Removing a broken concrete anchor.

[BolognaBlake]

Dumb question.

I've got a broken concrete anchor, 1/2" screw style 4" long, where the head popped off.

Would you just drill it and go at it with an extractor like any other broken fastener?

At home, I pretty much only use the tapered extractors with a slight twist. I assume a larger version of those would work in the anchor as well?

Thanks for the help!

 

[Sevenhills1952]

Maybe a picture of it, where is it, what's it for would help. I.E. can you still and put another beside it? Weld a nut to it, chisel around enough to get vice grips on it, etc.

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[GMCGarage]

I would order a left hand thread drill bit 3/8" and go to town on it.

 

[slow]

can you weld a nut to the end?

 

[Bretny]

Weld a nut on whats left.

Everyone is so quick to try and drill it out. Broken bolts dont break flat thus making for a really crappy drilling spot.

 

[rlitman]

Weld a nut on whats left.

Everyone is so quick to try and drill it out. Broken bolts dont break flat thus making for a really crappy drilling spot.

Agreed. Also, tapcon type screws and bolts are made from very hard steels. I expect you'll have an awful time drilling them.

 

[EdT]

Unless there's some compelling reason (OCD, for example) to get it out, I'd just grind it flush with the floor and put in another anchor nearby. If you have to take it out, and it's not bottomed out in the hole,. you may be able to loosen it up by driving it deeper into the hole and breaking up the interference between the concrete and the little hard threads on the OD of the anchor. This would loosen it up, but you'd still have to have a way to get it out of the hole.

 

[BolognaBlake]

Thanks for the suggestions!

The bolt was in a 15ft pallet rack upright. There are two footplates per upright and four anchors per footplate. It isn't going anywhere or unsafe, but it won't pass a facility audit. The upright was damaged and replace, only one anchor was damaged.

My company would require insurance and a permit for hot work, so I can't bring in my welder.

I'd much rather give more hours to my guys then pay someone to fix it. I'm expecting a facility audit soon, so I need to take care of it.

I'm just going to run an 8" long Hilti anchor to replace it once I get it out. I've had better luch with the Hilti's vs. Red Heads.

I suspect it'll turn easily once I get an extractor in it.

 

[rayra]

Weld a nut on whats left.

Everyone is so quick to try and drill it out. Broken bolts dont break flat thus making for a really crappy drilling spot.

That's why you start with a spring punch and a much smaller drill bit to start a guide hole, before proceeding to larger drill bits.

 

[rayra]

Unless there's some compelling reason (OCD, for example) to get it out, I'd just grind it flush with the floor and put in another anchor nearby. If you have to take it out, and it's not bottomed out in the hole,. you may be able to loosen it up by driving it deeper into the hole and breaking up the interference between the concrete and the little hard threads on the OD of the anchor. This would loosen it up, but you'd still have to have a way to get it out of the hole.

Or if you earlier managed to drill thru the slab completely, drive it down into the earth and abandon it in place.

 

[BD1]

IF it's still solid, glue a nut, washer, and thread on top or just a bolt head.
A real fix could be adding a angle clip, bolt to upright on opposite side, drill new anchor.

 

[Dmoen]

Just glue the old head back on and forget about it if your positive the racking isn’t going anywhere without it


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[matt_i]

Agreed. Also, tapcon type screws and bolts are made from very hard steels. I expect you'll have an awful time drilling them.

I would expect nothing but this ^. Thread-cutting concrete screws are harder than woodpecker lips.

In my facility if I had this issue I would fabricate an angle bracket of steel and move to a slightly different nearby spot to put in the anchor. Bolt the other end to the leg of the rack.

Also in my facility I would only use tapcons for very light stuff. For any kind of racks I would use wedge-anchor studs. If you havent figured out yet, forklifts running at speed in material handling are pretty awesome demolition tools in the hands of certain people.....

 

[rlitman]

Well, if you want something more serviceable after it shears flush with the floor, I suggest a double wedge anchor with a bolt. That way, you can just spin the remains of the bolt out.

 

[SARG]

DMOEN & BD1 have the easiest remedy. J-B Weld epoxy will solve the problem.

 

[rustyjames]

Just glue the old head back on and forget about it if your positive the racking isn’t going anywhere without it


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[finn]

Lots of hacks out there, most of whom have never seen in a position of responsibility in an industrial situation.

The glue thing would probably get the op fired.

 

[slow]

What about something like this It changes the anchor point and is designed to repair pallet racking.

https://www.wwmh.net/pallet-rack-repair/worldrev/

Should be bolt together and no welding required. If you can't get the old anchor out by drilling.

I do agree with the hacks, but to be fair, the OP didn't state this was a pallet upright until later in the post. The Glue is a lawyers dream if there was an incident.

 

[BD1]

Lots of hacks out there, most of whom have never seen in a position of responsibility in an industrial situation.

The glue thing would probably get the op fired.

I wouldn't think that would get a guy fired. He'd probably get a raise for a quick fix.
The real fix would be adding a angle clip, bolt to upright on opposite side, drill new anchor.

 

[Lucid Moments]

I wouldn't think that would get a guy fired. He'd probably get a raise for a quick fix.
The real fix would be adding a angle clip, bolt to upright on opposite side, drill new anchor.

Hopefully you are joking because that glue fix would get a supervisor that approved it fired for certain. Best thing I have seen is what slow posted above. No welding needed and still creates a new solid anchor point.

 

[Bretny]

That's why you start with a spring punch and a much smaller drill bit to start a guide hole, before proceeding to larger drill bits.

Still only a one shot deal. You can weld many many nuts on. You can only drill it off center once.

 

[rustyjames]

I've installed pallet racking in industrial settings and never seen that type of anchor used. Good luck drilling that out. I'm not sure even welding a nut on will get it. Another option would be to move the rack, core drill and set a new anchor in epoxy or non shrink grout.

 

[audioworks04]

I’ve never seen the head shear in that fashion, but I bring in an industrial setting of the rack did ever fail the manufacture likely wouldn’t stand behind it if the base plate was anchored in anyway outside the plan. Might be worth a shot to try grind a slot in the top and try to break it free, once you get enough above the surface a small pipe wrench would make easy work of it. Sadly welding a nut to the top or a large extractor are probably the most sure method, neither will be fun with the rack in place.


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