How do you get a broken bolt stud out?
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 5,210
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From: Fort Worth TX
St. Jude Donor '06
Father & Son St. Jude Donor '09
How do you get a broken bolt stud out?
A friends brother sheared off a bolt in his 80's honda. Isn't there a way to drill and tap it out? What tools do you need and what are the steps? Please be specific, because I'll print this out and give the answer to them.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 1,908
Likes: 0
From: Manassas, VA, USA
Re: How do you get a broken bolt stud out? (74-Roadster)
Well, lie most things, it depends. If part of the bolt is protruding, grab it good with a pair of vice grips and see if you can back it out. If it's sheared off even, you can try carving a slot in it for a screwdriver (a dremel tool works well for this) and unscrewing it. If that doesn't work, you can try tapping it out with a chisel (either find or make a notch and use that as a fulcrum, use the end of the chisel to "unscrew" it by tapping gently on it). For any of these methods, it often helps if you spray it with penetrating oil and come back tomorrow.
If none of that works, you can get screw extractors at the local hardware/auto store. These often come with the drill bit as well as the extractor, and you just follow the instructions on the package.
Good luck. :cheers:
If none of that works, you can get screw extractors at the local hardware/auto store. These often come with the drill bit as well as the extractor, and you just follow the instructions on the package.
Good luck. :cheers:
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,340
Likes: 2
From: Moro IL
Re: How do you get a broken bolt stud out? (74-Roadster)
Worst case scenario is you'll have to drill and retapp to hole, I had to do this earlier this year on one of the bolts of my thermostat housing on my LS-4, couldn't get it out with the vice grips and soaking it in penetrating oil overnight, So I ended up having to cut the bolt flush to the intake and find the proper sized drill bit to drill out the old bolt and then ran a tap down it and it turned out just fine, but it is a lot of work, fortunately the other bolt came out with the vice grips, otherwise I probably would have taken the intake to the machine shop for them to remove the bolts. It's extremely important when drilling out a bolt that you stay centered on it, especially if more then one bolt goes through the object, otherwise the other holes may not line up if your off by much, then you have a real mess. A good tap and die set will normally come with a drill bit set as well so you can match everything up, I have one of these sets and it has saved my butt many times.
Pat Kunz
Pat Kunz
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,004
Likes: 16
From: Gainesville, Florida
Re: How do you get a broken bolt stud out? (74-Roadster)
Easy..get an EZ-Out at your local hardware store. All you do is drill a hole in the broken bolt, insert the EZ-Out into the hole and twist. The EZ-Out bites into the inside surface of the hole you just drilled allowing the bolt to turn (if its not totally seized). Recommend copious quantities of WD-40 or some other lubricant on the bolt prior to trying the extraction.
If the EZ-Out doesn't work, another option is drilling out the bolt with a slightly smaller diameter bit and the retapping the hole with the original thread size.
All of this is assuming the bolt/stud is a screw-in type and not a pressed in one.
Mark
If the EZ-Out doesn't work, another option is drilling out the bolt with a slightly smaller diameter bit and the retapping the hole with the original thread size.
All of this is assuming the bolt/stud is a screw-in type and not a pressed in one.
Mark
Racer
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 433
Likes: 0
Re: How do you get a broken bolt stud out? (mdsmith)
Screw extractor or EZ Out.
Has a left handed thread so as you screw it into the hole that you make in the problem bolt, it bites and backs it out.
Definitely part of the tool kit if you own a car as old as ours :D
Has a left handed thread so as you screw it into the hole that you make in the problem bolt, it bites and backs it out.
Definitely part of the tool kit if you own a car as old as ours :D
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 3,365
Likes: 5
From: Lake Villa IL
Cruise-In IV Veteran
Cruise-In V Veteran
St. Jude Contributor
Re: How do you get a broken bolt stud out? (74-Roadster)
Another important component of this whole thing is heat. Rare is the job that doesn't have me reaching for my MAP gas torch. Of course, caution must be taken, when working with an open flame around a car. Yada Yada Yada, it works.
