removing rusty bolts

[enjenjo]

Dealing with old parts, we often run across rusted or stripped bolts that are difficult to remove. Here are some proven tips.

Hinge bolts can often be a bear to get out. The easiest way I have found is to grind the heads off to remove the hinge, or with countersunk bolts, drill the head off, once the hinge is out of the way, you can set a nut over the bolt stub, and weld it to the stub with a MIG or TIG welder, or even a gas rig. The heat causes the bolt to expand, and as it cools it breaks the rust bond, making it possible to remove the bolt. Once it cools the bolt usually come right out.

The best penetrant I have found for aluminum parts is PB Blaster.

Removing a broken bolt in a casting. These are commonly broken nearly flush with the surface.  I use a thin strap of steel, 1/8" or so, about 3/4" wide an 5 or 6" long. drill a hole near one end the size of the bolt, and weld the strap to the bolt stub through the hole. Let it cool, and gently tap the other end of the strap back and forth with a small hammer, untill the bolt starts to move. Add penetrant, and continue until the bolt frees up enough to remove.

Drilling a broken bolt. It helps to have a flat surface to drill, so file or grind it flat if possible. Center punch with a sharp punch, and start small with the drill. Try to keep it as closely centered as possible. Drill in steps to nearly the minor diameter of the threads. Most easyouts just serve to wedge the bolt in tighter. The ones I use have a shoulder that sets against the top of the broken bolt to control hom much it expands. Heres a clue, if the bolt does not come out with moderate pressure on the tool, stop, try something else, broken easyouts are very difficult to remove.  If the bolt still won't come out, I use a small stone in a Dremmel tool to grind the bolt out until I reach the threads. Then I use a pick to remove the remaining bolt fragments.

Exhaust manifold studs. I have the best sucess, removing them with lots of heat, directed to the casting, and not the bolt. These can be iffy at best, and a lot of them will have to be drilled out.

Bolts in sheet metal with a captive nut. Often the nut will spin in the cage.  If you can reach it, clamp the nut and the cage with a pair of ViceGrip pliers, so the bolt turns in the nut. If that fails, grind the head off, and remove it from the back side after disassembly. For replaceable cage nuts, just cut the head off, and replace the nut, it's not worth the effort.

As strange as it may sound, water is an excellent rust solvent. On small assenblies, soak them in a pot of boiling water, and many times the bolts will come right out.

My favorite penetrant is PB Blaster, with Kroil a close second. Paraffin works good on cast iron with a little heat, diesel fuel and kerosene, are also useful. If possible, soak the bolts for several days before starting the removal process.

[Bob Paulin]

And....here's a little trick to remove bolts that go through steel-encased rubber bushings.....control arms, leaf spring eyes, etc.....

DO NOT LOOSEN THE NUT FIRST!!!!! DON"T EVEN TOUCH IT AT ALL!!!!!


Always - not SOMETIMES - but ALWAYS put the largest breaker bar you have on the bolt head and TURN THE BOLT.....

DO NOT put a wrench on the nut at first. Let the bolt and nut spin as an assembly.

Leaving the nut on, helps hold the inner steel bushing in place, so when you turn the bolt, it breaks free inside the bushing.....

If you remove the nut first, the rubber in the bushing allows the inner bushing to work back and forth and doesn't hold things in place so you can break the bolt free from the rust. You are simply working the rubber bushing back and forth.....

I learned this trick in the spring shop many, many years ago.....

.....the front leaf spring bushings on mid-'60s Fairlanes were a real bear. The old-timer I worked with would always loosen the nut, and end up with the air hammer, beating the bolt out. He then of course, had to grind the end and re-start the threads.

I learned to spin the bolt first, and I would always have my side done before he could finish dressing up the end of his bolt......

.....and I STILL use it for control arm bushings, spring eye bushings, etc......

Oh yeah.... I've tried to put a nut back on once it has been removed, but I usually do not have the same success that I have when I don't even TOUCH the nut first, and head straight for the bolt head.....

And, sometimes you'll swear that you are about to break the bolt, but I haven't broken one yet!!!!!!

