Sheared knuckle wiper seal bolt - Help...

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SoCal_80

SoCal_80

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I finally got around to checking the torque on the knuckle seal wiper bolts. Well, even using a small wrench, i managed to shear the head off of one of the lower bolts. Questions - Can i drive it like this for a while (I.E. - a trip up to Yosemite and one or two trips up to the Big Bear area - street only, no wheeling)? Or do i need to fix this ASAP? Has anyone tackled this before? Will an easy out work for this? If this is something i should repair prior to these trips, can someone recommend a shop in either the Long Beach or Costa Mesa areas?

Thanks!
Sean
 
I would probably drive it up to Big Bear, but not as far as Yosemite. I've never had to pull out one of those, i can imagine it might be challenging. Can you use a dremel and slot the bolt and use a screwdriver to get it out? Maybe tack a nut on it and take it out that way? - thinking outloud
 
SOCALFJ said:
I would probably drive it up to Big Bear, but not as far as Yosemite. I've never had to pull out one of those, i can imagine it might be challenging. Can you use a dremel and slot the bolt and use a screwdriver to get it out? Maybe tack a nut on it and take it out that way? - thinking outloud
Click to expand...

That's a great idea Dave, also if you have the time soak the bolt with PB Blaster or another quality penetrating oil for a few days or more before attempting removal. If you slot the bolt end be sure the screwdriver fits perfect and clamp a pair of vice grips to the screwdriver shaft for extra torque. Use a hammer and firmly wrap the screwdriver head a few times to further break the bond. If that does not work try heating the bolt and surrounding area to a dull red, not red hot which will weaken the bolt. An easy out should be your last resort because if you break it off then you'll be on your way to a machine shop next. Good luck. :)
 
Slotting the bolt if there's enough material exposed is the best way, along with plenty of Kroil. But before I would attempt an easy-out, (agreed that it's a last resort - especially when they break off inside bolt!), I would use a left-handed drill bit and Kroil. I've had bolts unscrew themselves while I'm drilling them. Once the head of the bolt breaks off, many times the clamp load is gone, relieving any pressure on the bolt. Just get the center punch properly centered and you're golden.
 
Thanks guys....I hope to take a sick day this week and dig into it!
 
Blue77FJ40 said:
Slotting the bolt if there's enough material exposed is the best way, along with plenty of Kroil. But before I would attempt an easy-out, (agreed that it's a last resort - especially when they break off inside bolt!), I would use a left-handed drill bit and Kroil. I've had bolts unscrew themselves while I'm drilling them. Once the head of the bolt breaks off, many times the clamp load is gone, relieving any pressure on the bolt. Just get the center punch properly centered and you're golden.
Click to expand...

x2 what 'blue said about the left-handed drill bit. That's worked numerous times for me and you'll have the best chance if the bolt wasn't rusted in to begin with. In other words, if you just screwed it in and tightened it down and then 'snap', it will probably back out with a little force using the bit.

If it was rusted in, slotting it with a dremel type tool and use an impact screwdriver to back it out sounds like the best shot.

I would seriously think a long time about heating that area up with a torch without completely disassembling and degreasing the whole area. I would hate to see that grease light up and be a bigger problem than the broken bolt ever was.

g'luck. Dan.
 
if it's just one bolt, I wouldn't stress taking it on a long road trip, my 40 has had one of these for many years with no real ill effects, true that it should be fixed but I guess I got lazy on the last servicing, I plan to correct it on the next axle gutting.

Noah
 
fj80toyman said:
x2 what 'blue said about the left-handed drill bit. That's worked numerous times for me and you'll have the best chance if the bolt wasn't rusted in to begin with. In other words, if you just screwed it in and tightened it down and then 'snap', it will probably back out with a little force using the bit.

If it was rusted in, slotting it with a dremel type tool and use an impact screwdriver to back it out sounds like the best shot.

I would seriously think a long time about heating that area up with a torch without completely disassembling and degreasing the whole area. I would hate to see that grease light up and be a bigger problem than the broken bolt ever was.

g'luck. Dan.
Click to expand...

Agreed, I would never use a torch around any seals, gaskets, boots, oil, grease or gas. I should have said "after dis-assembly". I like the left handed drill trick, I'll have to give that a try some day. What is or how do you determine the bit diameter versus bolt diameter ratio? :cool:
 
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gon2srf said:
Agreed, I would never use a torch around any seals, gaskets, boots, oil, grease or gas. I should have said "after dis-assembly". I like the left handed drill trick, I'll have to give that a try some day. What is or how do you determine the bit diameter versus bolt diameter ratio? :cool:
Click to expand...

well, if really stuck in there, I think the idea would be that you drill out the bolt by having a drill through it that's close to the bolt diameter (starting small and incrementing) and very well centered. All the while you're praying it'll come out before that cuz of the torque but that would be just good fortune. So it'd be just like drilling any other hole.
 
gon2srf said:
Agreed, I would never use a torch around any seals, gaskets, boots, oil, grease or gas. I should have said "after dis-assembly". I like the left handed drill trick, I'll have to give that a try some day. What is or how do you determine the bit diameter versus bolt diameter ratio? :cool:
Click to expand...

Depends on bolt size but I start with the smallest bit I can get in the center of the broken bolt. I'd start with a conventional (clockwise) bit to get a good hole started in the center. Go bigger a little at a time and then when you're about half the diameter of the bolt or maybe more, use the left-handed bit and go slowly with as much pressure on the bit as you can, hoping it will grab hold of the bolt remains and drive it out!

That's how I roll!

Dan.
 
FWIW, I was at HF the other day and bought a set of left hand bits on an impulse since they are not so easy to find, and some MUD fiends had just been talking about these enough that I thought I should get a set.
Unfortunately, when I got home, I realized that the biggest one in there was only 1/4"...
Well, cheap enough at least.
 
e9999 said:
FWIW, I was at HF the other day and bought a set of left hand bits on an impulse since they are not so easy to find, and some MUD fiends had just been talking about these enough that I thought I should get a set.
Unfortunately, when I got home, I realized that the biggest one in there was only 1/4"...
Well, cheap enough at least.
Click to expand...

You bought left handed drill bits from Harbor Freight? I would be afraid to try anything from Harbor Freight for a job of real consequence. :p
 
fj80toyman said:
...yes, but were they INTENTIONALLY left-handed :hhmm:

Dan.
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LOL! good one!


It's kinda moot point, anyway, you can do the drilling with a regular bit too, just you'll have to drill the bolt all the way for sure.

So I got that more for the fun factor than anything else.

Of course, the real problem with that is to start out right in the middle...



I don't think the HF bits are likely to break and create havoc, more likely they would lose their edge very fast.


Hmmm.... I wonder if my bit sharpener would work with a LH bit?
 
It's probly not even hardened, use a carbide bit, or center drill first, and just a hair smaller than the groove of the thread. (The smallest diameter of the bolt thread minus .020")

drill thru, pick out the parts, done.

chase the hole with a tap and good tapping fluid and put in a new one.

I'd leave the heat on the shelf too.
 
PabloVTA said:
It's probly not even hardened, use a carbide bit, or center drill first, and just a hair smaller than the groove of the thread. (The smallest diameter of the bolt thread minus .020")

drill thru, pick out the parts, done.

chase the hole with a tap and good tapping fluid and put in a new one.

I'd leave the heat on the shelf too.
Click to expand...

That was pretty much what we ended up doing....All fixed now!
Thanks everyone ....
 
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