Pulling off snapped bolt

[javaman]

Due to my interest with the new shiny torque wrench I have snapped a bolt

And the million-dollar question is: How to retrieve that broken part

[Ratmick]

Well it depends on what type of bolt, where it is and how much is above the surface...

Normally you would drill a hole down the middle of the stump of the bolt and use an Easy-out...unless it's high-tensile where you may have trouble with the drill OR it's sheared at an angle (ditto). Best case scenario is that you'll get the remainder out without a damaged thread, worst case you'll need to drill and install a Helicoil and a conversely larger bolt...or buy a new part.

Good article on the usage of an Easy-out: http://crustyquinns.com/tech/easyout.html

Mick

[Smitty]

Well it depends on what type of bolt, where it is and how much is above the surface...

Normally you would drill a hole down the middle of the stump of the bolt and use an Easy-out...unless it's high-tensile where you may have trouble with the drill OR it's sheared at an angle (ditto). Best case scenario is that you'll get the remainder out without a damaged thread, worst case you'll need to drill and install a Helicoil and a conversely larger bolt...or buy a new part.


Mick

absolutely as Mick sez...........

and besides, how did you snap a bolt if using a Torque wrench...?

[javaman]

Did I say 'new' ... I had no experience using and adjusting it. Now I reckon the ol' elbow still best for the job

Thanks I'll go to supercheap and see if they have those extractor thing.

[Strika]

Ring me if you have no luck Andi, I have an easy out set in the tool box mate.

[Neka79]

or give Stace a call... he knows all about bolts!!

[Smitty]

or give Stace a call... he knows all about bolts!!

ROFLMAO and
....ROFPML......

[mike-s]

Easyouts..... supacheap have them for about fifteen bucks or so. Ive now got two sets, the one i bought from supacheap, and a $50 set from bunnings that was some uber nifty brand or some shit. Bought the supacheap ones because for the extra $4 over the basic set you get the little clamp doodad that you can use to grip the easyout to thread it in smoothly

[goanna_38]

Never been keen on easyouts. Seen a few snapped off through exuberance or just bad luck. You snap off one of those babies and you have fallen out of a small can of worms straight into a 44 gallon drum full of worms.

[mike-s]

thats why you use a shitload of penetrene to soak it first, in case it was rust on an undo attempt that sheared the head. But in this case it was just exuberence that caused the bolt head to shear off, i'd be reasonably confident that as long as the shear was pretty flat and that the drillhole is as small as you can put in there (smaller = better as you dont require as much depth, which if your off centre could mean your drilling into the surrounding metal, not dead straight through the bolt) you should be relatively ok.

[MiG]

65% Nitric acid diluted 1:1 or weaker But it's slow and labour intensive. I'm assuming it's snapped within an aluminium part, otherwise you don't want to use nitric acid.
One of the studs on the TZR is seized so solidly that when I welded a nut on the stud just snapped.