Which snapped bolt extractors do folk recommend?
Discussion
I've got the resulting snapped stud left stuck halfway out of a brake caliper and need to try and sort it myself before I resort to taking it anywhere. As such, can anyone recommend some decent stud removers from the list below?
https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/laser-3734-4-piece...
https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/draper-55641-12-sq...
https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/laser-4393-2-piece...
https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/pro57-4-pce-stud-e...
I'd really appreciate any input.
https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/laser-3734-4-piece...
https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/draper-55641-12-sq...
https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/laser-4393-2-piece...
https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/pro57-4-pce-stud-e...
I'd really appreciate any input.
E-bmw said:
I have to admit to never having much success with stud extractors & now just go straight for a grinder, to flatten the end, centre punch to mark the centre, good quality progressively larger drills & then re-tap it out.
I've always struggled a bit with that method but in all honesty never used a centre punch. I have had success with extractors before but sometimes you do just find the whole thing is a waste of time!I'll buy some centre punches as a backup plan.
Irwin Bolt Grip, if it strips the thread then just put on a smaller size (they come in a kit of 4 sizes with an add on kit of another 4).
Heat and/or penetrating fluid will obviously help and for penetrating fluid just use a mix of 50/50 Acetone and ATF. Shake well to mix it before use and let it do it's work, I use an old oil can to apply. It's better than anything else you can buy off the shelf.
Heat and/or penetrating fluid will obviously help and for penetrating fluid just use a mix of 50/50 Acetone and ATF. Shake well to mix it before use and let it do it's work, I use an old oil can to apply. It's better than anything else you can buy off the shelf.
I'm presuming the bolt head has sheared off as the thread has seized?
My first 'go to' would be the 'mig & weld a nut onto the remains' & I've found that usually works - but I do have a mig to hand.
Second would be to heat & cool the remains several times before trying something to grip onto the remains - cooling with something like 'freeze & release'. Tapping the end with a hammer might help shocking the corrosion free.
Last would be centre pop, drill & retap if necessary. Usually after the above have faied & the sticky out bit has now broken off. Try & find left hand drills as the heat & metal removal may well free the remains before you get to the hole thread.
I hate the 'easy-outs' as most I've experience of seem to have the shear strength of a rotten carrot, snap off in the hole & you've then got a bit of - allegedly - hardened steel blocking the hole. At which point spark erosion may be the only option.
My first 'go to' would be the 'mig & weld a nut onto the remains' & I've found that usually works - but I do have a mig to hand.
Second would be to heat & cool the remains several times before trying something to grip onto the remains - cooling with something like 'freeze & release'. Tapping the end with a hammer might help shocking the corrosion free.
Last would be centre pop, drill & retap if necessary. Usually after the above have faied & the sticky out bit has now broken off. Try & find left hand drills as the heat & metal removal may well free the remains before you get to the hole thread.
I hate the 'easy-outs' as most I've experience of seem to have the shear strength of a rotten carrot, snap off in the hole & you've then got a bit of - allegedly - hardened steel blocking the hole. At which point spark erosion may be the only option.
I've tried the Laser style ones before and all you do is strip the teeth on the thing. I ended up taking my manifold with attached studs down to a local engineering place and had them remove them and put new threads in at the same time. Cost a few quid and saved a huge amount of time.
TroubledSoul said:
I've got the Irwin bolt extractors but they failed. Next size down won't go on.
I do have a welder. Not used it yet but it's an option. I'm going to try getting it in a vice and heating it then going at it with grips next.
The welder option is by far the most likely to succeed IME. It has removed fasteners where all other attempts have failed for me many times.I do have a welder. Not used it yet but it's an option. I'm going to try getting it in a vice and heating it then going at it with grips next.
Another tip is to try tightening the fastener before loosening it. This can sometimes be more effective in breaking the corrosion bond than just trying to loosen it.
Tools that use electromagnetic induction to heat a seized bolt are still expensive, but coming down in price: EG http://www.bolt-buster.co.uk/#1 (No connection)
Welding tools can do the same job, are more available but gas is probably more difficult to use without fire risk.
JOhn
Welding tools can do the same job, are more available but gas is probably more difficult to use without fire risk.
JOhn
Induction heaters are good but expensive. I've just bought one on these but haven't tried it out yet. Cool little thing to have if you are happy messing about with batteries to connect it up. (not my fault if you blow yourself up!) http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/20A-1000W-ZVS-Low-voltag...
Always a complete nuisance when things like that happen. These days I tend to be patient and use heat, penetrating fluid and so forth to try to avoid breaking things. Like many contributors I haven't had much success with extractors. In the past, I've centre punched the errant bolt remains and used progressively bigger drills until there was a shell left which I could at least partially collapse - then an extractor was handy. It's fiddly though.
If the answer is an extractor, you're asking the wrong question!
I've never had any success with extractors - if the bolt is so seized that it has snapped, then an even smaller piece of (allegedly) harder steel is unlikely to do a better job. Once it has snapped, you need a carbide spade drill to get the remains out...
Heat - absolute winner, preferably before snapping the hex off. If you don't have conventional oxy, then those premixed oxy-propane torches are a big step up, "MAPP" gas or whatever it is called, plumbers use them.
If you do get it moving a fraction, then don't keep yarding on it - work it back while soaking it in penetrating oil - this gets the oil in the threads, and frees it up properly.
If snapped - welding on a nut as others have suggested, usually works.
If that doesn't work, drill it out with a left handed drill. It usually gets hot and just spins out when you are a reasonable way through.
I've never had any success with extractors - if the bolt is so seized that it has snapped, then an even smaller piece of (allegedly) harder steel is unlikely to do a better job. Once it has snapped, you need a carbide spade drill to get the remains out...
Heat - absolute winner, preferably before snapping the hex off. If you don't have conventional oxy, then those premixed oxy-propane torches are a big step up, "MAPP" gas or whatever it is called, plumbers use them.
If you do get it moving a fraction, then don't keep yarding on it - work it back while soaking it in penetrating oil - this gets the oil in the threads, and frees it up properly.
If snapped - welding on a nut as others have suggested, usually works.
If that doesn't work, drill it out with a left handed drill. It usually gets hot and just spins out when you are a reasonable way through.
I'd be looking at an exchange caliper. The thing is that if you break an extractor (many people do) then the exchange boys won't take it. A caliper with siezed screws and bleed nipples however is acceptable, and you know it's going to be OK.
I've lost count of the number of siezed and broken extractors I've seen.
I've lost count of the number of siezed and broken extractors I've seen.
I ended up drilling it out, ran a tap through and all appears OK now. I couldn't get enough leverage to undo the bolt because the bench isn't bolted down and was coming off the floor! I did error slightly as on the good bolt hole, the bolt stops at the bottom of it and on the retapped one the bolt goes right through instead of stopping.
I torqued it though, did a few hundred miles and checked it and it was still holding fast.
I torqued it though, did a few hundred miles and checked it and it was still holding fast.
Escy said:
Induction heaters are good but expensive. I've just bought one on these but haven't tried it out yet. Cool little thing to have if you are happy messing about with batteries to connect it up. (not my fault if you blow yourself up!) http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/20A-1000W-ZVS-Low-voltag...
Hmm, could I use one of those powered by 2 12V batteries in series?Gassing Station | Home Mechanics | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff