Removing snapped bolt

[fiv216]

Hey all,

So first off I've been searching most of today but I still felt like I should ask. The situation is the 18mm grade 10.9 pinch bolt on my strut lower strut mount snapped... On both sides, driver and passanger. About 3/8" into the hole.

So far I've soaked it in pb blaster twice over the past 24hrs. I dont think i could use an ez out in the location it's in. I dont want to use a carbide bit because of the brittleness & not being able to remove/use a drill press. I have 2 new cobalt bits I could use to drill it. Although I'm not sure if they're strong enough.

My idea was to apply heat & use a punch + 4lb sledge to punch it out. It's rusted to **** so i should be able to break the treads?

If anyone has advixe or an idea that'd awesome. Thanks !

 

[jfcasey]

Are we talking about a Macpherson strut? Are there threads exposed on the nut side? If there are you can try stacking washers and tightening the nut down till it pulls the bolt thru. I've had excellent luck with that method.

Pictures would make it a lot easier to give ya advice so we can see what we're working with.

 

[fiv216]

Sorry I'm currently at work so I cant post pictures. Theres no threads exposed. Heres an internet pic.

The head is snapped off mine

 

[stearn786]

What kind of car? That'll give me a better idea of what you're dealing with.

 

[Bigplum]

Heat , works wonders for most stuck stuff ,
not sure if the idea of breaking the threads is going to work though , lots of surface / contact area would make it nigh on impossible

I would drill straight thru , good cobalt bits should be fine , lots of lube , then drill and tap it to take the largest bolt that will fit the other side , then warm it up, fit the new bolt and try and wind it thru , a impact gun might help it shock free

 

[stonesfan68]

Is the nut still on the bolt? You should be able to grip the threads on the nut side with locking pliers and turn it out. Otherwise put a punch on the broken end and bang it out. I don't believe that the strut has any threads on that part, the bolt screws into the nut and the nut squeezes the clamp tight around the strut, correct?


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[fiv216]

It's an 05 bmw 325xi. There is no nut. The far side on the clamp is threaded. There's nothing to really grip to try and twidt.

 

[jhelrey]

The threaded part is going to make the job a pain...

Maybe some mechanics can chime in but I would be drilling it out and just using a bolt and a nut like every other car out there.

 

[joecon]

Your best bet is to remove the steering knuckle and drill and re tap the hole.
buy removing the part from the car you will be able to drill it more easily .
you have to be careful when working whit suspension parts there under great
stress and can fail at the worst time.

 

[Buckgnarly]

The threaded part is going to make the job a pain...

Maybe some mechanics can chime in but I would be drilling it out and just using a bolt and a nut like every other car out there.

This. I have done just that on many a Subaru front lower BJ pinch bolt. Other option maybe to torch out, or heat and extractor out.

 

[devoncoolman]

Drill it. Then retap or use a nut and bolt

 

[stearn786]

I would drill it out. A big easy out might work if you have the capability to heat the threaded end/knuckle. I've been amazed how much it helps sometimes to get stuff hot. If you can remove the whole knuckle with the strut it would be easier to work with.

 

[wafrederick]

The front and rear struts through bolts going through the knuckle can be this way in the Taurus and Sables too if heat with a torch is not used.

 

[fiv216]

I think I'll try heating & using a punch tonight.. The threaded area is very small so i maybe able to get some luck. I wont be able to use a drill press/taps until thursday so I dont want to attempt drilling & then be stranded. It's already pretty terrifying driving it now. But had to get to work.

 

[Buckgnarly]

I think I'll try heating & using a punch tonight.. The threaded area is very small so i maybe able to get some luck. I wont be able to use a drill press/taps until thursday so I dont want to attempt drilling & then be stranded. It's already pretty terrifying driving it now. But had to get to work.

So you are drivng it with no bolt head...........yeah, just throw some Kroil on it, drive it by some families......should come right out after that....

 

[blackwire]

If all else fails, cut off the part holding the strut, and get a new strut mount

 

[Wamsutta]

I'd use a straight flute extractor - Proto.

It's a shame everybody is afraid to use them because they work great.

 

[_Stang_]

I'd use a straight flute extractor - Proto.

It's a shame everybody is afraid to use them because they work great.

Ditto, saved my **** a few times. Why are ppl afraid to use them?

 

[CJM8515]

Ditto, saved my **** a few times. Why are ppl afraid to use them?

That large a bolt is not gonna come off with an extractor. Extractor gonna snap and then your really SOL.

Drill it out, use a grade 8 or 10.9 bolt all the way thru with a nut and if possible another nut on the end to double lock it. If not possible to use 2 nuts blue loctite. Just the extra added insurance incase the bolt wants to loosen.

Ive done it plenty of times and it works well.

 

[fiv216]

Well it's currently being pushed into place by a 3000lb+ car, attached up top by three bolts & attached by the endlink.. I don't own two vehicles, I couldn't get a ride. If you'd like to come give me a ride to work I wouldn't have driven. Thanks...

 

[Wamsutta]

That large a bolt is not gonna come off with an extractor.

Why not? Each bolt takes a specific size extractor matched to the the bolt's size. Keep in mind, I'm referring to a straight flute extractor, not the spiral type.

 

[toufue_yang17]

Does it thread all the way through on the side that has threads? If so, I would weld a nut on it and try to twist the thread out. Should be very simple.

 

[stonesfan68]

It's an 05 bmw 325xi. There is no nut. The far side on the clamp is threaded. There's nothing to really grip to try and twidt.

