Why is this happening to me?! One of the bolt that hold the sway bar to the frame is broken with the remaining stud still in the hole. I can't get it out because there's no room to hold it. I can't think of anyway around it. The only way I could think is cut out the entire section and weld in new metal with the hole being drill in. Few problems though...I don't have a welder or the tool to cut it.

Just drill it out. What's holding the other end? If you cut it off flush with the body, would the drill bit keep turning the broken stud end along until it popped out the other side OR you had room to get an easy out in it?

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I'm concerned with all the rampant sex and nudity on TV but all I can do is sit at home shaking my fist.

i guess drilling is the only option. Currently I'm driving it with no front swaybar...hahha ghetto style. The only thing that's annoying about drilling is the bolt material is so tough. 3minutes of drilling and only got a tiny hole.

get better drill bits. Go to an industrial store to get them.

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I'm concerned with all the rampant sex and nudity on TV but all I can do is sit at home shaking my fist.

is there a certain brand that you recommend? I'm not familiar with drill bits so it would be helpful.

Heat the crap out of it and then use an easy out to get it out. I mean, turn it red with heat and it will come out.

i did heat it but how can you get it out where there's no place to hold it. It's a clean cut along the surface so the only way is to drill it.

Ask an industrial supply store about machinists starter bits. Or go to a machine shop and see what they have. Bring the size of bolt or another of the same size with you.
They fit in a drill easily.(Warning! don't drill the machinist bit all the way in or it will snap on you.)
First, zip cut or grind it flush. Make sure it's fairly flat. Then use a centerpunch on it to dimple the center of the bolt. Then use the machinist bit in the center to start the hole. Then drill with a small diameter bit and make sure to use oil when drilling to flush and keep it cool. WD isn't made for it but will work in a pinch. Penetrating oil is better, but still not proper.

Then drill it out a bit larger to the diameter of a small spiral type easy out.The square ones don't have good bite.
Now, put a torch to it. get it hot. Quench it with penetrating oil only in the drilled center of the bolt bit. You want to cool and shrink the bolt but keep the outside still warm/hot. If you can start seeing it glow, that should be enough. Now put the easy-out in and put the wrench on the end. Some people use a cordless drill with the ratchet set to about half or a bit more so you get a weak simulated impact effect on it, but not so strong it breaks the easy out.

If you use penetrating oil while drilling, it also may seep a bit into the threads and help a bit.

That should do it for you.

If somehow, you get the hole dead center, then another option is to just keep stepping up the bit size until it matches where the threads are. From there, a seal pick or bent piece of mechanics wire may be able to turn the remaining thread bits out of the inside threading on the mount.

Once it's out, clean it out with a tap or barrel brush from a .22 rifle as best you can. Use neversieze on the installed new bolts.

That's how I have to do it at work often enough when the machine or part is too big to bring to the machine shop.
I've never had a tap or easy out break on me using the cordless drill either. But make sure to use the ratcheting head, not a solid twist setting.

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I'm concerned with all the rampant sex and nudity on TV but all I can do is sit at home shaking my fist.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit was august 19, 07:11pm.

To make sure you get a good solid ceneterd hole, use a pointed center punch to get a dent in the center of your broken bolt. The drill bit will "walk" on you if you don't. Start your drill in the dent. Start small, like a #30 bit and work up from there. MAKE SURE YOU'RE WEARING SAFETY GLASSES!!! If the bit snaps, and it probably will, the broken end can real easily end up in an eye. A couple bucks for a pair of glasses (go to your local Airgas store, ask for p/n 64051315) is cheap insurance!! Lubricate the bit often and drill slowly, let the bit do the work. If you drill too big, or go offline and drill thru the threads, you can oversize the bolthole, run a GOOD tap thru it and rethread the hole. Use a larger bolt in this case.

THis link has great info.....[www.asashop.org]

I've done this for years getting broken fasteners out of aircraft. Patience is the key. You might want to run down your Snap-on or MAC truck and get a set of left handed drill bits. They run turning counter clockwise, grab the bolt, and 8 times out of 10 pull it out. Best money I ever spent.

Good luck!!

wow...I just learned so much. Where do I get center punch and easy out? Can all those tools be found at Home Depots or only at special shop? I barely see those Snap-on or Mac tool truck. Thanks a lot again guys



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit was august 19, 11:09pm.

