The most rounded bolt ever.

[t100]

one word: heat.

- heat breaks up rust.
- aluminum case, steel bolt, different expansion rate.


also, you can try to drill couple small holes on opposite side of the flange, use punches or chisel to tap on it.

 

[Skin]

one word: heat.

- heat breaks up rust.
- aluminum case, steel bolt, different expansion rate.


also, you can try to drill couple small holes on opposite side of the flange, use punches or chisel to tap on it.

That's not rusted, that's what happens to steel bolts in aluminum. The threads gall because the metals expand and contract at different temperatures so the aluminum actually ends up putting a small squeeze on the bolt itself. You see this a lot since essentially all engines are aluminum blocks these days. Not unusual to have bits of the thread come out stuck to the bolt.

 

[Mohawk Dave]

is that thing out yet?

 

[MikeF2316]

I'm not saying these will work, I have a set, I've only needed them once. They did work for me.

http://www.griptitetools.com/

 

[mech-tech]

I have run into the problem of plugs like the one in the picture being cast instead of forged, and while trying to remove it a piece of the head chipped off. Heat may be the better option, but careful on the aluminium.

 

[tjmonsen5]

I dont have a welder, but I have dealt with many stuck bolts. Usually i need to end up drilling them out, wider and wider untill the threads are paper thin. Then take a chisel and start bending them in, then pull out with a pick. Just had to do this earlier this week with a broken brake caliper bracket bolt.

 

[redwrench60]

Air hammer, sharp chisel bit, feather throttle. Carefull carefull don't slip and gouge aluminum. 10 seconds to get it out. It'll take longer to gather the tools.

 

[firebox40dash5]

This thing works pretty damn good. It's kinda like a 360 degree pipe wrench since the chuck threads are left handed. Might be a touch too round though. I know it hates flanged heads that tend to taper outward when they round.

 

[back2class]

This thing works pretty damn good. It's kinda like a 360 degree pipe wrench since the chuck threads are left handed. Might be a touch too round though. I know it hates flanged heads that tend to taper outward when they round.

Will never work on this. That nub will sheer off before those threads come loose. The mass of steel left to grip on just does not have enough strength IMHO.

 

[ex-x-fire]

The threads are most likely not the problem, it's likely the pressure on the flange portion. Its just too much friction to break loose, I've seen this on crank bolts, heat it a little at the head & the bolt gets slightly longer & relieves the pressure on the flange.

 

[Super Mech]

Having welded hundreds of nuts onto various stripped out fasteners, I'll tell you it is very easy and effective. In this case I would use a large nut with the center about the same size as the rounded off hex and simply fill the center up with weld, let it cool, and keep all my wrenches in one piece.

+1 on this. Works 99% of the time for me. If not C4 is the next plan of attack.

 

[Farmall450]

weld a nut on it.

This will also soak it with some heat

 

[firebox40dash5]

Will never work on this. That nub will sheer off before those threads come loose. The mass of steel left to grip on just does not have enough strength IMHO.

I ripped rusted exhaust manifold studs out of a 7.3 with one, if the threads are that bad I expect it'd tear out the aluminum before shearing off the head. Never had a problem using it on anything > 8mm and not tapered from using pliers.

Including things that were glowing orange... throw some heat at it!

 

[basspro]

Snap On REX25B. Had the same issue you are having with a pipe plug on a air compressor pump. I drilled, not all the way through of course and extracted the plug no problem.

 

[98sierra]

No not left handed. Heat the case around the bolt but don't heat the bolt. Then use the nippex and off she comes. Air hammer is good too just be careful. Cases break easy

 

[ShaneMSnyder]

I had this problem on the exhaust manifold bolts on my 250r. I used a torch, then drilled them out. Once I started penetrating about 1/3 of the bolt I'd reverse the drill randomly and each bolt eventually grabbed the bit and would back out so no metal got into the case. May not work for you but an option.