B.P.

[Arnold]

Dealing with old parts, we often run across rusted or stripped bolts that are difficult to remove. Here are some proven tips.

Hinge bolts can often be a bear to get out. The easiest way I have found is to grind the heads off to remove the hinge, or with countersunk bolts, drill the head off, once the hinge is out of the way, you can set a nut over the bolt stub, and weld it to the stub with a MIG or TIG welder, or even a gas rig. The heat causes the bolt to expand, and as it cools it breaks the rust bond, making it possible to remove the bolt. Once it cools the bolt usually come right out.

The best penetrant I have found for aluminum parts is PB Blaster.

Removing a broken bolt in a casting. These are commonly broken nearly flush with the surface.  I use a thin strap of steel, 1/8" or so, about 3/4" wide an 5 or 6" long. drill a hole near one end the size of the bolt, and weld the strap to the bolt stub through the hole. Let it cool, and gently tap the other end of the strap back and forth with a small hammer, untill the bolt starts to move. Add penetrant, and continue until the bolt frees up enough to remove.

Drilling a broken bolt. It helps to have a flat surface to drill, so file or grind it flat if possible. Center punch with a sharp punch, and start small with the drill. Try to keep it as closely centered as possible. Drill in steps to nearly the minor diameter of the threads. Most easyouts just serve to wedge the bolt in tighter. The ones I use have a shoulder that sets against the top of the broken bolt to control hom much it expands. Heres a clue, if the bolt does not come out with moderate pressure on the tool, stop, try something else, broken easyouts are very difficult to remove.  If the bolt still won't come out, I use a small stone in a Dremmel tool to grind the bolt out until I reach the threads. Then I use a pick to remove the remaining bolt fragments.

Exhaust manifold studs. I have the best sucess, removing them with lots of heat, directed to the casting, and not the bolt. These can be iffy at best, and a lot of them will have to be drilled out.

Bolts in sheet metal with a captive nut. Often the nut will spin in the cage.  If you can reach it, clamp the nut and the cage with a pair of ViceGrip pliers, so the bolt turns in the nut. If that fails, grind the head off, and remove it from the back side after disassembly. For replaceable cage nuts, just cut the head off, and replace the nut, it's not worth the effort.

As strange as it may sound, water is an excellent rust solvent. On small assenblies, soak them in a pot of boiling water, and many times the bolts will come right out.

My favorite penetrant is PB Blaster, with Kroil a close second. Paraffin works good on cast iron with a little heat, diesel fuel and kerosene, are also useful. If possible, soak the bolts for several days before starting the removal process.

  GOOD INFO there!..tapered drive in Eze-outs.This to me was never the brightest idea(neither am I CAUSE I had used them) AND broken them.Drilling a hole in something softer..driving in something tapered and harder within a confined area..threaded.Duh.At least the threaded ones you had some idea of what was goin' on.when you were trying to twist it I personally think that they couldda tamed the Rockwell waaay down on those tapered drive in ones so they wouldn't be so brittle,break so easy an not be   next to impossible to get out.

   Rotary tools with diamond bits.Yeah!

   I have a hand impact wrench(manual) from my British motorcycle side chaincase days.Actually I have 2..1 takes bits..the other has a square 1/2' socket drive head.This thing can be used with u-joints and any kind of socket/ adaptor.And it can get into spots that you can't get a gun into.Ohhhh..has this thing saved me many a time.One of these for about $20.

  Impact wrenches. I find my electric one..260 ft lbs.. takes a lot longer to load up to higher levels than my and most  other air ones.This will take out bolts that a lot of other guns simply break off in a few bangs.I hear but haven't used ..that the cordless ones with about 80 ft lbs are even gentler.

  I have had the best luck with exhaust manifold bolts..that go through the manifold into the head.The ones where judging on the engine there is a 100% chance they will break.I heat the bolt head up real good and give it a couple good raps with a good size mallet.Then I give it the electric impact gun treatment.If it don't wanna come out..I grab the grinder and take the head off the bolt,take off the ex. man. and do what Frank does..heat the casting.

Broken bolt hero.EDM.