PERPLEXING PROBLEM- hoping for ideas !!

[GE73FJ]

OK spent the whole day trying to remove PO's broken hub studs. All but one bolt was broken (selectro hubs).

Bolts are broken at different depths in hub, varying from 3/8 to 1/2 inch in hub.

worried one out with a very narrow puch all the rest are extremely tight.

Now for the big problem, I busted a easy out off in one of the bolts - snapped right off in the bolt so , four bolts left to remove (one nicely accessorized with a broken easy out), and fresh out of ideas.

Anyone else gone through this agony?

 

[FJforty]

What are you using the easy-out for? I don't get it.

 

[Splangy]

OK spent the whole day trying to remove PO's broken hub studs. All but one bolt was broken (selectro hubs).

Bolts are broken at different depths in hub, varying from 3/8 to 1/2 inch in hub.

worried one out with a very narrow puch all the rest are extremely tight.

Now for the big problem, I busted a easy out off in one of the bolts - snapped right off in the bolt so , four bolts left to remove (one nicely accessorized with a broken easy out), and fresh out of ideas.

Anyone else gone through this agony?

Easy outs will only cause you grief if used for touch stuck bolts. They will break and make the job harder.

Try lots of heat like a map gas torch or reverse drill bits. You'd be surprised how often a stuck bolt will come spinning loose with a reverse drill bit.

 

[GE73FJ]

Thanks Guys, well the studs are broke off inside the hub FJ Forty, one is almost a half inch in the hub so no other way to get anything on it to get it out that I know of. Do you have a better solution i'm all ears!

Splangy, thanks I'll see if i can locate some left handed bits somewhere, couldnt find any today at the places I looked anyway.

 

[FJforty]

Oh! I get it, thought it was brake hub.. (selectro hubs).. missed it
Need to try to loosen that easy-out. They are too hard to drill. At some point the thing might be junk. Is the easy-out the one that is broken 1/2" down in?

 

[GE73FJ]

No, that is probably a fortunate part. the easyout is probably 1/4 -3/8 in. I am not quite sure how to get it back out i did try and revers tap it with a punch to no avail, thus far.

Well this is why we do this right living for the challange! Thanks, I will try and get the easy out - out and then continue on with the project maybe I can locate some reverse bits.

The bolts are hard and tough to drill so will ahve to be some good bits.

I didnt anticipate it being stuck so hard since I was able to rotate one out with a narrow punch.

 

[lone gunman]

got my reverse bit set at napa. not cheap but have saved me more then once.

 

[GE73FJ]

Thanks Gunman, unfortunately they arent going to be open on Sunday but hopefully I can find some somewhere. would hate to have to wait until Tuesday and then have to go back to the office. At least i know someplace that handles them I appreciate the info. how about broken easyout removers got any source for those ?

 

[FJforty]

Normally with enough dinkin around the ez-out will come out. If you can't get out then I dont know, they are hardened so maybe could be heated (red hot)to remove the temper. You could grind it down with the right equip. A Mill.
Best way to remove stuborn bolts I have found is to turn them back and forth and try to get alittle looser each turn.

 

[StaleAle]

Northern tool had a set for $59. They are not top quality because they are only cobalt-coated and made in China, but they do drill holes in normal automotive bolts. Not sure about hardened studs though. Be careful, they are somewhat brittle, similar to cobalt bits.

Personally, I've had better luck with Kano Kroil, spritzing the bolt once a day for 3 days, then applying some heat as suggested. But that doesn't help you with your broken off studs....sorry.

Next option is to take a whole selection of cobalt drill bits and start small and work your way up until you can either remove what's left of the threads and chase them clean, or tap a fresh set of threads.

Good Luck!

 

[wadeclinton]

To get the broken easy out out. Bash it with something untill it's broken (its kinda brittle so it shoulden't be too hard) into pices and then fish it out with a pick and magnet. Then try heat on the hub body, hopefully the hub will expand faster than the studs then use the reverse drill bits to turn out the studs. If that dosen't work then it's off to a machinist to have the studs milled out and time-serts installed. Hope this helps.

 

[3_puppies]

and fresh out of ideas.

another option would be to buy another hub. should be fairly cheap and no headaches.

just a thought

 

[GE73FJ]

Thanks Gentlemen, I will try the bashing the EZ out method first right nwo that seems like my biggest problem, once out I'm at least back where I started.