That's interesting as my 2006 530i does have a nut.

BMW makes a car that's fun to drive but this kind of stuff can make you crazy.

Can you drill the bolt from the threaded side and then use an extractor to twist the bolt all the way out of the clamp?

 

[franzdom]

That's interesting as my 2006 530i does have a nut.

BMW makes a car that's fun to drive but this kind of stuff can make you crazy.

Can you drill the bolt from the threaded side and then use an extractor to twist the bolt all the way out of the clamp?

Better to try to drill from the broken side as it's not going to come out the other side. You may just need to get a new knuckle.
I have e46, I knew that was what I was looking at before I even noticed the text on the pic. I change the suspension quite often.

 

[jhelrey]

Also where the gap is for the pinching part (Technical, I know), use a die grinder and get that chunk out too before any other work.

 

[fiv216]

Update so far: tried heating & punch. Not enough room to get a good swing regardless I doubt if that method would've worked. 20minutes in I'm 3/4 of the way through the first bolt. Cobalt bit from lowes review: eh, not holding up well.

I have a bunch of random bits from yard sales that i've been dulling after they contribute there small amount Figured it's a better use for them & now I can warrant throwing them out.

 

[justme-]

Drill bits are sharpenable...
Almost guaranteed an easy out will not work alone, it's going to need heat. Drilling through and re-tapping or just using a straight through hole with bolt/nut would be what I'd do.

Whenever you need to do suspension work I would suggest regularly spraying the bolts down with some penetrating oil for several days before starting the work. Gives it the best chance of working when you need it, followed by heat if that fails or replacing the part.

 

[davesnothere]

Uhhh, quickstrut.

Duh.

 

[bart1]

I had a similar experience on my 911. A buddy and I were doing a suspension change and one bolt, which sounds like the same one you are fighting, caused is a couple trips to the parts store and some drastic measures (the most drastic being cutting the shock in half for leverage). Drilling it out was eventually what worked.

 

[CJM8515]

Does it thread all the way through on the side that has threads? If so, I would weld a nut on it and try to twist the thread out. Should be very simple.

Better safe than sorry is my motto. If anything the head of the bolt snapping off doesn't inspire confidence in an extractor ad should it snap drilling it will ****.

 

[rtole]

Uhhh, quickstrut.

Duh.

If they make quickstruts for bmw, the part he has a broken bolt in prob wont come with. Like a ford tarus. The pinch bolt is broke inside the spindle. I think a new spindle is the correct fix. The drill it out and use a nut and bolt could work, you will want a 10.9 bolt and nut again. I dont know if the stut has a tab or indent to hold it it, but match the new bolt to that.

 

[franzdom]

Also where the gap is for the pinching part (Technical, I know), use a die grinder and get that chunk out too before any other work.

I was thinking the same, good job on posting this. I so need to get a die grinder.
I recently stripped the head of an etorx on our Volvo S70 wheel bearing hub and I spent way too long drilling it out when I could have just popped the head with a grinder.
That gives me a good excuse to get one

I had always thought they were just for welders etc but now I know everyone needs one some time.

 

[mauro]

I thought this was a problem endemic to volkswagen pinch bolts!!!!
I can see using one of these to loosen the bolt if the threaded end was broken out, but yeah sounds like a drill and rethread type of situation. Have you gone on any E46 specific websites? Usually someone has already been through this hell and came up with a solution.....
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003V5DM7O/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[lametec]

Had the same issue last week with my Intrepid.

Ended up drilling it out, and making a threaded insert that I put in with red threadlocker. Drilled and tapped the center of the insert to stock size (M10x1.5 in my case).

To get the knuckle off the strut, I used a two jaw puller from the bottom. Yay rust.

 

[Bigplum]

go find some 8% cobalt drills , online or locally , cheap ones are a waste of time

the plan to punch a bolt that size out is just daft ,the casting will break , if it did work the thread will shot anyway , just drill using lots of lube and retap .

the way I suggested earlier will help , drill & tap a smaller bolt in , apply heat and wind the ****** in .

the strut will come out now anyway without the head on the pinch bolt , just use a spreader ( like on VW's) or make one out of a hex or allen key , grind down two sides to fit the gap and rotate the key to open it a tad , only takes a fraction of movement to free the strut

 

[stonesfan68]

Uhhh, quickstrut.

Duh.

That's not an option for a BMW, and the bolt has to come out before the strut comes out of the car.

 

[Bigplum]

Depends on where the bolt has sheared , if it's broken off low/ deep enough it'll be ok
And if the strut is scrap a thin cut off disc will soon trim it back to enable it to clear ,
Once the struts out , some heat will work a treat on that stump

 

[Laugarshabz]

Any pictures of the job in question? If i was doing it, i'd use an exhaust cut off tool in between the gap between the two sides of where the pinch bolt goes. That will take off the tension holding that tight. Drive a flat cold chisel between to seperate further. Whilst a colleague/friend is prying down on the lower arms, use a flat ended punch in air hammer to help vibrate whole assembly down. Once the hub assembly has seperated from the bottom of the mcpherson, remove the strut from car.

Once the strut is off, you can heat to glowing red hot and prob burn out the bolt using oxy-acetylene. Hope that helps buddy. Sorry was so long winded but was only way i could describe.

 

[Farmall450]

Drill it. Then retap or use a nut and bolt

My thoughts as well. Try a left handed bit, maybe it'll come out.