I joined the broken bolt club (1 Viewer)

[GerhardUngerer]

I joined the broken bolt club. Twice. When I was removing the two bolts from the diff, I broke one. I didn't even pull hard and it just snapped. I soaked it in Liquid Wrench, waited, drilled a center hole and used an EZ out. Broke the darn EZ out off in it. I can't seem to drill the EZ out (hard as ....) and I am afraid that even if I could, I would drill into the diff. Any ideas?

While I was at it, fastened one of the brake lines on top of the diff with a short handle wrench. Now, consider that this was a bolt that I previously removed. You guessed it. Snapped right off. That one is going to be a B... to get out. What gives with all the broken bolts?

 

[TurboDennis]

The axle housing doesnt even look that rusty. Its odd that the bolt broke.

As for the broken ez out... you can grind it away with a dremel and carbide burr. But its gonna be a lot work and you're probably gonna damage the nut in the process anyway unless you're super careful and slow.
You'll be better off just cutting that nut off and putting a rivnut in its place. Good luck!

 

[GerhardUngerer]

I have two stupid questions. Firstly, how would I cut that nut off? I cannot get in there with a grinder. A chisel might damage that whole bracket and possibly break it off the diff.

Secondly, what is that component that is bolted against the diff in the first picture? I cannot find it in the repair manual?

 

[Nframe]

Yeah you're fckd.
Getting broken EZ outs free is a PITA.
As said try to use a small carbide burr or drill around it carefully to free it.

 

[baldilocks]

Be still and think about it.

 

[TurboDennis]

I have two stupid questions. Firstly, how would I cut that nut off? I cannot get in there with a grinder. A chisel might damage that whole bracket and possibly break it off the diff.

Secondly, what is that component that is bolted against the diff in the first picture? I cannot find it in the repair manual?

Plenty of tools you can use to cut the nut off.
-Seems like you may be able to cut through the nut at least half way with a smaller cut-off disc. If you cut through it half way, you should be able to break it off.
-plan B would be a small sawzall.
-oscillating tool with a metal saw
-dremel with a carbide butt to grind the whole nut off.

The component in the first picture is the actuating rod for the LSPV, i believe.

 

[Pascoscout]

If you have a welder or know someone who does you have a couple options.

First I'd try the weld a nut to the broken bolt and try to remove method.

Second, failing above, that bracket is just spot welded to the diff. Drill/grind out the spot welds, remove the bracket, cut of the nut and replace with new, spot weld bracket back to diff.

And for future reference don't waste your time with ez out or any other extractors. The bolt broke because it is frozen in place. An extractor is far more brittle and will just break off. For ten years I ran a business that made broken bolt removal tools. The only way to get out a bolt broken because of rust, failing weld method above, is to drill it out completely and chase the threads with a tap. We made a tool call a quikcenter which put the drill hole directly in the middle so you could drill up to the tap drill size and then clean out the threads without damaging things. Sadly many people did not think the $50 price was worth it (was hard to compete with a $5.99 ez out set even though we knew they would not work) and we downsized significantly. Eventually sold the company, they may be out there still in limited qtys. I have a full set in my shop so I have never looked

 

[ccslider]

You don't need that LPSV anyways, alot of guys cut the rod and zip tie it up.

If you really want it... Use a dremel and a diamond bit (harbor freight has them) and just dremel it out in 5 minutes. The other thing to do would be would just cut the nut off with the dremel.

 

[60 toy ota]

Look up rescue bits to get the ez out, but like stated above, it won't address
The problem of the bolt being rusted in place

 

[Squash]

Use a bit of heat, even a propane torch helps.

 

[BILT4ME]

You can vibrate the easy out out of the hole with a SMALL hammer and fast, frequent tapping on the face of the bracket. This moves the part away from the easy out and it will work it's way out.

I live in the rust belt and have done this.

Once the EO is out, then drill out the bolt and tap the threads.

Check for the correct drill bit for the size threads you need.

Use anti-seize on threads before you reassemble.

 

[thatcabledude]

Be still and think about it.

What he's saying is delete the LSPV and forgot this ever happened

 

[GerhardUngerer]

I am really worried about the one on top of the diff. There is no place to work there, regardless of the options.

I guess I can drop the rear suspension again.....BooHoo!

