How to extract a broken adapter from an extension?

[JBradley500]

A couple of years ago I broke off a 3/8 to 1/4 adapter socket in one of my extensions. I kind of forgot about it until i started organizing my tools and noticed the one extension being a straggler. I tried to drill it with one of my small bits and it would only put a small mark on it. The broken piece will move in and out pretty easily but it gets stuck so i'm assuming it was a friction-ball adapter.

 

[trout]

a really strong magnet?

 

[wombat31x]

I have gotten them out by sliding a thin strip of steel down the side where the detent is to depress it then work it out , On one I needed to glue a small bolt onto the broken end( I glued it with epoxy as I didn't want to weld it as I could not get anywhere to get an earth apart from allowing the current to flow between the two parts risking spot welding them together)If' its a friction ball just gluing the bolt on should give you enough purchase to remove the broken piece without needing to depress the ball...hope this helps.

 

[4BT]

Ball bearing retainer? Push in the ball and pry.

 

[JonnFX]

Weld a rod to it and pull it out.

If you are worried about welding to the extension, place a washer over it with the hole centered, then weld the inside of the washer hole to the broken piece. Now weld on a nut or bolt and pull it out.

Or drill and tap it and thread in a bolt.

 

[Harrison2]

tack/weld a bolt to it and then pull it out, or drill the centre until you get to the detent spring and then pull the spring out or drill through it...

VOILA!

 

[619DioFan]

Jb weld a bolt to the broken piece. let the jb cure then pull out the broken piece.

 

[Midman914]

Jb weld a bolt to the broken piece. let the jb cure then pull out the broken piece.

X2

 

[JBradley500]

Sounds good. I don't have a welder at home so I'll try the JB weld. The break is at a weird angle so the glue attempt didnt work.

Being 1/4" drive it's pretty tight in there so I can't get anything between the ball and the extension. Maybe some feeler-stock but i don't have any of that.

 

[fatfillup]

Darn good advice. have you tried wacking the extension against a piece of wood much like you would do when you have a nut stuck in a socket?

 

[RV77]

I have gotten them out by sliding a thin strip of steel down the side where the detent is to depress it then work it out , On one I needed to glue a small bolt onto the broken end( I glued it with epoxy as I didn't want to weld it as I could not get anywhere to get an earth apart from allowing the current to flow between the two parts risking spot welding them together)If' its a friction ball just gluing the bolt on should give you enough purchase to remove the broken piece without needing to depress the ball...hope this helps.

Yep...I would try a feeler guage first

 

[JBradley500]

Darn good advice. have you tried wacking the extension against a piece of wood much like you would do when you have a nut stuck in a socket?

yeah that's how i get it to move.

 

[czgunner]

Hand both to your tool dealer and get a warranty replacement!

 

[Fordman7795]

Try running a self drilling screw into it

 

[KinzeMech]

kinetic bullet puller.

 

[czgunner]

kinetic bullet puller.

Oooohhhh! Nice one!

 

[jsaw]

Darn good advice. have you tried wacking the extension against a piece of wood much like you would do when you have a nut stuck in a socket?

That is what I would try also

 

[Provincial]

kinetic bullet puller.

Hose clamp the extension to a long hammer (like a body hammer) so when you hit a block of wood the inertia pops the broken part out just like the inertia bullet puller.

 

[wombat31x]

I actually tried the kinetic method, but no matter how hard I hit it would not shift

 

[neophyte]

MRI machine?

 

[KinzeMech]

If you cannot pull it out in a kinetic fashion, try getting a small washer (probably 3/16). The hole will be big enough you can weld the inside of the washer to the broken *** on the extension without welding to the extension itself.
Failing that, if the extension is a warranted brand, just turn it in. It is unusable as is, therefore it's a broken tool.

 

[JBradley500]

I put the extension in a pair of vice grips. With the end with the broken part in it up and vice grips in my hand I smacked the vice grips with a hammer and the piece popped right out. That bullet puller got me thinking and it's probably a very similar idea, just in reverse kinda.

 

[ChevyEFI]

I see you fixed it. Good. Here's what I had in mind, mid-thread:

Drill one hole that reaches the inside of the female end.
This is a functional way if located well because it will work with pin or ball-retainer male ends in the future.

Add a zerk to the hole.

Seal the broken piece in with epoxy. I have had poor luck with JB weld compared to 3M scotchweld I use for other purposes, but it may work.

And hydro-grease it right out.