HELP!! HELP!!! (1 Viewer)

[waldrtw]

I am putting on my lift and I just broke the rear lower shock bolt. What is the best way to fix the problem. I guess an easy out or something. Looking for some help on this problem. Whta is your opinion on driving it with the bolt broken to the shop tomorrow to get it removed.

Tim

 

[fj40crusher]

broken shock bolt, I'd drive it. I drove 30 miles on a broken shock mount on my 40, didn't even notice

 

[Beowulf]

Tim,
You can drive it to a shop.

Getting out busted bolts can be easy or hard depending on a lot of things. Did you soak it for a couple of days with PB Blaster? If yes, that might make it worth trying the easy out. If not, and you break the easy out then you have a bigger problem. Can you weld another bolt to the remainder? You might try drilling with increasingly bigger bits until you can get it out.

-B-

 

[Rogue]

I did the same thing last year at this time. I drilled it out and proceeded to snap off an easy out inside of it. From there I had to buy a really expensive drill bit and drill forever until I finally got the easy out free. I would take it to a shop and give them a couple bucks to deal with your headache.

 

[sleeoffroad]

Don't try the easy out. It will break. When those things are stuck, they are stuck. You need to drill it out with ever increasing drill bits. Make sure you start the first one in the center. VERY IMPORTANT, otherwise it turns into a mess. Go bigger on the drill bit size until you are close to the treads. A lot of times, they heat and taking the inner material make the remaining pieces come loose.

If you do mess it up, you might have to go one size bigger and re-tap with the next size up.

 

[waldrtw]

Thanks for the advice.

I put a strap on the shock so that it would be out of the way (this let me drive it). I am going to take it to a shop this morning and see if they will be able to get it out. The welding a bolt to it would work but I do not havea welder. I will post some pics of the new lift soon.

Thanks
Tim

 

[Photo_Cruiser]

Ugh...yeah drill it out...take yer time. Use some nice new sharp bits too.

Damn happy I didn't break mine, turns that easy job into one PITA...good luck

 

[waldrtw]

After checking with some local shops I have decided to try it myself first. They wanted like $80 to do it. I figure I can try it myself and if I screw it up then I am out $80.

tim

 

[cruiserdan]

Is it snapped off flush or is there anything to get ahold of?

I'm just thinking out loud here. If I were going to drill it, I would heed Christo's warning about being in the CENTER. In addition, I would file the broken end flat to minimize the potential for the bit to wander. I would also center punch the bolt smartly before drilling and use new, sharp, bits. Lastly, keep the bit perpendicular to the bolt.

Good luck,

D-

 

[Photo_Cruiser]

80 bucks.....I'd be at the shop tomorow, of course, I'd have a 3 and 5 year old wanting to help drill and crawling around under the rig..aaarrggh...

Dan is wise, center punch that thing...and I'll repeat ..sharp bits.
80 bucks eh....I'm no rich guy but that's cash well spent..unless of course they fark it up as well....

Hey all...anti sieze those bolts when re installing!?!

 

[waldrtw]

I got out the drill bits last night and the center punch and went to work. It took no time to drill the first few holes in the bolt. I put an easyout in it and it would not move. (As per Slee) I did not force it and quickly gave up on the easyout. I then keep drilling with a bigger bit till the bolt was all drilled out. I tapped the hole with a 1/2-13 and All I need now is the bolt. Hopefully it goes in with no problems. I am glade I did not pay the $80 because it was not to bad!! But its is not done yet....

Tim

 

[ginericLC]

On another note: I broke one off in Jackson Hole, Wyoming in a campground. Nothing like swapping shocks in the morning between two rigs. Anyway, I didn't have access to a drill that would drill that out at the time so I went to the ACE hardware store and bought a couple of hose clamps. I used the hose clamp to hold the shock onto the mount and I used a zip tie to hold the bushings in. It held all the way home and then some, I ran like that for some 2000 miles of pavement. I thought it was a pretty good trail fix. Something for you all to file in your brains.

 

[CDN_Cruiser]

What type of drill bits are you guys using for this (I have a few rear bumper cladding bolts that I need to drill out)?

I bought a few drill bits made for metal to install the cargo barrier, but I have also heard that any HSS bit is fine (but the angle of the head of the bit is different btwn wood bits and metal...or something like that)

Cheers, Hugh