Welding broken bolts

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GerhardUngerer

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Oct 14, 2020
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I am a bolt-breaking beast. This is my haul from the rear bumper. I am still in the process of rust-repair.

I read that you guys typically either drill or weld the remnant. I dont have a welder, but looking at getting one ( @Malleus ).

Noob question. Laying on your back, welding overhead, will you not burn the fire out of yourself with the sparks falling in your face?
IMG_5936.jpg
 
Thanks. I have analysis paralysis on selecting a MIG welder. I want to be able to do simple welds and maybe sheet metal. My rig is a bit chewy.
 
Suggest you start using PB blaster (smells horrible) or kroil (smells pretty nice) repeatedly for a couple of weeks before trying to remove any more, along with several heatings to red hot (or as hot as you can get) with a propane torch. And some whacks with a hammer might help break up the rust bond too.
A MIG machine IS very handy - I'll agree there, and a low end 115VAC, or better, a small 180 peak Amp 240 VAC machine will do most practical stuff you'd ever want to to do. But...red hot spray of little balls of molten steel raining down on you..."not that Bad"? Not my idea of a good timeo_O. Better protect yourself really well. - I MIG weld all the time - looking down from above :cool: a hot one landing down your shoe...get's full attention quickly.
 
I typically heat them up and then use PB blaster or AFT/Acetone mix. However, on the bumper, could not get to the bolts and a red-hot flame on the plastic corners would not work. Now, for the e running board brackets. Been heating and spraying those suckers for a while. No luck.
 
I have a hobart handler 140 with gas. It is not the longer duty cycle like the 220 volt units but with the right wire, you can do sheet metal all the way up to 1/4 inch. I feel like its the perfect hobby machine.
 
GerhardUngerer said:
I am a bolt-breaking beast. This is my haul from the rear bumper. I am still in the process of rust-repair.

I read that you guys typically either drill or weld the remnant. I dont have a welder, but looking at getting one ( @Malleus ).

Noob question. Laying on your back, welding overhead, will you not burn the fire out of yourself with the sparks falling in your face?
View attachment 2923000
Click to expand...

Almost none of those look like welding a nut on the remaining bolt is a viable solution (especially for a novice welder).

Those have broken off well down the shank of the bolt and unless there is a some amount of bolt shank still exposed (not in blind hole) then you are better off drilling them out.

If you attempt to weld a nut onto a recessed bolt shank you are almost certain to weld up the threads and nothing else. That will only make MORE work for you.
 
The square extractors are the only kind I have ever had luck with. Drill a appropriate size hole and tap them in, then pray lol

Straight Fluted Screw Extractor Set, 5 Pcs M4-M18 | 3/16-Inch to 5/8-Inch Easy Out Bolt Extractor Set for Broken Bolt Thread Repair, Carbon Stee Amazon product ASIN B07TZGJ8TS
That is the style, idk if that exact set is any good or not.
 
@GerhardUngerer I have broken as many of those bolts as you have. The plastic fender corners are famous for eating fasteners. As are the flares.

Don't sweat it, just break them off and replace them. They're pennies each.

@Railwelder93 is correct, you're probably thinking of stick welding in shop class.

Just about everyone will tell you that the Hobart 140 is the way to go, because they advertise the most at the price they sell them, much more than Miller and Lincoln. They are all made in China. Come over and try my HTP 110. It's the older version of the HTP 130. HTP is a great company that focuses on small shops and independents/non-professionals. The welders are made in Italy (I can vouch for that, I've been there), specifically for the US market.

BTW, check out @CPACruiser's latest post on rocker panel rot. You two need to talk.
 
Best advice I can give on buying a welder is you get what you pay for. Cheap ones might burn metal together but they don't work as well as a quality unit and don't last nearly as long. If you're trying to keep cost down you are better off finding a used version of a quality brand than you are getting a new cheap one.

I have a Miller 211 and love it. It has the ability to select the wire speed and amperage for you based on material thickness and wire size or allows fully customization of the settings (more advanced). Its great for sheet metal and also lets me build larger stuff like bumpers, cages and sliders. I like that its capable of using 240v or 120v power supply. If you're just doing small stuff the Miller 141 would also work well.

Be sure to get one with a gas system. Flux core works ok, but for sheet metal the gas shielded is the way to go.

I previously had a Lincoln, no complaints with them either. Unit worked great for me for over 12 years.

Hobart is popular and I believe is made by Miller.
 
Getting the ones out that broke off deep in the hole by welding is a little tricky. You need to build up the remnant back to the top of the hole before you weld a nut on. You do this by laying in a series of small tack welds to build up metal. You can put a coil of copper wire over the threads in the hole to help prevent welding over them. You can get a handy little stick welder that will run 3/32 rods for about $100 and the slag helps protect the thread holes.

The other trick is to drill a small hole in one of the broken bolt heads that is exactly centered. Then screw it in and use it to drill a pilot hole centered in the remnant, then drill out the rest until just the threads remain in the hole and the threads will come right out with a dental pick. You can use the same centering jig on all of them that are the same situation.
 
Pin_Head said:
The other trick is to drill a small hole in one of the broken bolt heads that is exactly centered. Then screw it in and use it to drill a pilot hole centered in the remnant, then drill out the rest until just the threads remain in the hole and the threads will come right out with a dental pick. You can use the same centering jig on all of them that are the same situation.
Click to expand...

This is one of the best ways to get rusted-in bolts out. If you can still find one I have these kits from Quikcenter that line up the pilot hole for you. Have saved me more times than I can count with broken bolts.

 
My welding skills suck big time however practice makes perfect......well for me close enough! PPE is the way to go although I found an old full face crash helmet is a boon under a car with a decent heavy jacket on. I recall a couple of years ago I had to weld in a new rear arch on my 80, and in the garage without the use of a lift. So I have a full face covering and to help protect me I covered myself with a couple of old bath towels so I could lay under the car to sort the arch/sill junction, and with a friend looking on he had a spray bottle of water, not only to check out the inside of the car but also dowse any hot spots on me. So I am welding away and I called out "I can feel something hot on my chest, and he only heard something" like is the inside of the car OK?" It was only when I shouted out that I was on fire did he check me out and see one of the towels were on fire and then set about wetting me down. We had a bloody good laugh, but then that's what working on your own 80 does for you, as someone recently commented it is Land Cruiser therapy.

Regards

Dave
 
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