Snapped Bolts

[jims-terrano]

As the name suggests I have some snapped bolts to remove. The main one giving me pain is where the wing fastens to the inner wing along the bonnet shut line.
So got a 1.5mm drill bit and drilled down the middle of the bolt fine. Bought some new hss drill bits from machine mart. Opened the 2mm bits and popped one in my drill. Carefully placed it on top of the first hole and started to drill, the bit promptly snapped straight away. Crap drill bits I guess.

So I'm left with the bolt and the end of a drill bit stuck inside it. Has anyone get any ideas?

I've soaked in plus gas and even gripped other wnd of the bolt below the nut and tried to screw it all the way through but it's well and truly stuck.

 

[don simon]

I'd say patience, give the plus gas a good few hours to soak in and keep adding to it until it does what you want.

 

[jims-terrano]

I'd say patience, give the plus gas a good few hours to soak in and keep adding to it until it does what you want.

Been doing the plus gas for a week

 

[Fez_uk]

Most small drill bits will snap if they catch sadly. You won't be able to drill that drill bit out now either.

I say just leave it.

 

[don simon]

Been doing the plus gas for a week

Oops! Sorry.

 

[jims-terrano]

Oops! Sorry.

Don't apologise for offering advice, that's why we are here :thumbs

Sadly Fez I reckon that's probably what's going to happen I just don't like the idea.

 

[clivvy]

get some fancy super strong liquid metal and mould it to shape perhaps? What is it to hold?

 

[jims-terrano]

Main one that I want to sort is one on the wing.

 

[rustic]

Main one that I want to sort is one on the wing.

Hi Jim, it's been a while since I have written on the forum, and as you know, I do look in. I won't be posting much from now on.
I might be able to suggest something.... never tried this on a car though...
flatten the area, then centre punch a ring around the thread line, or even further out.
Drill down with increasing drill sizes, until the thread, stud and part of your wing drop out.

When you have a large rough hole 10-15mm across, then you can fabricate a nut welded to a plate and fix that, either with weld, or chemical metal.
Or use a threaded nut sert etc.


I had to do something similar on an aluminium out board leg, 4 M6 stainless bolts sheared, in the end I drilled into the side and chemical metalled M6 stainless steel nuts in place, and that served the engine well till I sold the boat with engine... :augie

Might work, I can't see any other way, unless you use spark errosion, or even welding a nut to the remains of the stud.

Best regards,
Richard (Rustic)

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

On the rear Bumper on mine, where the bolts snapped, I ended up like you with a snapped drill in the bolts, so I soaked it in WD40, then used the Dremil to grind at the Drill bit and top of the bolt.

I was not worried about actually grinding it down, just making the bolt nice and hot.... Make sure to grind it down completely flush, so there is no thread left on the top of the sheared bit.

I then used a Centre punch at the edge of the bolt and knocked the punch at an angle, to effectively dig into the bolt and wind it in further. After the heat, Banging and WD40, I managed to get it to screw right the way through, by using mole grips on the showing bit of thread at the back.

Hi Jim, it's been a while since I have written on the forum, and as you know, I do look in. I won't be posting much from now on.
..........

Why are you no longer posting Richard? I will miss your very specific sense of humour...:thumbs

 

[solarman216]

What has happened Rustic? you not well? Rick

 

[rustic]

What has happened Rustic? you not well? Rick

Not well at the moment, I've sent you a PM.:thumb2

 

[quixote]

I was given a tip by an American friend for a penetrating oil . . . . they call it 'Panther Piss' in the South, apparently :lol

50/50 acetone (nail polish remover) to brake fluid. Spray on and allow to penetrate or a few minutes. Seriously, if this stuff doesn't free it, it ain't ever coming out :thumbs

 

[nemofish2000]

Drill a hole in a hole in the end of a piece of flat bar long enough th create a handle, place over snapped stud then weld the flat bar to the stud and wind out. Hope that makes sense.

 

[jims-terrano]

Drill a hole in a hole in the end of a piece of flat bar long enough th create a handle, place over snapped stud then weld the flat bar to the stud and wind out. Hope that makes sense.

Makes perfect sense but sadly it's only a small bolt and has managed to snap slightly inside the captive nut.

The drill bit snapped inside a pilot hole that I had drilled.

Thinking now that mr angle grinder will have to remove the nut that's welded on the the inner wing and then put a nut and bolt through when I replace the wing.

 

[solarman216]

I have removed broken drill bits with needle nose/circlip pliers or similar place the pins in the two flutes of the drill and work back and forth but predominantly anti clock, together with a little tapping about they often come out easy, Rick

 

[kitchenman]

When you get the broken drill out sharpen the broken part [bit] not the bit you dug out, and only have a few mm protruding from the drill chuck, do not apply any pressure, be patient,

 

[JoergMoeller]

Hey,

is it possible to heat the bolt? I made some good experience with some torch like this

http://www.amazon.de/Proxxon-28146-...1444804511&sr=8-1&keywords=proxxon+gasbrenner

If the bolt is not too big it gives enugh heat and it allows enough to control of the flame not to set your car ont fire.

Regards
Jörg

 

[briggie]

is it possible to weld a bolt / nut onto it jim ?

 

[jims-terrano]

Thanks for the ideas guys. I'm just at the point of refitting the wings so just at the right time. The bolt giving me problems is one of the small ones that holds the wing on, in fact the centre one down the side of the bonnet (hood). My current idea is to take the angle grinder and grind the captive nut off and then simply fit a new nut and bolt.