 

[AV tinker er]

Has anyone mentioned drilling a hole in the screw and using an EasyOut? Not sure what type of material that is, I am assuming aluminium since it is rounding so easily.

 

[Jere]

First, shoot that gap with penetrating oil or product of your choice. Let it sit over night, then apply some more the next day.

[ IF . . . no welder available ] . . . I'd grind / file flat spots on both sides. Then apply lots of heat ONLY to the surrounding metal and get it nice and toasty. Carefully use a piece of ice to cool just the plug. Then put ViceGrips on there and give it whacks with hammer. This will likely bust it free and not risk tearing anything up.

This is the ticket, I might not go as far as the ice (maybe give the bolt a squirt of LW to cool it instead) but this method will get that bolt out. You need a lot of heat, like prop the propane torch up and start another project and come back. Steel in AL doesn't bond that bad but the AL displaces a lot of heat quickly and is harder to get heat into.

Oh and the best penetrating oil off the shelf you can buy is Liquid Wrench. It has been tested and works considerably faster and better than anything else out there.


The other option is drilling the bolt out, center punch the middle of the bolt, or grind or file the head until you can get a flat spot to center punch. Then start with a small drill bit and work your way up bit size turning the drill slow. If you did a good job with the center punch you will be able to drill to the threads. If not it will get messy the threads will get eaten up and you might have to retap and use a bigger bolt size. So do the above method and the drilling as a last resort

 

[4BT]

Mapp gas torch and super retard-strength with a pair of sharp vice grips.

 

[3baygarage]

I think there might be about 25 nuts welded on that thing right now.

If we all just grab a wrench and turn...

 

[netbrad]

So we have a soap opera-esque cliffhanger here - "As the bolt (doesn't) turn". What was the end result OP?

 

[DMAR]

Mapp gas torch and super retard-strength with a pair of sharp vice grips.

I know I'm not supposed to laugh at this, but you got a good LOL out of me...

 

[trdtaco]

I bet a previous owner stopped the threads in the case and that drain bolt was jb welded in to keep the cases "usable" without correct repairs

 

[ATC]

I just went through a similar situation myself. It was a 3/8 header bolt on my 460. A 6pt socket rounded it off first. Then, I hammered on of those ez-out sockets onto it...which further rounded it off just as the OP had tried.

I ended up having to grind the head off with a carbide burr. Once that was done, the headers came off and I was able to grip the shank with a pair of vise grips. I used a new pair with sharp teeth. Once it was locked on there, I smacked the handle with a hammer and it freed up and turned right out of the head. I soaked it with Kroil for about a day beforehand, but due to the header flange being 1/2" thick, none made it into the actual threads in the head anyways. My issue was that the bolt rusted/siezed to the header flange...not the actual threads in the head...

 

[55bigblockcid]

Mapp gas torch and super retard-strength with a pair of sharp vice grips.

LMAO.

 

[yost69]

hammer and chisel or air hammer along the outside flange of the bolt?

 

[xJoey Dubsx]

Anybody have luck with this kind of rounded bolt remover?

Paul

I love my ez out set.

 

[jayoldschool]

Mapp gas torch and super retard-strength with a pair of sharp vice grips.

 

[ATC]

I NEVER weld a nut on if I can help it. I will however weld a WRENCH on it. You can weld the inside of the chosen box size a lot easier than scabbing on a nut [actually a nut is kinda silly, you weld a BOLT to it so you have a handle] and a wrench is pretty cheap, and it is DAMN well coming off.

Or;
Have you considered just grinding it flat and installing [what used to be called] a transmission pan retrofit drain plug?

so...weld a WRENCH or weld a BOLT do not weld a nut unless clearance is a problem.

I've never heard of someone welding a BOLT to a rounded off bolt. Do you weld the thread-end of the bolt to the rounded off one, or the hex head to it? Why would you need a "handle" as you call it, and how would you use it?

