part 2: snapped subframe bolt aka sad, sad story

[Guest Anonymous]

So if you remember my last post a couple weeks ago..I snapped off (flush) the 'center' subframe bolt on the drivers side. It wasn't ready to put back in until today..so the past 2 weeks i've been walking in the garage every day, lubing it up, whacking it a few times with the hammer to set off the 'vibration' thing, and then giving it a good dose of Mr Torch. And it seemed to be working..as oil was now seeping through the theads from the top.

So today it was ready to come out. I had 2 screw extractors.the screw-in type, and the hammer in type. I figured I'd use the screw in type first, as if it didn't work, i could always use the hammer in type afterwards. I carefully punched the center, drilled a nice pilot hole, and then went to drill in the stud extractor. and the @(#FJADS thing SNAPPED!!! So now, I have the broken bolt still flush in there, and the stud extractor is broken off (flush) in the hole. And since its such a hard material, I don't think I can even drill it back out. son of a freakin bitch.

any suggestions, short of cutting out the top of the frame rail and whacking the bolt off? Its the center subframe bolt, and its soooo tempting to just leave it there and just go with 2 on that side.

matt

[Guest Anonymous]

I have done that with a tap and was somehow able to shatter the remaining portion and remove it from the hole.

[Guest Anonymous]

once the extractor is out start drilling the bolt through with graduallly larger and larger bits until you're near the threaded edge, then try to peel it out. You may damage the threads on one side a little, but you can always chase 'em with a tap. Just be patient and careful with the drill--use a Dremel tool with a carbide grinding bit too--and eventually you'll get the bolt carcass thin enough so you can pick it out a bit at a time.

Good luck and patience

Mike

Nevada '69

Sahara '73

[Guest Anonymous]

My experience with these stud extractors is basically that they tend to snap off flush and cause more problems than before. My situations have never been as severe as yours however. Wish I had a good suggestion for you, sorry.

[Guest Anonymous]

the bolt brok off in the block. We tried al kinds of drill bits, but the thing that came through believe it or not was a Dremmel tool with a dimond tip bit. Took a while and it made a mess but we drilled a taped a larger size hole. PS where's the center subframe bolt? Is this rear suspension?

Roman