Stale Ale, yes my broken easyout is a China special (with lifetime guarantee) so will have to be careful if I can find a set somewhere now that its Sunday adn the Holiday weekend is here i'm not holding my breath.

Wade Clinton, thanks for teh bashing it adn picking idea, I might get something like that to work. A little heat would help I'm sure maybe remove and convince wife to use her oven .

3 puppies I was hoping it wouldnt come to that as everything on this is original and it would be nice to keep it as it came off the line but it might have to be done. i'm sure bying a new one might be as cheap as a machine shop.

 

[fj404life]

I had some studs broken off in an aluminum motorcycle head. I took it to a machine shop and they used an EDM? to get them out. Didnt hurt the aluminum threads in the head at all. Cost me 80$ for about 5 studs.

 

[FJforty]

FJ404life, I forgot about that. They used to do that alot before penetrating oils and impacts. EDM uses a carbon electrode and electricity to burn the metal away. The only drawback is the burn area has to be emersed in oil so sometimes you have to build a dam. You might find a machinist that builds injection molds. They will have one.

 

[MtnClimber]

A little heat would help I'm sure maybe remove and convince wife to use her oven .

Just a maybe, but if you heated it up real good and then took a can of compressed air, flipped it upside down and hit the stuck bolt for a few seconds, it may cool it down quickly enough to loosen it and back out without too much issue. I've done this with several types of stuck and/or broken bolts and it worked well most of the time.

 

[GE73FJ]

Alright everyone, latest progress update. I was able to find a set of left hand bits at Harbor freight, was dubious about quality but so far no problem they drilled teh bolts fine and i have two of the four out.

I thought I'd try to take the studs without the broken easyout out first if successful there then spend the trouble and time to work out the easyout.

I got off center on one of the broken studs and am skinning the threads on one side of the hole. Not sure where to go with that continued to try adn correct it and drilled clear through bolt but off center all the way through.

I guess I could try drilling it out totally and hopefully keep it true and then chase it out with a tap?

seems risky since the hole is already off center.

I have never heard of this EDM process. If no success over the holiday here I will maybe have to resort to a machine shop on what is left.

 

[wadeclinton]

To keep from getting off center you need to get a good center punch dimple on the stud. This ensures a good hold to keep to drill bit from walking out off center. Then start with a very small bit. Less than 1/8" is preferable then work up to a larger size.
If you knick up the threads try chasing them with a tap. If they are really ruined then a time-cert is what you'll have to do. You can do that yourself but the kit is expensive. Like 50$ to 100$. Do not use heli-coils, they are garbage. If you can't get that to work or are not willing to spring the cash for a time-cert kit, then a machine shop will hook you up.

 

[GE73FJ]

ok, progress for the day is that I got all studs out except for teh D##N one with the easyout in it. that thing is stubbon. broke three punches on it trying toget it to crack or brake.

I think i'm going to have to bite the bullet and have a machine shop mill it out. I dont have a torch or anyway to heat it effectively, wife wasnt fond of the idea of it in her oven either. however i dont think i could have changed the temper with that.

so any other ideas I'm taking notes.

Thanks to everyone, I did dimple the stud with a center punch WadeClinton, but i guess either i had it off or it wasnt deep enough. I started wth 5/32 size to drill with.

I would say that all your ideas worked together pretty well for those that I now have out which is everything except for teh darn stud I broke the easy out in in teh first place.

If there are any late comers that have the perfect solution for the one remaining feel free to chime in.

 

[fj hunter]

how far from the surface ...

is the stud.

you may be able to wire feed weld on the end and that would heat it up.

with a tig welder, you will be able to grow out the stud until it is reachable, even the best of us dont alwasys have all that much skill.

i suspect you have recessed/driven in the reverse out end. since it is anchored, take a steel round stock that fits in the hole with out messing with the original thread and drill it out til it slips over the reverse out stud and maybe that will give you a different point from which to turn the reverse out / broken bolt.

wow. that's all i can think of at this point.

if you use a mig welder, it will melt alumimum easly, so turn it way down to lowest power setting... holy cow, this is not a good idea... really, i have tried it on my diamond plate sides..

dang, maybe the best deal is to take it to a machine shop...

or somehow heat up that part of the hub housing... maybe a plumbing torch, maybe a match... geesh...

if you put oil in the hole, then torch the side, the oil will weep into the threads... might loosen em up a bit...