Stuck Bolt - ideas?

[Slowbra]

I sheared off a bolt on my xpipe while installing it (2004 Ford Cobra) . The threads were garbage so I was expecting this. It's one of the bolts that attaches the xpipe to the catback. The bolt has a knurl and resembles a wheel stud.

I've tried to hammer it out with a 3lb sledge and punch, but no luck. I then took a cut of wheel and cut it close to the flange expecting that to work better, but no luck.

I guess I could drill it or heat it. Before I tinker further I thought is ask for an opinion or two. Here are some pics.

 

[9GUY9]

Air hammer and lots of heat.

Dont have those, then drill it out.

 

[badss98]

you can use an oxygen/acetylene torch and blow it out

 

[zkdiesel]

Blow out with torch and nut and bolt it

 

[SASORacing]

Air hammer and lots of heat.

Dont have those, then drill it out.

this. use fluid on your drill bits too.

 

[C96]

Use an air hammer / chisel; you can by a cheep one at Lowes, Home Depot or HF just for that job.

 

[Techie1961]

Drill it out. Using a torch will cause damage to parts that you don't want touched. Center up the punch mark that you made and when you drill close to the final diameter, it should knock out fairly easily. If you can manage it, don't drill all the way through on the larger holes you will make and you will have a blind hole to use a drift punch in.

 

[Streetbu]

Air hammer

 

[atty5420]

Heat, and lots and lots of Kroil, then patience. If necessary you can weld on a nut to get a better grip for the air ratchet.

 

[Steroblan]

From experience, you will probably only get the one shot at removal before something is damaged. Find someone with a welder and weld a nut to the cutoff stud(weld in the center of the nut). The heat from the weld will help break the corrosion in the stud threads. Once it is cool to the touch, apply steady torque with a box end or 6 point socket. Using impact tools can shear the nut right off again.

 

[Throbbin Rods]

Heat the knurled insert cherry red, then squirt some water directly on the knurl. The knurl will shrink quickly and the heat will be driven out into the flange. Drive the insert out of the flange with an air chisel using a pointed bit. Used it on lots of real tough jobs and it works.

 

[btlegacy]

From experience, you will probably only get the one shot at removal before something is damaged. Find someone with a welder and weld a nut to the cutoff stud(weld in the center of the nut). The heat from the weld will help break the corrosion in the stud threads. Once it is cool to the touch, apply steady torque with a box end or 6 point socket. Using impact tools can shear the nut right off again.

This is my usual go to

 

[87jeepwrangler]

From experience, you will probably only get the one shot at removal before something is damaged. Find someone with a welder and weld a nut to the cutoff stud(weld in the center of the nut). The heat from the weld will help break the corrosion in the stud threads. Once it is cool to the touch, apply steady torque with a box end or 6 point socket. Using impact tools can shear the nut right off again.

X3

This is the best way. Period.

 

[Buckgnarly]

Heat it cherry red, punch it right out. Replace with bolt. This is my standard practice in the rust belt, been done many times.

 

[Buckgnarly]

From experience, you will probably only get the one shot at removal before something is damaged. Find someone with a welder and weld a nut to the cutoff stud(weld in the center of the nut). The heat from the weld will help break the corrosion in the stud threads. Once it is cool to the touch, apply steady torque with a box end or 6 point socket. Using impact tools can shear the nut right off again.

It's not threaded, it's a pressed in stud.

 

[MG44]

An air hammer with a torch heating up the flange (not stud itself) will do it. If you don't have a big torch (most don't) a small handheld MAPP torch will usually do that trick but you may have to heat it for 5-10 minutes to get it hot enough. Take a candle and try to get some wax in on the pressed side if possible, it may help. We do a lot of exhaust at work, this is not uncommon but a lot of times a headache.

I wouldn't try to "blow out" or weld (which won't do you any good in that situation anyways) anything with a big torch if working on jack stands. The embers are hot and it is hard to get out of the way as everything comes falling down.

Good luck.

 

[Jswain]

I would either drill the stud out and tap it to accept a new bolt one size larger, or simply drill it out and use a bolt and nut going through the flange(quick and easy). It is going to be very hard to hammer it out by hand with it hanging on the car so unless you have a good air hammer or you want to remove it that option will be more difficult.

If you can mount it in a vice with a solid piece of tube or a socket larger then the insert underneath it that would help greatly and a few blows with a hammer would take it right out.

 

[Professur]

Drilling it won't take 10 minutes. It'll take longer just to get any other method ready to use.

 

[lksdrinker]

You could just cut the flanges off altogether and weld on some new ones. Or you could skip the flanges and weld the x pipe to the cat back.

 

[12ozd]

Heat up the flange, punch out the stud.

