Methods of getting stuck bolts out.

[Farmall M 248]

Thought it would be an interesting topic to see other guys techniques. We all deal with them at one time or another!

 

[Mrfred54]

Usually heat if its accessible. If broken off than that's another issue. Left hand drill bits work sometimes.

 

[Hayfarmer]

It depends..I am talking about stuck broken bolts here I try to drill a hole in bolt and use easy out, doesn't usually work. left had drill bit may work if it isn't very stuck. I have tried welding a nut on part of bolt that is accessible. I may not be a good welder as it has never worked for me. I usually end up drilling bolt out and re tapping threads.

 

[matthies]

Working on a 656 IH and the console/dash was loose, found that the tinwork bolts where missing or gone. but while looking under the battery tray there was a head missing from a bolt. Under the hydraulic lines and really couldn't get to it but since it was so oily, the broke bolt was loose in the casting. I took a short hefty flat screwdriver and slid on a short piece of 5/16 rubber hose, the hose was able to grip the 3/8 stud and unthread it from the casting. Was worse getting the new bolt started.

 

[Non-farmer]

Ages ago, long before the internet, I was handed a document outlining the 3 rules of field service work.

Rule #1: There is no problem so complex that it cannot be solved by brute strength and ignorance.

 

[Curt Cooke]

Had 3 broken 5/16" cap screws broke off in the JD B exhaust pipe manifold. One had a nub left and heat and a small vice-grip got that one. One I had to drill out and re-tap. The third, I drilled but missed the center so I kept drilling larger until I had one portion of the screw drilled out to its edge. Then with a torch, I cut a slot on the opposite side and caved the screw in with a center punch chisel. For being a screw-up, I was pretty proud of myself.

 

[cjunrau]

I use heat and wax for the most part. If I feel it may break I attempt to use muriatic acid to clean the rust out before I break it. Heat up real good and melt wax in. repeat 3 -5 times. wax will get in and soften rust somehow. If broke I usually weld a nut or bolt on. If bolt big enough tap and screw another bit in with lock tight. wait a few days and try to back it out.

 

[MikeinKy]

heat red hot and quench with cold water I have good luck with welding a nut on and removing it

 

[joeysmith]

If im welding a nut on just as im finishing the welding I stick the rod on the nut an let the welder buzz on it for a bit
Usually come rite out

 

[greenmech]

Weld a washer on the bolt that's broke, then weld a nut on top of the washer. Ron MN

 

[37chief]

Thought it would be an interesting topic to see other guys techniques. We all deal with them at one time or another!

I have done this in the past on a couple broken manifold bolts on a Ford V8. Using a cutting tip flame directing the heat on the bolt as best as possible. When the bolt is ready to melt hit the oxygen. keep it up until the bolt is gone. Iron melts before Cast iron. It does work. Now would I do this on my good tractor maybe not. I did this on an old wood chipper motor. When I was in the Navy, there were a couple civilians their job was removing broken bolts on aircraft, that sailors broke off. Stan

 

[Wdj]

Evidence that the most mis-named tool in the world does occasionally work!

 

[MarkB_MI]

Heat, applied early in the process, is best. Once you start breaking things it gets complicated. I apply heat directly to the fastener using an oxyacetylene torch. Heating up castings generally doesn't work because you can't get a casting hot enough. But heating a bolt until it's cherry red almost always does the trick. Some folks say to let the fastener cool down before trying to remove it, but I always take 'em out hot. And if I feel the bolt start to seize up as I'm taking it out, I heat it up again.

I use my cutting torch for big bolts, but switch to a brazing tip for small stuff. And I never try to loosen a brake bleeder without first heating it.

 

[Ray,IN]

12 replies and no-one has mentioned Acetone and ATF yet.

 

[Mcrafty1]

Evidence that the most mis-named tool in the world does occasionally work!

That's a rare occurance right there, and with a square on even...they usually break the easiest for me. The size of the one you have there I refer to as a hole plug, because that's all I've ever been able to use them for.

 

[Welding man]

There is rarely a week goes by that we don't have to get a broken bolt out of something. Aluminum, cast iron or just plain steel. I use and have used many methods. I have had zero luck with candle wax, left hand drill bits and ATF and acetone and most penetrating products don't work either. A lot of the broken bolts we see have Loctite on them. Heat is the only answer. The bigger the bolt the easier they are to get out. We weld flat washers and nuts on as many as we can. We drill some of the bigger ones and split them out with a cutting torch. Sometimes we get lucky with an easy out, sometimes we set it up in the milling machine and mill it out with an end mill. Sometimes we drill the out weld up the hole and retap it especially in Aluminum. Each job requires a different method and a lot of patience, but we usually get the job done.

 

[DPittman]

I’m getting ready to change exhaust manifolds on her motor home. Hope I don’t have to find out

 

[showcrop]

Left handed drill bits work like magic for me but they have to be combined with appropriate other tools such as the straight sided extractors and heat. I have tried wax a number of times but as yet I am not convinced.

 

[timcasbolt]

Ages ago, long before the internet, I was handed a document outlining the 3 rules of field service work.

Rule #1: There is no problem so complex that it cannot be solved by brute strength and ignorance.

A former co-worker had a saying: "As long as I got this here hammer, ain't no such thing as stuck."

 

[Steven Allen]

I've had no luck with wax.