How would you remove this bolt?
Discussion
Assuming there is no access to the other end, and using a welder is going to ruin your car....
I think I would drill into the bolt using using the rounded allen hole as a guide to keep the drill vertical.
I would then drill progressively larger until the head comes off, and hopefully you'll be able to eventually remove the rest of the threaded portion from the thread.
Access looks difficult to even re-tap the thread or insert a helicoil, so good luck.
I think I would drill into the bolt using using the rounded allen hole as a guide to keep the drill vertical.
I would then drill progressively larger until the head comes off, and hopefully you'll be able to eventually remove the rest of the threaded portion from the thread.
Access looks difficult to even re-tap the thread or insert a helicoil, so good luck.
Easy outs argh no way! For me as they are hard and spread the bolt, they are the work of the devil.
Try one of the modern outside spline type sockets that are popular on modern Vauxhalls so hammer it on to mark the outside of the bolt and using a steel chisel or something hard shave off some of the metal till it cuts its own spline.
In the past I have had success with a solid steel centre pop by hammering into the top of the bolt and sideways they often give in.
If all this fails very carefully drill out the centre of the bolt out in easy stages starting with approx 2.5 mm and increasing until you are near the core of the thread size.
M6 = 5mm M8 = 6.8 M10 = 8.5
You might be able to pick out the thread when you have got this far, if not drill it out bigger and use a helicoil insert to bring it back to size.
Try one of the modern outside spline type sockets that are popular on modern Vauxhalls so hammer it on to mark the outside of the bolt and using a steel chisel or something hard shave off some of the metal till it cuts its own spline.
In the past I have had success with a solid steel centre pop by hammering into the top of the bolt and sideways they often give in.
If all this fails very carefully drill out the centre of the bolt out in easy stages starting with approx 2.5 mm and increasing until you are near the core of the thread size.
M6 = 5mm M8 = 6.8 M10 = 8.5
You might be able to pick out the thread when you have got this far, if not drill it out bigger and use a helicoil insert to bring it back to size.
Sadly I can't get into it with a drill as the coolant pipe is where the chuck should be.
With the head being magnesium I cannot weld it either, plus it'd most likely tack to the coolant pipe.
I'm well and truly stuck with this one. There just isn't any room to do anything. I'm going to try and widen the hole and see if I can beat a cheaper (softer) torx into it.
With the head being magnesium I cannot weld it either, plus it'd most likely tack to the coolant pipe.
I'm well and truly stuck with this one. There just isn't any room to do anything. I'm going to try and widen the hole and see if I can beat a cheaper (softer) torx into it.
With long series drills, first drill sized to just make the hole round, just drill to the bottom of the hole. The next drill use the size of the thread, i.e. 8mm for an M8 thread, drill until the head comes off, take the pipe off and then remove the rest of the bolt with pliers, or worst case screw extractors if you really have to.
That won't work 50mm down!
OP - if you can clean the rounded socket, might be worth wiping with say a q-tip in alcohol, then using a bit tapped-in hard after a dip in Araldite and leaving 24hrs to harden. Idea being, the epoxy fills and binds before you try to unwind. A last-ditch before carefully drilling-out as already proposed.
If the thing were any easier to get-at, the weld idea is a very good'un. I've seen snapped-off-level threaded stubs removed from iron blocks by this method before now, by MIG'ing the ID of a nut to what remained...
OP - if you can clean the rounded socket, might be worth wiping with say a q-tip in alcohol, then using a bit tapped-in hard after a dip in Araldite and leaving 24hrs to harden. Idea being, the epoxy fills and binds before you try to unwind. A last-ditch before carefully drilling-out as already proposed.
If the thing were any easier to get-at, the weld idea is a very good'un. I've seen snapped-off-level threaded stubs removed from iron blocks by this method before now, by MIG'ing the ID of a nut to what remained...
Snap On do some very good extractor bits. The multispline ones are for Allen or Torx heads, they work really well. They are not the usual easy-out rubbish.
I ahve one of these sets and it has got me out of trouble more times than I can remember. you can buy the bits individually to keep the cost down.
Edited to add the link.
I ahve one of these sets and it has got me out of trouble more times than I can remember. you can buy the bits individually to keep the cost down.
Edited to add the link.
Edited by thescamper on Monday 31st October 07:42
Yuxi said:
Please dont do this!
Agreed, chemical metal bodges are horrible.Whilst there is still a head attached to the fastener there is no way I'd be drilling that one out as it looks like a utter ballache working down that recess to remove the threaded part. I'd sacrifice an allen/torx bit by welding it on before I went that route.
A punch in the center of the head to apply some percussive persuasion to the thread would be a start, though be carefull not to crack the casting.
Edited by Mr2Mike on Tuesday 1st November 08:38
Looks like a pig that one...
Depending on tools at your disposal, are any of these a goer?:
1) If it's low torque, epoxy / JB Weld a driver bit or key into it (as someone else has suggested); or
2) Try and drill two holes to create a slot - same effect as the dremmel idea - probably need to go in at an angle to do it before using a straight screwdriver;
3) Tap a left handed thread into the bolt head - bang in a reverse threaded bolt and, when it reaches the stop, keep going to unscrew the original. Might be tricky that far down though.
I'd probably try any/all of the above before resorting to drilling it out.
Depending on tools at your disposal, are any of these a goer?:
1) If it's low torque, epoxy / JB Weld a driver bit or key into it (as someone else has suggested); or
2) Try and drill two holes to create a slot - same effect as the dremmel idea - probably need to go in at an angle to do it before using a straight screwdriver;
3) Tap a left handed thread into the bolt head - bang in a reverse threaded bolt and, when it reaches the stop, keep going to unscrew the original. Might be tricky that far down though.
I'd probably try any/all of the above before resorting to drilling it out.
Just an update for you all.
It seems the bolt was a heavily corroded (which seems odd, I guess being submerged in coolant does things no good) stainless one! It was soft as cheese and in the end I gave up, drilled the head off and used an easy out on the remaining thread.
What an utter ballache it has being. 8 hours on one bolt.
It seems the bolt was a heavily corroded (which seems odd, I guess being submerged in coolant does things no good) stainless one! It was soft as cheese and in the end I gave up, drilled the head off and used an easy out on the remaining thread.
What an utter ballache it has being. 8 hours on one bolt.
Waitey said:
Just an update for you all.
It seems the bolt was a heavily corroded (which seems odd, I guess being submerged in coolant does things no good) stainless one! It was soft as cheese and in the end I gave up, drilled the head off and used an easy out on the remaining thread.
Stainless into aluminium alloy is a bad idea, unless some precautions are taken. This combination promotes electrolytic corrosion more than plated steel fasteners.It seems the bolt was a heavily corroded (which seems odd, I guess being submerged in coolant does things no good) stainless one! It was soft as cheese and in the end I gave up, drilled the head off and used an easy out on the remaining thread.
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