 

[zkling]

Heat and punch, but first I would try a ball joint press and suitable dies to back up the flange. A make shift press to push it out.

 

[Slowbra]

Lots of heat and lots of punching using an air hammer. No luck yet. I'll try again this weekend

 

[BioNerd]

I've encountered **** like this before... Here I'm drilling out a bolt for hours. I had ****** bits and only wd40 for lube.

(By the way, there is 4 jacks in this operation, the one in sight is a "just in case" one)

I've drilled thru the bolts using slow constant pressure and lubrication. Right at the center and then punched in the remaining thread and material. One time I had to use a tap and die bit to clean the threads that were damaged.

It worked.

 

[Slowbra]

My dad suggested the same thing (drilling it). I just didn't have time to **** with it for hours tonight. I'm shocked how bad that sucker is stuck. It's not really even rusted.

 

[GarageWarrior]

My dad suggested the same thing (drilling it). I just didn't have time to **** with it for hours tonight. I'm shocked how bad that sucker is stuck. It's not really even rusted.

If it's not stainless, you can try burning it out with oxy-acetylene torch. However last ranger I worked on had stainless, and stainless does not really burn - ended up drilling with air drill and carbide bit. It's a pain.

My advice - take it to the shop and let them do it at flat rate.

 

[owenst7]

Or a ball joint press.

 

[nicksnothereman]

I sheared off a bolt on my xpipe while installing it (2004 Ford Cobra) . The threads were garbage so I was expecting this. It's one of the bolts that attaches the xpipe to the catback. The bolt has a knurl and resembles a wheel stud.

I've tried to hammer it out with a 3lb sledge and punch, but no luck. I then took a cut of wheel and cut it close to the flange expecting that to work better, but no luck.

I guess I could drill it or heat it. Before I tinker further I thought is ask for an opinion or two. Here are some pics.]

Heat then penetrating oil then punch+hammer.

If that don't work try to wedge it apart with a pry bar without damaging the flanges; not ideal but sometimes that can help. Otherwise you'll be drilling it out I suppose.

 

[FunkyfullWidth]

I've done tons of these... Just a little heat from a torch and punch it out, either an air hammer (a good one) Or a hammer and punch. It's gotta be cherry red and swift swings.

It isn't threaded.

It's a stud.

 

[351cmach]

Heat it cherry red, punch it right out. Replace with bolt. This is my standard practice in the rust belt, been done many times.

I second this. Do it all the time.

Don't burn it out you'll make a mess of the hole

 

[Slowbra]

I picked up a torch last night and tried the hear and air hammer approach. However, I did not get the flange cherry red. How long do you think that would take with a propane torch on a stainless steel flange? Should I get it up from the bottom of the flange?

 

[Slowbra]

Or a ball joint press.

I thought about this, but would need to weld a nut on the head of the bolt to have something to pry against. Unless you have another idea?

 

[nehog]

Well, I can't believe all the hard work everyone suggests. My ball joint press has adapters to press these out easily. Life's too short to mess around!

 

[Professur]

That presumes the OP has a ball joint press.

For the pictured tool, you can just stick a small socket in there.

 

[Throbbin Rods]

Propane isn't going to touch that. You need an oxy fuel torch for that kind of heat

 

[zkling]

That presumes the OP has a ball joint press.

For the pictured tool, you can just stick a small socket in there.

Auto zone, Orileys and the like all rent a ball joint press for free.

 

[Slowbra]

Propane isn't going to touch that. You need an oxy fuel torch for that kind of heat

That makes sense.

 

[Slowbra]

That presumes the OP has a ball joint press.

For the pictured tool, you can just stick a small socket in there.

I need a picture. I can pick up the tool, but not sure how to make it work as I don't have leverage unless I weld a nut on the head of the bolt.

 

[ishiboo]

I need a picture. I can pick up the tool, but not sure how to make it work as I don't have leverage unless I weld a nut on the head of the bolt.

It's pretty simple... you put the forked open end over where you want hte stud to come out, and the bottom flat jaw part would press on a small bolt/socket/etc. to push the stud through.

I still think you're going to need heat.

 

[Chuck]

From experience, you will probably only get the one shot at removal before something is damaged. Find someone with a welder and weld a nut to the cutoff stud(weld in the center of the nut). The heat from the weld will help break the corrosion in the stud threads. Once it is cool to the touch, apply steady torque with a box end or 6 point socket. Using impact tools can shear the nut right off again.

Another "me too" on this one. Yes yes yes.

 

[ishiboo]

Another "me too" on this one. Yes yes yes.

Except there are no threads, it's a splined bolt... the threads are gone and not relevant. It will be difficult to TURN as you need to strip all the splines... the goal is to push it out.