 

[WCBlueSky]

I've used a Dremel diamond bit (Amazon product ASIN B00004UDJC) on low speed to remove a broken tap, which was hardened steel. Also had great success with welding out broken bolts, the heat from welding really helps.

 

[NotSoFast Lane]

In the future, I would toss the liquid wrench and spend the money on a can of AeroKroil. Between that and a handheld bottle torch you should be able to free up anything on your undercarriage

 

[Malleus]

^2. BTW, AeroKroil is ATF and acetone, with a stabilizer. You can mix up your own, without having to run to the store (while you're not working on the truck that you're working on...), but unless it's in an airtight container and has little or no air pocket above the fluid, it'll only last for a couple of days.

 

[Malleus]

You can vibrate the easy out out of the hole with a SMALL hammer and fast, frequent tapping on the face of the bracket. This moves the part away from the easy out and it will work it's way out.

I live in the rust belt and have done this.

Once the EO is out, then drill out the bolt and tap the threads.

Check for the correct drill bit for the size threads you need.

Use anti-seize on threads before you reassemble.

I'm with @BILT4ME on this, except for the NevRSeize. I believe that has a place, on your header bolts and nuts, but not anywhere else.

I know the guys in the rust belt swear it keeps their bolts from rusting due to the road salt spray, but I think grease would do the same thing, if it was applied after the bolt was installed. The problem I have with applying lubricant to bolts before installing them is that it changes the friction coefficient (that's what it was designed to do) and that makes the bolt torque less than the spec (which was based on unlubricated, clean fasteners - the SAE and ASTM tests used only distilled water if a lubricant was used at all). Of course, this only matters if the specified bolt torque is really important.

 

[Malleus]

I joined the broken bolt club. Twice. When I was removing the two bolts from the diff, I broke one. I didn't even pull hard and it just snapped. I soaked it in Liquid Wrench, waited, drilled a center hole and used an EZ out. Broke the darn EZ out off in it. I can't seem to drill the EZ out (hard as ....) and I am afraid that even if I could, I would drill into the diff. Any ideas?

View attachment 2482170

While I was at it, fastened one of the brake lines on top of the diff with a short handle wrench. Now, consider that this was a bolt that I previously removed. You guessed it. Snapped right off. That one is going to be a B... to get out. What gives with all the broken bolts?

View attachment 2482171

All three of those weldnuts are tacked in place and the metal around them has fatigued over the 20+ years since they were installed. Whatever you do, do not hit them or you'll likely break the welds. Of course, if that's what you want to do, use some heat and a vibratory type impact and they will break off. I've lost half a dozen weldnuts on my truck, and it's been in Charlotte since it was sold new at Town and Country.

 

[too tall]

I've tried many times to get guys to use this trick.
First take a large plate washer and stick it in a vice about 1/3 of the way across. Hammer the washer so there is a 90 degree flap sticking up. Use needle nose vice grips on the flap careful to not obstruct the hole. Attach ground cable to the vice grips.
Hold the bent washer over the hole and start your weld on the face of the washer . Make sure you point the gun straight down the length of the broken fastener and weld the washer to the broken bolt. You will find greater success with a plate washer than you will with a nut because of the ability to weld closer to the plane of the broken bolt.
A Lot of times trying to weld a nut is hard because you have to weld into a hole. I call this trick the "bent taco" method. After the washer is attached while still hot grab the flange you previously bent in the vice with the needle nose vice grips and start working it back and forth. if you get minimal movement but the washer is still attached, start using your penetrant of choice while rocking the washer back and forth.
If the washer breaks off, repeat. I have done in it as many as 15 times on the same bolt and had it this method still work. I'll get some pics and post them here later if I think of it when I'm in my shop later. I don't really use Easy outs anymore unless I break off a bleeder screw.

 

[GerhardUngerer]

All three of those weldnuts are tacked in place and the metal around them has fatigued over the 20+ years since they were installed. Whatever you do, do not hit them or you'll likely break the welds. Of course, if that's what you want to do, use some heat and a vibratory type impact and they will break off. I've lost half a dozen weldnuts on my truck, and it's been in Charlotte since it was sold new at Town and Country.

Good advice. I started hitting it with a punch and started seeing the bracket bend. Then backed off.