it out.
Place the punch near the perimeter of the bolt, lean it in the direction you want the bolt to turn, and tap it gently with a hammer to turn the bolt. Once you have turned it a few threads, clamp on a pair of vise grips and wind it out.
HTH,
SR
 
Is the bolt siezed in? If not, you should be able to use a hammer and a centre punch to get it out.
Place the punch near the perimeter of the bolt, lean it in the direction you want the bolt to turn, and tap it gently with a hammer to turn the bolt. Once you have turned it a few threads, clamp on a pair of vise grips and wind it out.
HTH,
SR
If that fails, use a centre punch and mark the centre of the bolt. Drill a pilot hole as deep as you can (all the way if possible) then use a left hand drill bit. I have had success with drilling bolts like this. As the drill bit is turning the same direction as the threads, if it grabs, it will un-screw the bolt. I found that drilling a pilot hole first helps, it makes the drill bit 'bite' a little more and hopefully un-screw.
Good luck!
 
If that fails, use a centre punch and mark the centre of the bolt. Drill a pilot hole as deep as you can (all the way if possible) then use a left hand drill bit. I have had success with drilling bolts like this. As the drill bit is turning the same direction as the threads, if it grabs, it will un-screw the bolt. I found that drilling a pilot hole first helps, it makes the drill bit 'bite' a little more and hopefully un-screw.
Good luck!
broken bolt removal is an art. if you driil all the way thru so much the better, do not break off an easy out you will not drill these out ,tricks ? smack once with hammer. heat to break loctite loose but do not temper steel or you wont be able to drill 180f loosens loctite red or blue not sure about green? worst case i got adude with the coolest macine ever it send a micro air arc to burn out without ever touching a thread,use him all time. and reasonable.loctite has a product out called freeze and release part#996456 there are many methods,many theroys my best luck comes fom drill thru heat and smack.and use an easy out, would like to hear from old m on this one.or anybody else for that matter , these are lessons learned the hard way.any majic tricks old dogs can learn .and by the way pb blaster is the greastes stuff ever invented.
 
broken bolt removal is an art. if you driil all the way thru so much the better, do not break off an easy out you will not drill these out ,tricks ? smack once with hammer. heat to break loctite loose but do not temper steel or you wont be able to drill 180f loosens loctite red or blue not sure about green? worst case i got adude with the coolest macine ever it send a micro air arc to burn out without ever touching a thread,use him all time. and reasonable.loctite has a product out called freeze and release part#996456 there are many methods,many theroys my best luck comes fom drill thru heat and smack.and use an easy out, would like to hear from old m on this one.or anybody else for that matter , these are lessons learned the hard way.any majic tricks old dogs can learn .and by the way pb blaster is the greastes stuff ever invented.
to be clear my best method , center punch tru .drill thru using lh bit heat .smack, use an easy out, it sounds strange but dont force the issue, if it wont come out, back up and punt or you can really get in over youre head fast, a broken piece of easy out can be youre worst nightmare come true.
 
to be clear my best method , center punch tru .drill thru using lh bit heat .smack, use an easy out, it sounds strange but dont force the issue, if it wont come out, back up and punt or you can really get in over youre head fast, a broken piece of easy out can be youre worst nightmare come true.
Like others said removing a broken bolt is a art.
Left handed drills are the best way if the bolt isn't siezed. Use penitrating oil and a little heat on the shaft to expand it some.
If a little bit of the bolt is sticking out you can weld a nut on the end and turn it out. The heat from the welding tends to loosen it some too.
If the shaft can be put in a lathe or mill it can be drilled out with the right size tap drill and then use a dental pick to pull out the remainder of the threads.
Easy outs are my last choice. If you break one off in the bolt you need to find someone with a tap burner to get it out.
 
to be clear my best method , center punch tru .drill thru using lh bit heat .smack, use an easy out, it sounds strange but dont force the issue, if it wont come out, back up and punt or you can really get in over youre head fast, a broken piece of easy out can be youre worst nightmare come true.
I build the the bolt up with a tig weld then center a larger nut over the build up, then weld the nut on. The heat causes the threaded aria of the broken off bolt to expand against the sides of the hole so when the bolts cools it shrinks. Just after it starts to cool (looses it color) I put the wrench to it. I have taken out hundreds this way,along with taps never liked easy outs as they expand the bolt.
 
I build the the bolt up with a tig weld then center a larger nut over the build up, then weld the nut on. The heat causes the threaded aria of the broken off bolt to expand against the sides of the hole so when the bolts cools it shrinks. Just after it starts to cool (looses it color) I put the wrench to it. I have taken out hundreds this way,along with taps never liked easy outs as they expand the bolt.
I too use the welded nut trick. If there is a stub, sit a nut over it and fill it with weld. I try stricking the stub a few times with a hammer to shock it before i weld the nut to it. If it will still not come out, get a helper to use a ring spanner on the nut and put weight on it. Use a punch or chisel and whack the nut to try and shock it. Even better if you can strick it in the un-doing direction. Be it left or right handed.
I agree that an ezout is a bad bad idea. If it breaks you are pretty well boned.
 
I too use the welded nut trick. If there is a stub, sit a nut over it and fill it with weld. I try stricking the stub a few times with a hammer to shock it before i weld the nut to it. If it will still not come out, get a helper to use a ring spanner on the nut and put weight on it. Use a punch or chisel and whack the nut to try and shock it. Even better if you can strick it in the un-doing direction. Be it left or right handed.
I agree that an ezout is a bad bad idea. If it breaks you are pretty well boned.
Thanks to all for all the great ideas....................Theres hardly anything hanging out but I'm thinking I'm going to try to weld a nut to what is there and heat it up a bit and hopefully it will come out, if not I'll go with the left handed drill bit through the bolt. Not sure if it is seized on cause I was turning it the wrong way from the start, at the very least it's definately tight. And for re-install the manual says to put locktight on the threads so it's possible that this old one could be very well stuck in there........I'll let you guys know , thanks again
 
Thanks to all for all the great ideas....................Theres hardly anything hanging out but I'm thinking I'm going to try to weld a nut to what is there and heat it up a bit and hopefully it will come out, if not I'll go with the left handed drill bit through the bolt. Not sure if it is seized on cause I was turning it the wrong way from the start, at the very least it's definately tight. And for re-install the manual says to put locktight on the threads so it's possible that this old one could be very well stuck in there........I'll let you guys know , thanks again
The welded nut idea is good, but its actually easier and more effective to weld the broken stub to a heavy washer first, (like a shock washer), and then weld a nut or bolt to the washer. You get a far better weld between the washer and the broken stub than you will trying to weld down the inside of the nut. My best effort using this method was to remove 5 broken manifold bolts from a Ford head, working from under the car so I could see them. No way you could do that welding directly to a nut. Good luck.
 
The welded nut idea is good, but its actually easier and more effective to weld the broken stub to a heavy washer first, (like a shock washer), and then weld a nut or bolt to the washer. You get a far better weld between the washer and the broken stub than you will trying to weld down the inside of the nut. My best effort using this method was to remove 5 broken manifold bolts from a Ford head, working from under the car so I could see them. No way you could do that welding directly to a nut. Good luck.
Just wanted to say THANKS to all you guys for the great advice...........Welded a washer then nut to the remains of the bolt and off it came...........Whole job took 5mins.........Thanks again
 
Just wanted to say THANKS to all you guys for the great advice...........Welded a washer then nut to the remains of the bolt and off it came...........Whole job took 5mins.........Thanks again
Gotta love it when something that looks like it will be a nightmare workes out for the best.
 
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