Welding a bolt to it would give you less material to weld to. With a nut, you slide the nut over the rounded off one about 1/2 to 3/4 the depth of the nut, then fill it in with weld. Now you can use a wrench, socket and/or breaker bar on it.

Either way, you still get a hex head on it...so I don't understand the "handle" part of it...

The wrench idea is OK, but what if the wrench doesn't offer enough leverage? Now you are stuck unless you can slip a pipe over it, or another wrench. These options would not work in a confined space.

And I'd rather not sacrafice a $3+ wrench when I have hundreds of $0.04 nuts laying around

 

[ATC]

Oh and the best penetrating oil off the shelf you can buy is Liquid Wrench. It has been tested and works considerably faster and better than anything else out there.

*cough*Kroil*cough*

 

[Jere]

Ive never seen Kroil before but I looked it up and you are right, Kroil trumps LW by a little, as does acetone and ATF mixed. Learn something everyday I guess...

 

[ATC]

If you weld a nut and round it off again, you're done.

Use a bigger nut

Any nut with an ID that will fit over that rounded off bolt will not round off. The weld will break or the bolt head will shear off.

 

[kunkernator]

Well, i kinda havent checked my messages here on Tapatalk, so havent realized how many replies i got.

Anyway.... Lets say PRAISE TO KNIPEX. I ended up welding a nut to the thing, and while still hot, grabbed with my Cobra's, kept tension with one finger, and hit the pliers with a deadblow. Cracked loose instantly.

For those of you that are saying Knipex are not as good a Vise Grips because they do not lock..... I disagree. Now if someone made pliers that have a design such as the Cobras, but as you pull harder, the pliers keep ratcheting/locking down; that would be badass.

And the twist sockets work excellent as well, to those who asked. I got them on there and get an excellent grip. The bolt was just too tight.

So in the end, i believe the impact broke it loose. My teacher was telling me that students would sometimes pull and pull on nuts to break them loose, but couldnt; and he goes, whacks the breaker bar with a deadblow and it pops loose.

Thanks everyone! This thread did teach me a lot of valuable, plausible techniques that i would have otherwise never thought of.

I think i may start a thread of the rebuild of this YZ 125.....possibly.

 

[tjmonsen5]

Good to hear you got it loose!

 

[foreverfalcon40]

Pic of the pliers you are talking about?

 

[ckblum]

Had a similar situation during my bike rebuild (Gas Gas EC200). Had a bolt break from the clutch slave cylinder. It galled itself in real good, turned about 1/4 turn loosening then the head broke off. I ended up drilling and trying an easy out until the easy out snapped off inside. I then drilled out the easy out by drill really tiny holes around it with a #50 drill bit. After that I opened the hole up and put in a helicoil. Good as new, actually better cause now it's stainless threads instead of aluminum.

 

[General Geoff]

Anyway.... Lets say PRAISE TO KNIPEX. I ended up welding a nut to the thing, and while still hot, grabbed with my Cobra's, kept tension with one finger, and hit the pliers with a deadblow. Cracked loose instantly.

Impact to the rescue! Well done

 

[91bronc300]

Pic of the pliers you are talking about?

These. They're awesome. Between Knipex Cobras and Knipex pliers wrenches I have 7 pairs. Very useful pliers.

 

[General Geoff]

I have a pair of the largest Cobras they make (22 inches/560mm) and they have never failed to turn anything I've put them on, up to and including a rounded-off crank pulley bolt with a torque spec of 400 ft lbs. They are wonderful

 

[GTA Matt]

Well, since we used clearance as an excuse to negate a bolt or wrench, let's be fair and use it to negate a bigger nut.

How 'bout this;
Go ahead and be the cool kid and just don't try it.

There is never a time to weld a bolt to the rounded head of another bolt or to a stud.
There is no advantage as to angle or leverage or grippable area. I was being the silliest person in the thread simply to see how it feels.


It feels kinda limited.

nice edit