Go to the best tool store you can find for an easy out. You want one that has the swirl spiral in reverse direction to that of a screw. (left hand thread) That way, as you tighten it, it puts loosening rotational force on the stud.
Centerpunch is part of any punch set. You can buy them alone as well, home depot or Sears carry them.
As much as I hate crapsman tools, they also carry a decent easy out. Make sure you pick one small enough to fit into the hole you'll be drilling, and go firm but gently with it. They are made of a hardened steel, so are very strong right up to where they start feeling like they are going to flex. Then they shatter and you curse like mad! So don't reef on the wrench, give a steady and firm pressure.

Let us know how you make out.

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I'm concerned with all the rampant sex and nudity on TV but all I can do is sit at home shaking my fist.

There is another option for your sway bar bolts...they kind of pair with the great info above. I have read on this site and others about when people upgrade to a bigger bar, they will drill all the way through the frame rail, so the bolts go all the way through the frame rail (and are secured with bolts on the top side of the frame rail) instead of trying to re-thread the holes in the frame rail.

Luckily my bolt threads appear to be holding, but I may go this direction if I notice problems developing.

Just another option to evaluate.

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1978 280Z - I wish I had this much money in my 401K.

<[www.cardomain.com];

Last couple of times I've run to the hardware store and bought Irwin Cobalt bits
Sold me real quick on them...I had to buy two (to start smaller) but very impressed. (cutting oil? didn't matter as anything helps, so I grabbed the old
2-cycle outbd stuff to dip it into every so often, ha...Bits still looked new after going thru 8-tailgate hinge bolts).

A little off topic but 280z-hab...I clicked on your cardomain page and all I can tell you is thank you! I learned a lot of new things and what to do to my car thanks to your page. Keep up the good work!

U can get cobalt steel bits many places: HD, Lowes, plumbing supply, etc. because these are the better for hardened steel drilling.

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Rusty but running.
Polish cell phone and two tubes of Aluma-seal.

And, now we are historic.

If you go the through bolt method, make sure you can put the BOLT through the top with the head on top and the nut underneath. Use a split lockwasher between the flat washer and the nut or use a fiber locknut. The reason is if the nut vibrates off, and they can, the bolt will stay in place and keep the whole thing from coming loose.

Punches are sold in sets as are easy outs. Irwin makes a decent brill bit but I've never had any luck with their easy outs. They either break or strip. If you can't find the Snap-on or MAC guy in the phone book, just drop by your local mechanic's and ask when they stop by. Meet them there the next time they're by. AS they other guys have said, use a cobalt drill bit. The tip is ground to a different angle than a High speed steel and it's hardened. Slow and easy is the key. You can burn a cobalt tip in a heartbeat by turning it too fast or putting too much pressure on it.

Be aware you may have hardened the broken bolt a little by heating it as well.

Tryk, Punches are sold separately or in sets. Any industrial supply store sells them that way. So do most auto stores, sears, et al.

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I'm concerned with all the rampant sex and nudity on TV but all I can do is sit at home shaking my fist.

Yep, they are. I tend to get them in sets. It's usually cheaper than buying them one at a time and the easy out sets have the matching bits with them. If i had a nickel for every 1/16th inch punch I've bent or bit I've snapped in my life I could buy a 350ZX!

You have stuff you can actually use the 1/16 on? That's about the only thing I miss working the industry I am in is the opportunity to use all of the finess tools. I get to break out the dial indicators and the verniers now and then, but rarely. Everything in the steel plant is designed to accomodate up to 1500 degree expansion/contraction, so when cold, very sloppy and when running, still a bit sloppy. Frustrating as hell when you have skills and rarely get to use them

I'm currently on modified duties until knee surgery (both knees) can happen in a couple months. (the one bad thing about the free Canadian health care system is the wait times. But,.... it's free!) So, on modified, they bought me a nice padded stool, plopped me at a bench and... to my amazement... have me ripping appart gearboxes, brake units, etc. to find out why they failed. Troubleshooting work. As well, some rebuilds of hydraulic cylinders, etc. But to actually take the time to see what went wrong, that's odd for this company. Just replace it. One torch unit, we've replaced the drive gearbox 13 times in the past ten months. The unit keeps drawing high amperage. We've rebuilt the entire unit 4 times as well. But they will not consider that the fourty year old wiring may be failing. Morons!

Anyhow, enough of the rant.

Dan

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I'm concerned with all the rampant sex and nudity on TV but all I can do is sit at home shaking my fist.